from New Europe
The European Weekly
Author: Jorgo Chatzimarkakis is a Member of the European Parliament from Germany
10 November 2008 - Issue : 807
Yes we can! Obama believed in it and millions of Americans followed his idea of change. But what were the reasons for his success? What are the consequences for us Europeans? First of all, people were fed up with the Bush-Cheney style of politics and Obama represented exactly the opposite. Then of course people also discovered the power of their vote. This is especially true for the younger generation who by disproving the myth of their political apathy contributed to that change. They are now fascinated with their impact in giving America another spirit, another narrative, another direction for the next years. But what is in it for Europeans? Several conclusions can be drawn.
Firstly, Obama’s victory proved that we should not underestimate the outsiders. Everything is possible in these times even if things seem too complicated. He was not the most likely candidate and a large fraction of the electorate, including many of his supporters, believed it impossible for him to get elected. But with his talent of communication, he managed to pass his clear political message and electrified America in a united “Yes we can.” So what Europe can learn from an outsider is that we should not expect all the solutions for the big questions in Europe from Mrs. Merkel or Mr. Sarkozy because, against all odds, anyone with a clear idea can get a chance to win the public. Obama gave Europe that hope.
