Christos Floros

Category: European Union

  • Every Nation for Itself

    Every Nation for Itself

    This is not just a ‘thank you’ post.

    But first, yes:

    28,874 personal thank you‘s for supporting me.

    And 253,344 thank you‘s for supporting our incredible DP – Demokratesch Partei team.

    To have earned your trust, your support, your faith, in my, and our team’s ability to deliver for you, that requires a huge, and sincere, thank you.

    My projections for Luxembourg and Europe were unfortunately accurate, and yet on an emotional level, we always hope to do better.

    One always hopes to do better than their own data indicates. Even if, again, I have to thank you, for giving me almost double the personal support I expected in my first election, especially one that I fought without any press, or media coverage — entirely with you, entirely grassroots. But this is not about any one person, or even any one country. Because these were European elections, about the future of our Union.

    So, let’s make it clear:

    The extremes did not win these elections, but many of us around Europe lost them. By failing (over the years, not just in this campaign) to convince our fellow citizens, that we can do better. And we must listen very clearly to this democratic protest.

    The biggest loser of these Elections is the European Union.

    ‘Divide et impera’: we are being divided, and the fact that many of us seem to ignore a carefully curated plan being actioned, is incredibly worrying.

    Those who seek to divide us have infiltrated our society, our media, our industries, our public discourse, and our politics.

    And the trend is clear, our Union is polarised, both in terms of political direction and in terms of supranational unity.

    Those of us who are responsible, moderate, politicians must be willing to take responsibility for this loss of confidence in our Union.

    Those of us who have opened a history book more than twice in our lives, must be willing to continue working, just as passionately, just as determined, to ensure history does not repeat itself.

    We must be willing to continue doing everything we can, to ensure Europe delivers for its citizens.

    Because we have got to take responsibility for the results all over Europe.

    Even if my generation is only just entering politics, we must be willing to take responsibility for the previous generations too. Because that’s what leaders do.

    European citizens are tired of overregulation. European citizens are fed-up with a European Union unable to work successfully together on border control. European citizens are frustrated, that we keep asking more of them, than we are able to offer them. European citizens are tired of handouts, when the majority of them work incredibly hard for their dues. European citizens want to be empowered to succeed.

    In the process of this protest, in the process of this polarisation, we are having our Trump moment. Mirroring what is happening in the United States, as I told Christelle BRUCKER yesterday. The big difference however is this: Trump loves Trump. And in Europe we don’t actually elect a single Trump. We elect multiple different Trumps, who each only love themselves, and their nations. A Europe of nations, working in their own self-interest, in a G-Zero world (yes, I’ve stolen the title from Ian Bremmer‘s 2012 book) will not deliver for any European citizen, regardless of how industrious, capable or ambitious the individual nation may be.

    Our countries, may have bright histories, but only together, do we pull enough weight in the world today (and even together, we’ve been reducing our weight enormously over the years – see image below). The United States are innovating, and we are simply falling behind, as China rises at an incredible pace.

    Only a strong, empowered, and purpose-led European Union can deliver for European citizens. Whether Spanish, French, Greek or Luxembourgish. Whether Romanian, Portuguese, German or Finnish.

    Share of World GDP / observations in text above

    So bottom line, here’s what I am going to do.

    • I will continue to be incredibly active in my country’s politics, at every level, micro-local, local, national and international.
    • I will continue investing my time and energy for you, within the DP – Demokratesch Partei to ensure we can conserve our Union and ensure we collectively succeed in the new global order.
    • I will continue attempting to make our politics more accessible, and more open to both criticism and participation.
    • I will continue encouraging, with my incredible colleague Jana Degrott (who by the way, not only had an incredible score, but also proved to be one of our country’s most committed politicians) more people to get involved.
    • I will continue speaking about AI, Defence and Cybersecurity (including Misinformation and Foreign Influence).
    • I will continue speaking about Europe’s competitiveness, our economy, our industries.
    • I will continue to ask for increased availability of information across our media in Luxembourg.

    And you may have guessed it:

    I will continue asking more of you, to choose to take responsibility and REGISTER TO VOTE.

    I want to thank all of you again for your support,

    Thank Charles Goerens , Amela Skenderovic , Nancy Braun , Jana Degrott , Gusty Graas and the entire team, every section, every MP, every member, every volunteer, for their support, and engagement into our campaign, to strengthen Europe.

    I want to also thank you for reading,

    I believe in Europe.

    If every nation in our Union plays for itself, we will all lose in the new state of the world.

    If we can continue to play together, with real, purposeful leadership, then we can succeed.

