but have realistic political platforms and that is still loose going in as realistic political forces i think we have we have the bracks it it's you it's you know it's a good indication or in the pan was the second run or french presidential election i mean what else i mean i'm not even citing other countries where parties are becoming third or second in the parliament that's quite something to actually take into consideration but i think you bracks it is a good example it's worse based on the reasons why. majority of british people wanted to to to say yes for brakes it if it was it was because of because of circumstances very much because of circumstances and if you look at the consequences that. political movement that was in favor of brics it what is the role of that now it's it's not that relevant and there are

more and more discussion about what is going to happen at the end of the day in similar way i think that in france. this nationalist movement. it has difficulties so i don't believe that these populist movements are we have to take them seriously they are relevant forces absolutely but i don't believe that they are able to create any kind of alternative for europe. so i feel like all that we just talked about the turn it forces to black said it has created sort of a tough consultation between the pro e.u. faker's forest as martin schultz says of european constitutional treaty should we propose to member states and those who refuse to sign should just leave european union i mean do you feel like this sort of a stick before the carrot approach will help consolidate european union i don't believe in that and i think mr should should ask why his party. it was not that

popular in germany i think that that is my personal opinion that europe should analyze very carefully why we had these difficulties we faced and actually why europe as well is coming out of that crisis now if you look at the last three four years the us open economies have been growing faster than the united states since two thousand and fourteen the e.u. had a economic growth rate has been higher than in the u.s. and it's not for coincidence it's because of the fact that we have made certain reforms and we have to continue with these reforms not to return back to the do tional debate which we have early two thousand we did not lead to anything but also have hurt for the last three four years a lot of talk about how he use needs to be reformed how ill and its current state isn't working anymore it has become obsolete in it's to change do you feel

like any real change will take place or this will never go beyond declarations i think you will be a new news it told us has not been as good as the most excited people are saying but it has never been as bad as those who are negative saying the european market works many of the european economy is are doing quite well now. we have achieved a lot in europe but the fact is the world is changing and you have to be able to to to preserve your competitive this and and europe has to work for that and as i said earlier i don't believe that better constitution is the right call the fact is that we have to concentrate in these foundations of wealth and prosperity and economic growth and the creation of jobs. which can lead to positive results and so it is that a fair assessment. if i say that overall european politicians are content with nips

and tucks and they just go with the flow. i think it. is typical that old legacies play a week role in politics and it's not only in the european union the sense we are as well in the united states in russia in japan in china in many countries and i have to say that i'm coming from a small country i think sometimes those who have imperial history or history of the great successes in the history they don't fully understand the world is changing very fast and and we have to be able to to change the model of. operation or our concept in a way that it is in line with the with the context and if you look at the course you can develop and for example now the context we are living in with the next five

to ten years it's dramatically going to be changed and if you're not wake up you don't understand what's going on and you are doing the wrong conclusions. you kind of so by you know there are other politicians who actually believe that technology will progress doesn't change the core human nature and that's why that should be fought in the first place i'm sorry to bring the chorus again from segment gavriel but i was hilarious he actually said that european voice isn't heard amongst russia and china and united states and that's because europe european union is a vegetarian amongst meat eaters and it was a very vivid quote so do you think do you think do you think you should become more predatory how would that look like i think europe has values which are foundation for for the future of europe us as well is. i don't want to say that technological development means that you have to you have to. you know. human

aspects or cultural aspects but the fact is that. moving forward much faster than cultures cultural changes are very difficult to be done and these legacies are big problem for for political decision makers and europe past its own legacies and it has to be able to solve these legacies and these legacies are linked to the fact that the european story has been a great story but those factors which were behind success story of europe. twenty thirty forty years ago not much relevant anymore mr aho we're going to take a break right now when we're back we'll continue talking to finland's former prime minister talking about current issues european union facing stay with us.

wrong. and in. the trail. find themselves worlds apart. to look for common ground.

