THE STATE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. Reforming Europe in a time of war

88 the key dossiers for this legislature, including one that is of particular interest to us: reviewing the fiscal rules or the Stability and Growth Pact. But the fact that the legislature is nearing its end means that the EU must present voters both with tan- gible outcomes of its governance and with an inspiring project that demonstrates it has understood the desires and preferences of its citizens. Otherwise, the future of all Europeans is threatened by the possibility that gen- eral disillusionment delivers a majority at the ballot box to Eurosceptics, producing an ungovernable European Parliament. The actions of the Spanish Presidency are key both in ensuring that the EU can present itself at the polls with an inspiring project, and to give the upcoming elections a trans-European dimension. With respect to the first of these challenges, it will be the responsibility of the Spanish Presidency and of the Belgian Presidency that follows, to bring a clear political project to the elections, one that looks to the future, and shows itself capable of addressing the present and future needs of EU citizens. This can only be achieved in cooperation with the institutions. It can be done if a reform process has been launched, but also with a grand political declaration along the lines of the Solemn Declaration on European Union at Stuttgart (European Council, 1983), showing that Member states, together with EU institutions, are determined to ensure that the European project works. With respect to the second dimension, the Span- ish Presidency can also play a key role in supporting a democratisation of the EU elections by Europeanising them. It is also possible that the Presidency will culmi- nate in the European Parliament initiative to reform the European Electoral Act, calling for shared electoral rules and a transnational constituency supporting a single Eu- ropean list for each political party, with a nominated lead candidate (European Parliament, 2022c). The Parliament proposals reflect the demand of the Conference on the Future of Europe regarding the institutionalisation of the practice of Spitzenkandidaten and transnational lists (Co- FoE, 2022: 81). These are of key importance if we are to connect citizens to European elections and generate Europe-wide political debate, as we argued in last year’s Report (Guinea, 2021). Approving reform of the European Parliament Elec- toral Act may prove very complicated, as it requires unanimity in the Council. The Parliament proposal is still very vague, in so far as it does not establish either the size of any transnational list or whether there has to be some kind of distribution of positions between nation- als of Member states. This would be a logical step to ensure that citizens of all Member states identify with the list and with the political project being advocated. The Spanish Presidency will play a central role in building consensus and firming up decisions, mediating between Member states. And, in the case of the Council’s failure to reach agreement, it may seek to promote a tacit po- litical commitment among its other European partners to respect the Spitzenkandidat system, as happened in 2014, providing a central element for European voters to put a face to their vote when they go to the ballot. Conclusions: for a Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2023 which works to strengthen the integration project Presidencies, and their agenda in particular, are usually prepared some time in advance, with the aim of reflecting and giving considered expression to the political priori- ties to be promoted. At the same time, they must reflect current issues in the EU and the agenda of events. In the case of Spain’s Presidency of the Council, it is particular- ly difficult to undertake this preparation in a calm and considered manner, given the uncertainty generated by the conflict in Ukraine and the energy, economic, political and social crises deriving from it. It would be logical to expect Spain to use its Presi- dency to promote those issues that have been a constant in its time as a Member state: developing the European citizenship statue, cohesion, the Mediterranean, and re- lations with Latin America. However, the combination of