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Supporting the middle-class has always been one of the core interests of Silvio Berlusconi’s political action, as he eloquently stated in many of his main speeches and during the debates of his 30-year career as leader of Forza Italia.

It doesn’t come as a surprise that these values are still at the forefront of the European People’s Party (EPP) political agenda, which describes the middle-class as the “backbone of our European way of life”, in a vision that encompasses “jobs, dignity, and fairness.” Thus, the EPP sees the middle-class as a primary feature of European society and considers its concerns to be the main ones of the political group. Citizens from the middle-class “promote education and entrepreneurship,” as well as “boost growth and build social and political stability.”

This dynamic has been threatened by the multiple crises that have faced the EU in the last few years, from the pandemic to the rise of energy prices and the subsequent growth of inflation to dangerous levels. In this context, the EPP underlines that it is ever more important to promote policies in the European Union that support the income of families and help small-business owners keep their activities running.

The key solution to this issue is creating jobs and growth to stabilize economies all over Europe, focusing on decreasing public debt and maintaining adequate social security. Achieving a final version of the European Single Market is crucial to fulfilling these goals, especially with a vision for future sectors of the economy, such as digitalization. Finally, reforms on the national level are a key asset to improving employment rates and the overall economic performance of the EU member states while promoting a better competitiveness.

Written by: Francesco Marino