Brussels, 19th June 2024
Before the European elections this month, FAFCE disseminated a policy toolkit to candidates for the new legislature. After votes were counted, FAFCE’s President wrote an open letter to incoming MEPs explaining the priorities for families in Europe today.
The priorities included topics such as demography, protection of children, and integral ecology. Speaking to Kate Quiñones of the Catholic News Agency, Vincenzo Bassi, President of FAFCE, said: “These elections came as Europe faces a critical moment. The demographic winter threatens a long-term existential crisis for the continent, as without children we have no future. Intergenerational balance is a prerequisite for intergenerational solidarity. Work-family balance is also crucial, so that parents are supported in their joyful responsibility of caring for their children.
“It is Europe’s children that must be better protected too, particularly with the public health issue of pornography. Both with regards to the need to remove abusive material online but also to research the damage caused by widespread access and addiction to pornography, which is exacerbating an already alarming pandemic of loneliness.
“We exist in a wider ecology beyond ourselves as individuals. To protect this integral ecology, the family must also be protected – the two cannot be separated. In order to combat the consequences of environmental degradation and economic uncertainty, the European parliament must prioritise families and networks of families. In tackling overconsumption, poverty, and addiction, Europe must put the core of society first – the family.”
NB: Parts of these comments were published in an article by Catholic News Agency on 7th June 2024.