    Thank you for everything,

    This was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I look forward to doing it again for you, for our city, our country, our Union, and yes, the collective success of our world.

    Kind regards,

    Christos FLOROS

  • Boosting Europe’s Industries

    Boosting Europe’s Industries

    Europe’s industrial landscape is still dynamic, diverse, and certainly globally interconnected. To maintain and enhance competitiveness, the European Union must adopt strategic measures that promote innovation, efficiency, and sustainability.

    We’ve got to invest in innovation

    The EU should double down on R&D spending. Encouraging both public and private investment in cutting-edge technologies to drive breakthroughs. We’ve also got to foster collaboration between businesses, academia, and research institutions. Joint efforts can lead to technological advancements that benefit all of us, not just our industries. But we’ve got to go beyond throwing money at it. We’ve got to actually implement these relationships.

    We’ve got to bring the price of energy down

    Reducing energy costs is critical for industrial competitiveness. Everyone tells us that. It’s common sense, we’ve got to do it. So we’ve got to diversisy energy sources, at scale, fast and slash prices in the process. Big ask, but we’ve got to deliver. Partners are playing at an advantage we don’t have, and we keep adding disadvantages for our own businesses.

    Get rid of unneeded bureaucracy

    We’ve got to streamline regulations to enhance business agility. The DP proposes a Commissioner with the specific agenda of bringing regulation into the 21st century. Easy to navigate, helping our business grow, instead of employing more people in compliance than the actual business itself. We’ve got to foster a supportive ecosystem for businesses to thrive.

    Europe’s commitment to the ecological transition and sustainability should align with its drive for economic growth and global competitiveness. Europe must strengthen its industries and remain a formidable player on the world stage. There’s a lot more work to be done, more than I’ve covered here. But I want you to know that’s on my mind, not just from a business perspective, from a strategic and geopolitical perspective too.

    We’ve got to work for Europe, all Europeans, in the interest not only of ourselves, but the entire world. An EU that thrives, can inspire and motivate the rest of the world.

  • Our fragile Union, a beacon of hope

    Our fragile Union, a beacon of hope

    Every bomb falling in Gaza, every rocket fired towards Tel Aviv, every shot fired in Donetsk, every bullet that kills in Kachin, in Darfur, in Las Anod or in any other ongoing conflict, is made by a human being. It’s an object made by a human being, used by a human being, to kill another human being. Every time a homophobic attack is committed, every time someones rapes, when a fight breaks out in a scho olyard, there’s a human being, inflicting terrible pain to another human being.

    Our world is by nature incredibly violent. It speaks to our collective evolution, that we have set up rules and laws, to help us participate safely and fairly in groups and society. It speaks to our better ambition, that we have set up institutions like the United Nations, to cooperate together at a global level. We have evolved to the point where we have even set universal human rights. Rights for all human beings, regardless of where they are born, where or when they live. But we are unfortunately still a long way to go, as a universal, or earthly society of human beings, from being able to argue and guarantee for all Humans’ human rights. We still have a lot of building to do, to ensure human rights are always upheld, and everywhere. As rights, not options. 

    As our world collectively and selectively forgets, and turns violent again, we find ourselves, in Europe, once again preparing for war. Preparing to have the ability to defend ourselves in case of conflict. To give us the best possible chances of avoiding conflict. Because as much as we have evolved, we still live in a world that is often divided, and where interests between groups are not always aligned. Within countries, and between countries. Even between and within alliances of countries. 

    I’m so incredibly passionate about our European Union because it is, fundamentally, a guarantor of peace and security. A group of countries, with incredibly diverse histories, different cultures, different languages, different DNA’s choosing to work together, instead of letting neither thousands of years of history, nor their more recent bloody history, divide them. Countries that were shaped by the history of others, and countries that shaped global history, countries that experienced rises and declines to their civilisations — choosing to work together, in the pursuit of compromise, peace and cooperation, over conflict and disagreement. In the pursuit of our better ambitions. As long as this ethos, and our influence, expands, we will hopefully be able to keep sending a message of peace and unity, and that we would rather see countries working together, than apart.

    Most of us, if not all of us, I hope, stand against every conflict, but I do not want to give you any illusions; none of us alone are capable of magically ending every conflict. In this Parliamentary Election, in Luxembourg, you get to pick 6 out of 720 Parliamentarians. We are all working, and giving it our all, to give you every reason, to help us strengthen the European Union, so that it is able to defend your rights, and privileges, and capable of influencing progress, peace and prosperity and uphold our agreed laws beyond our borders, from human rights, to the law of war and climate justice.

