Janan Ganesh (“Europe must trim welfare to fund warfare”, Opinion, March 6) suggests that increased defence spending must come at the expense of the welfare state. It is our belief that this is counter-productive and will jeopardise Europe’s security.
Austerity has not only had economic costs but political consequences. A decade on from the Great Recession analysis of 200 European regional elections shows a direct link between fiscal consolidation and the electoral success of political extremists. Europe’s leaders are considering triggering the fiscal rules’ escape clause, so military expenditures would not be counted towards the EU’s spending limits. But we can only be strong externally if we are strong internally.
Judith Kirton Darling
General Secretary, industriAll Europe
Isabelle Barthes
Deputy General Secretary, industriAll Europe, Brussels, Belgium
