Claire Dhéret argues that policy answers to today’s social challenges have, so far, been too weak, have lacked credibility or have favoured a retreat into nationalism. That is why robust solutions to these trends must be central in the EU’s new upcoming politico- institutional cycle and a priority in the future design of ‘Social Europe’. Building a more social Europe, based on clear, concrete and visible initiatives, can address some of people’s most fundamental grievances while breathing new life into the European project, she argues. This will not solve all the economic and social challenges of the 21st century; that will require a profound change of our growth model and a reinvention of our social and institutional frameworks. But it will make Europe stronger in the face of the ongoing transition, better prepared for upcoming changes, and it will bring more stability and enhance trust in the future.
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