'Prime Minister De Wever, we’re not too idealistic in Europe. We’re nowhere near idealistic enough'

What we need is more idealism, not less, argues Timo Van Canegem. "Prime Minister De Wever touches on a painful truth, but his conclusion is wrong." Van Canegem is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Sociology (Ghent University) and guest professor of Sociology of Education and Education Policy at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. The opinion piece appeared in De Morgen.

Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) said the following during his inaugural lecture at Ghent University: "Europe has many 'noble' ambitions. We want to be the most polite, most ethical, most climate-conscious people in the world. And that's wonderful. But for a long time, we assumed the rest of the world thought that was wonderful too. That they'd love nothing more than to 'play European'. But that didn't turn out to be the case."

Bart De Wever misses the point when he suggests that outside Europe there is no desire to strive for human rights, democracy and a sustainable world. As if there is something inherently 'unique' about Europeans that sets us apart from the rest of humanity. That, of course, is not true. What is true is that many people in repressive regimes have seen first-hand that Europe's grand words are often little more than that: words, stripped of real action.

The Geneva Convention is slowly shattering against the walls of Fortress Europe. Support stretches only until it touches our comfort.

Humanists who were not born in this golden cradle know all too well that the defence of human rights is often highly selective. Palestinians, Congolese and Sudanese people know to their deep frustration that the price of their rights is, for us, too high. Pro-democracy Russians stood alone when the West thought it could appease Putin and his circle of oligarchs. Because a democratic neighbour is nice, but cheap gas from the tap is nicer.

For years, we have flirted with Netanyahu's repressive regime, despite the warning cries of pacifist, humanist Israelis. Try being a climate-conscious Indonesian in a country where rainforest is cleared for palm oil plantations. The Geneva Convention is slowly breaking against the walls of Fortress Europe. And Ukrainians on the front line know all too well how limited Europe's willingness is to stand up for its cherished principles when push comes to shove. Support stretches only until it touches our comfort.

We too often abandon our allies in dark regimes when it becomes economically or politically uncomfortable. It is this disappointment, this disillusionment in our limited will to actively defend universalist principles, that has helped make the world many Europeans imagine seem so far away. Those who talk to people in the Global South will find plenty of idealism. But their idealism is being systematically suffocated.

'Playing European'

A skilled rhetorician like Prime Minister Bart De Wever knows that language matters. So when he says that humanists elsewhere in the world are actually "playing European", that choice of words is no coincidence. As if Africans, Asians and South Americans can only aspire to humanist principles by imitating Europeans.

As if those values are somehow inherently European, while Europe itself remains complicit in the continuation of truly horrific scenes. Just this week, the Belgian government declared that we must be able to talk to the Taliban about returning Afghans. That intention alone is cynicism beyond belief. We also offer little resistance to autocrats like Trump. We prefer to lie low, whispering prayers that he won't drag us down with him - no matter how many humanist Americans end up behind bars. Keeping the peace can be a cruel act.

Not enough

Prime Minister De Wever touches on a painful truth: Europe has paid too little attention to power realities and the geopolitical context. But his conclusion is wrong. He suggests that we must abandon idealism, as a kind of realpolitik. Yet it may be precisely in the active support of strong ideas that the key lies to curbing the many regimes hostile to humanism.

Let us not lose hope, and through our actions show that human rights, the rule of law and a sustainable future are more than empty slogans. That they apply to everyone, and that they are worth fighting for. That we will stand by those who embrace these ideals, even when it costs us something.

We are not too idealistic. We are nowhere near idealistic enough.