(National-UAE) The recent European Parliament election and the fallout from the war in Gaza has exposed the under-representation of some groups on the continent, including non-whites and Muslims, a report has found.
Public opinion of the EU is overwhelmingly positive but leaders must address blind spots that could undermine the long-term health of democracy in the bloc, said the report published by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and the European Cultural Foundation.
Titled Welcome to Barbieland: European sentiment in the year of wars and elections, the report advises political parties to cultivate a more ethnoculturally diverse membership and voting base, to call out xenophobia even if it means clashing with voters, and for countries to reduce [the] minimum voting age to 16 when applicable.