    We face great threats, within and outside our borders. From people who seek to take advantage of our disunity, external actors like other states and organizations, and internal actors, more interested in an illusion of developing themselves, than strengthening the whole. Our Union is fragile. And disunion would be catastrophic.

    The decision-maker, when it comes to how we will respond to all these challenges, and our ambitions for the future: that is each and every one of you, on the 9th of June. And in every election that comes after this, as long as we live in a democracy, and we are able to elect our leaders. I must have complete faith in all of you, to help us ensure, Europe remains a champion of hope, peace and justice. That Europe is empowered, so that we may continue to have a seat at the table of global negotiations.

    Our world is far from perfect. If it were, myself and many other young people wouldn’t be so incredibly passionate about contributing to our shared decision making. We are entering positions of responsibility, when and where you empower us, to shape a better world. In the process, all of us learn our scope, and limitations. And we learn to navigate, armed with our hopes and dreams, a system that feels old and outdated (both in decisions entrenched in itself, and in the way it operates); to make our contributions. Contributions that represent our generation, and our wants, our needs, our priorities. Whilst recognising that the entire system must run in parallel to this progress. Because, much like a Computer’s Operating System, our entire world depends on it. And in the future, a younger generation, armed with its own hopes and dreams, will attempt to do the same. Just as it’s happened before.

    The world did not begin when we were born, and probably not last Thursday, and it won’t end when we are gone. Some of us feel the need to take on more responsibility for the collective than others.

    I am a son of two people who grew up poor, the grandson of an orphan of war, a descendant of generations of enslaved people, and inside me the feeling of responsibility runs strong.

    Speaking for myself, I can only say that I know, in myself, that I am fighting for what I believe is right. That my conscience is clear, knowing full well, my intentions, which is to contribute, as little, or as much as I can to the world around me. To leave behind a world that’s a little bit better, a little bit more peaceful, a little bit more fair, and a little bit more sustainable. And I have, for years, made these intentions as transparent and available as possible.

    Most of my positions and ideas are available here on my website. 

    Specifically on what’s happening in Gaza, I’ve written again and again, perhaps more about it than any other subject, about the importance of humanity and international law prevailing. I’ve stitched together videos, to show what I listen to. And I shared it with you, for reasons of transparency. But as I’ve publicly said, I do not plan to campaign pretending like voting for me would magically end what’s happening. And I believe other people’s plight should not become an electoral wager for politicians in third countries. Our priority must be to assist people and ensure the upholding of international law, in Israel, in Gaza, in the West Bank, in the wider region, on the ground. It is our collectively responsibility to ensure we are capable of putting an end to the destruction of indescribable proportions taking place today, and to put ourselves in the position of supporting what comes next. My priority is to contribute to the resolution, to be able to be a voice of reason, when and where I can, knowing full well, once again, my limitations.

    Whether it’s in Gaza, in Ukraine or in Somalia. Whether it’s in China, in Mexico or Argentina. Whether someone is kept hostage, or killed without warning. Wherever human rights are violated, beyond empathy and shared pain, it threatens our civil liberties, as human beings, and we must always contest those who do not uphold the rule of law.

    Most things are difficult to build, hard to maintain, and easy to tear down.

    I am not looking to tear anything apart, I want us to continue building, ever-better, ever-together, ever-improving. It’s frustrating at times.. But that’s what it takes, to bring everyone on the same page, and build together.

    I hope you will all find it in yourselves, to help us collectively pave the way for a European Union that has a positive impact, for itself and the world.

    And one more thing

    I’m running an election that mathematically, I can’t win.

    Our candidacy is an underdog.

    I am running to represent you.

    To bring us closer together.

    If that doesn’t make my commitment to the very essence of our democracy clear…

    I don’t know what would.

  • Is it really Europe we’re talking about?

    Is it really Europe we’re talking about?

    Soundbites dominate discourse. National interests overshadow broader visions. We lose sight of the bigger picture. This is even more apparent in these European Parliament elections, where the ballot box may once again become a battleground for national grievances and triumphs rather than a platform for discussing and deciding the future of Europe as a whole.

    So, is it really Europe we’re talking about?

    In a European post-2004 era marked by unprecedented interconnectedness, where events in one corner of Europe and the globe can ripple across continents in seconds, the answer should be, a resounding yes. Whether it’s climate change, migration, or economic instability, the challenges facing Europe today transcend national borders. Ignoring this reality in favor of narrow, short-term interests is not only shortsighted but also perilous. Fragmented approaches, driven by individual national interests, will only serve to weaken our collective resilience. To confront the next stage of the global order effectively, we need a strong, cohesive EU capable of speaking with one voice on the world stage.

