Where Now for European Social Democracy? - Policy Network

JEAN PISANI-FERRY 55macroeconomic framework, as suggested by the Sapir Report. Thosewho favour the second model hold that responsibility for growthessentially belongs to the remit of the member states and thatthe EU should only create conditions for those policies to beeffective.In summary, it is more than time to revisit the social democrats’European growth agenda in the light of recent successes and failuresand to put together a common package of credible pro-growth policies.The lack of serious discussion on these matters does not favourthe building of a consensus among European social democrats andthe elaboration of a common thinking. On the contrary, it favoursthe development on the Left of Eurosceptic attitudes and thedissemination of ideas that portray European integration as the Trojanhorse of free market fundamentalism.Fortunately, there is much the Left can do for growth withoutjeopardising its identity. But there is also a long list of new issues todeal with and of old issues to revisit, both at the national and theEuropean level. It is only by addressing controversies head on that thesocial democrats can define their own growth agenda and persuade theEuropean voters that they are better able to combine economicperformance with social justice.The current state of the debate among European social democratsis an indication of the time that has been lost. It is more than urgentto start working again.