we're back with finland's former prime minister as mr our home so let's talk about favorite media subject don't trump the president of united states i mean he's going to make it harder for the e.u. to pursue foreign policy isn't he. i think. it's difficult to. into print what the u.s. is now trying to do and i think that it's quite clear that the influence of the united states on the world stage is in decline that is my conclusion is partially if this kind of trend is going to be continued but do you feel like that my result i mean the way donald trump is that might result in america losing its influence

over the european union absolutely and and that means that if there is going to be areas where europe is going to play a bigger role. but also because of the fact that the u.s. is not that much interested in certain global issues anymore let's look at environment maybe it's not that bad of a thing after all europe can become actually independent and make its own decisions yeah that is that this one aspect but then there is another aspect if you look at the global environmental protection for example if the united states is not active and playing its role i think it's very difficult to save the world so so in spite of the fact that sometimes it's easier to make decisions without the united states i think that this is without the united states influence are not as influential as they should be on one hand if you talk about global issues but on the other hand if you talk about for an orgy of political issues maybe you want to be forced to be

involved in wars that you don't know where you're fighting them for right and we look at how many worst europe was dragged into by united states that actually like at the end of the day resulted in a disaster for everybody i personally believe that that the world should be rule based and it's in the interest of everyone that there are as many common rules as possible in trade in economy collaboration in security area. finland was hosting the c s c european. the security in collaboration or cooperation conference nineteen seventy five we spoke about confidence building measures and i think that is what the world needs confidence and confidence is based on on common rules i strongly believe in that and the u.s. and europe have you played a big role in that the united states has been. a partner in creating that rule

based system i'm afraid that that. true if forwards and especially language president trump has been using. i'm not that confident that the contribution of the united states to that rule based system is as relevant as it has been. let's talk about european trent's worrying transpiration as i know that according to the latest data. that european union may be facing at demographical crisis in a near future i mean your neighbors with the baltic states and their numbers have problems i mean really dropped drastically and a lot of people are actually thinking twice between actually if we're actually getting pregnant so i'm thinking is admitting refugees going to actually help revitalize d. aging workforce i think the fact is that the fundamental issues that people are

living longer and that means that there's a misuse or it is an issue people are living longer that means that that the whole economy system that has been based on the idea that that we can survive with our social systems when people are living let's say. ten fifteen years less than today i think it is going to be a major major challenge second to the second issue is that the supply of labor the fact is that digitalization can help us a lot in both digitization can help us to take care of these. millions and millions of senior citizens who need care and more care and secondly it can help us to survive with the with with this demographic charlie with the demographic challenge of labor force but for sure for the third we need immigration but refuse he. policies and immigration policy should be in my opinion separated you cannot solve

. the labor force challenges by by using ritchie policies kind of race may be the best example canada has taken a lot of immigrants for a long period of time and they have tried to balance between immigration policy and the refugee policy and that balance has worked quite quite well and integration of people has succeeded we have to learn from that experience yes so your country finland will accept seven hundred fifty refugees next year that's the correct number i think it's a bit higher but but anyway i mean we have called the small number yet do you feel like countries should be forced into accepting refugees if they don't want to i think we have to take share of our responsibility that is that is needed in the present world countries cannot ignore we have sent refugees to other countries as well from from finland some of the time and and and i think it's very important to

understand that the people need protection that we have to share our our responsibility so i want to talk to you a little bit about how russia is perceived in a european union i mean we seem to have this love and hate relationship lately and indeed friend european elections last year were heard about a lot about supposed russian involvement i just really wonder you tell me it is you are probably see russia this like all mighty country that can actually do. that other countries election of it the internet i mean they really thing where that powerful i'm not expert i cannot comment on that but but there are a lot of that kind of discussion going on but i think the fundamental problem is that we have to we have to start understanding this independence between western europe and russia and i think good example of what's going on this is

a trait. between russia and the european union last year do you know what happened trade increased actually the news exports to russia increased more than china's exports to russia and and the trade figures increased. more than twenty percent last year in spite of suspension in spite of counter sanctions so there is an independent interdependence and we have to be able to find ways and means to cope with each other's i spoke about this going as i spoke about this confidence building measures i think it's very important to go back to the one hundred seventy five let's look at very carefully what we decided to do in helsinki ninety seventy five i believe that many of these ideas.