    It’s time to talk about Europe.

    This means recognizing that our fates are intertwined, and that only by working together can we navigate the challenges that lie ahead.

    It’s also about reclaiming our agency in shaping the world around us.

    We have a responsibility to engage in constructive dialogue, to seek common ground, and to advocate for policies that advance the greater good.

    This is not to say that national interests should be disregarded. On the contrary, they should be viewed through a European lens, mindful of their implications for the continent as a whole. By aligning our priorities and pooling our resources, we can amplify our impact and create a Europe that is not only stronger but also more resilient and prosperous.

    Are we willing to rise to the challenge of building a better Europe for future generations?

    The time for complacency is over. The time to talk about Europe is now.

  • How the EU Can Help Young People Find a Home

    How the EU Can Help Young People Find a Home

    Let’s talk about housing. Not about soaring penthouses and bidding wars. Let’s talk about the kind young people across Europe are struggling to find: a decent, affordable place to call home.

    Now, housing policy is primarily a national competency. But here’s the thing: a generation stuck in cramped flatshares or priced out of the market altogether isn’t good for national economies, social mobility, or frankly, the future of Europe.

    The EU, as the champion of social progress and economic dynamism, can – and should – play a leading role. We’re not talking about a Housing Commissioner (though that’s a conversation for another day). We’re talking about smart policy frameworks that incentivize member states and empower young Europeans.

    Here’s a couple of ideas; and why I insisted on Housing being in our programme.

    1. Across the continent, red tape and permitting nightmares are strangling new construction. The EU can work with national governments to streamline approvals, especially for projects that prioritize affordability and diverse housing typologies. Think student dorms, co-operative housing models, and mixed-use developments that integrate housing with offices and green spaces.

    2. Financing a first home is a boulder on young shoulders. The EU can encourage national programs that offer loan guarantees, down payment assistance schemes, and tax breaks for first-time buyers. But let’s not forget developers. Here, the EU can create incentives for building diverse housing options, not just luxury condos.

    3. From Vienna’s renowned social housing program to innovative co-operative models in Germany, Europe has a wealth of successful housing policies. The EU can act as a platform for knowledge exchange, facilitating member states to learn from each other and adapt successful approaches to their specific contexts.

    4. The EU should continue to convene panels of architects, urban planners, mobility experts, and social scientists. To advise on best practices for sustainable, inclusive housing development that integrates seamlessly with transportation networks and public services. Their insights can inform national policy decisions and ensure we’re building not just homes, but livable, thriving communities.

    This isn’t about a one-size-fits-all solution. Each member state has its own unique housing challenges. But the EU can be the orchestra conductor, setting the tone and harmonizing national policies towards a shared goal: ensuring young Europeans have a secure and affordable place to build their lives.

    This isn’t just about bricks and mortar. It’s about a generation feeling empowered, rooted in their communities, and ready to contribute their full potential to a brighter European future. Let’s get building.

  • Recognising Poverty at EU level

    Recognising Poverty at EU level

    It’s crucial to talk about the harsh reality of poverty. Across the European Union, millions of people struggle to make ends meet every day.

    According to recent data, around 118 million people in the EU are at risk of poverty or social exclusion.

    But numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. Poverty isn’t just about lacking money; it’s also about lacking access to basic needs like healthcare, education, and decent housing. It’s about feeling excluded from society, unable to fully participate and thrive.

    From a Social-Liberal standpoint, addressing poverty is a matter of justice and equality. Everyone should have the chance to live a dignified life, regardless of their background or circumstances.

    So, what can be done to tackle poverty at the EU level?

    Firstly, we need stronger social safety nets to catch those who are falling through the cracks.

    Secondly, we must invest in education and training to empower people to break the cycle of poverty.

    Thirdly, we need to address the root causes of poverty, including inequality and discrimination. This requires policies that promote fair wages, affordable housing (both social and private), and equal opportunities for all. It also means ensuring we put in place a fair tax system, that keeps us globally competitive, but also makes sure everyone pays their fair share.

    Lastly, we must foster solidarity and cooperation among EU member states to tackle poverty collectively. By sharing best practices and resources, we must amplify our efforts and make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions.

    The EU already has some initiatives in place, but more needs to be done. It’s time for member states to stop seeing poverty as a national problem, and work together for a truly unified approach.

    I am glad we have decided to recognise poverty as an EU-wide issue in our programme, following my proposal, and I am convinced that our party and its European family will contribute to combatting poverty in the near future.