Bridging The Rural-Urban Divide
Farmers across Europe took to the streets from late 2023 to spring 2024, protesting national and EU (European Union) policies. The demonstrations, marked by tractors blocking boulevards and streets, culminated in Brussels, where protesters brought the city centre to a standstill. Their primary grievance was the European Green Deal, introduced in 2019, which imposed new restrictions on pesticides, banned combustion engines and promoted biodiversity protection. These measures, aimed at environmental preservation, posed significant costs to farmers and threatened their livelihoods. The protests also reflected a deeper, growing divide between Europe’s rural areas and cities, highlighting economic disparities and a perceived lack of recognition and respect from the Government.

This divide has long been documented by scholars, attributing it to economic inequalities exacerbated by globalisation and poorly conceived policies. Cities have attracted young talent, leading to the aging and decline of rural populations. This urban migration has widened the income and employment gap between rural and urban areas, further deepened by the recent cost-of-living crisis. Rural residents often feel ignored and undervalued by their Governments, fostering resentment and discontent. This sentiment was evident in recent research by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, which found that rural residents were more likely to perceive Government actions as unfair and disrespectful compared to their urban counterparts.

Rural areas have suffered from inadequate infrastructure and limited access to essential services, like healthcare and public transport. These deficiencies are seen not just as policy failures, but also as signs of marginalisation. Policies that seem to favour urban populations, such as subsidies for electric vehicles, exacerbate rural discontent by appearing to prioritise wealthier urban residents. Similarly, efforts to reduce transport emissions by discouraging the usage of private cars do not consider the lack of viable alternatives in rural areas.

The perception of policymaking as a top-down process that excludes rural input adds to the discontent. For example, rural areas often need different solutions for digital connectivity, such as satellite broadband instead of fixed infrastructure. Data from 2022 showed significant disparities in broadband speeds between urban and rural areas, with these gaps increasing over time, further embittering rural populations.

To address these issues, policymakers must adopt more targeted, inclusive approaches. The EU’s Principle of Subsidiarity, which suggests that decisions should be made at the most local level possible, should guide these efforts. Investing in infrastructure and services to make rural areas attractive places to live and work is essential. This includes improving digital connectivity, healthcare access and public transport. Innovative solutions, such as expanding the roles of nurses and pharmacists and using mobile health units, can help address healthcare shortages in rural areas.

Moreover, policies should focus on specific populations within rural areas. Young people, for instance, face greater challenges in education and employment, leading to higher NEET (not in employment, education or training) rates. Women in rural areas also encounter barriers to employment. Ensuring access to quality childcare and transportation can help increase their participation in the labour market.

Addressing rural-urban inequalities requires coordinated efforts from national and EU policymakers, sensitive to the needs of rural communities. By fostering open dialogue and involving rural residents in decision-making process, Governments can rebuild trust and social cohesion. Balancing development across regions can boost economic prosperity and reduce societal tensions, making Europe’s future more inclusive and stable.

This piece was published by Talk Diplomacy on May 26, 2024.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das