Prodi: Dialogue Among Great Powers is Necessary
World crises, the European crisis and globalization, speech by Romano Prodi at the Verona Economic Forum. We need a direct dialog between the USA and China. The EU Commission has weakened
The crises will end if the USA and China talk to each other, Europe will count for something if the European Commission gets power again. Romano Prodi, former Italian Prime Minister and former President of the European Commission, stated this in dialog with Alessandro Cassieri, RAI journalist and executive editor of the Opinion section in Pluralia, during the XVII Verona Economic Forum, held this year in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.
“The world has been in crisis for some time now, added to that are crises within many democracies. Let’s think about what’s happening in France, Germany, the incredible tension in the USA over the election of Trump, and even what happened in South Korea. That is something no one could have expected. This is not a direct consequence of the international crisis, but a symptom of the upheaval and instability that exists around the world as we are in a phase of adaptation.”
This is happening in Europe, which seems increasingly irrelevant in global games. “Europe had and still has great cultural strength, we think of its pioneering role in environmental protection and human rights, but it has no political strength,” Prodi explained, “and it means nothing without it. We need French and German leadership, closely supported by Italy, Spain and Poland. We must wait for the German elections and the end of the French crisis, and we must restore the power and authority of the Commission, which was previously recognized as the meeting place of political will. After the financial crisis, this went to the Council, and each country has the right of veto.”
How do we recover from crises, and what will be the future of globalization?
“This fragmentation of the world benefits no one, we need a dialog between the two great superpowers, the USA and China, so that there is a basic agreement that would make possible the necessary compromises. We will return not to the globalization of a few years ago, but to “tolerated globalization,” that is, driven by government agreements. It is also the only way to resolve current conflicts, from Ukraine to the Middle East. The USA and China must realize that they are responsible not only for their own citizens, but also for the citizens of the world.”