{{Short description|European Non-profit organization}}
{{Infobox organization |logo=Logo final transparent copy.png |status=Registered non-profit organization ("eingetragener Verein") |formation=July 2016, registered September 2017 |headquarters=Tübingen, Germany |membership=30 }}
'''WhyEurope''' is a non-partisan and independent non-profit organization, which was founded in 2016 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. Since September 2017, WhyEurope is an officially registered association based in Tübingen, Germany. It has approximately 30 members from over 10 European states.
== Background and history == The initiative was founded by three students, who shared a concern about the rise of euro-scepticism and right-wing-populism.<ref>{{citation|surname1=Badische Zeitung|title=Facebook-Seite "Whyeurope" ist pro-europäisch und populistisch - Kultur - Badische Zeitung|language=German|url=http://www.badische-zeitung.de/kultur-sonstige/facebook-seite-whyeurope-ist-pro-europaeisch-und-populistisch--134027863.html|access-date=2018-03-10 }}</ref> The outcome of the Brexit referendum was the trigger for them to become active. They decided to publish pictures with simple pro-European messages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.<ref>{{citation|periodical=euractiv.com|title=WhyEurope: ‘Brexit was the trigger. We had to do something’|date=2017-02-24|language=German|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/video/whyeurope-brexit-was-the-trigger-we-had-to-do-something/|access-date=2018-03-10 }}</ref>
== Communication style == WhyEurope has adopted a communication style they refer to as “Positive Populism”. The founders describe the approach as simple, emotional and personal.<ref>{{citation|periodical=euractiv.com|title=Students trial ‘positive populism’ in pro-EU messages|date=2017-01-20|language=German|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/students-trial-positive-populism-in-pro-eu-messages/|access-date=2018-03-10 }}</ref> They refrain from including difficult, political or legal terms in their slogans and make their messages as catchy and short as possible. WhyEurope trigger positive emotions in their audience by connecting political issues to every-day topics such as love or happiness.<ref>{{cite web|title="Positiver Populismus" – Co-Gründer von WhyEurope im Interview|url=https://www.laute-europaeer.de/2017/12/08/whyeurope-interview/|accessdate=2018-03-10|language=de-DE}}</ref><ref>{{citation|periodical=Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit|title=Why Europe|language=German|url=https://www.freiheit.org/why-europe|access-date=2018-03-10 }}</ref> They believe that ''Positive Populism'' is to be seen as a simple and emotional communication style, but sustains a foundation of hard facts and evidence.<ref>{{cite web|title=Why Europe? – Euranet Plus|url=http://www.euranetplus.de/2017/03/06/why-europe/|accessdate=2018-03-10|language=de-DE}}</ref> In contrary to actual negative populists, they want to provide factual evidence and explanations for their claims.<ref>{{cite web|title=About {{!}} WhyEurope|url=https://www.whyeurope.org/about/|accessdate=2018-03-10|language=German|archive-date=2018-03-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317233243/https://www.whyeurope.org/about/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
WhyEurope considers Positive Populism an approach to opposing current populist and extremist movements.<ref>{{cite web|title=CONTENT: Pourquoi l’Europe? Initiation au populisme positif – Master Europe|url=http://mastereurope.eu/content-whyeurope-populismepositif/|accessdate=2018-03-10}}</ref>
== Independence == Since their foundation, Why Europe has emphasized their character as a non-partisan and independent initiative. Despite being in contact with actors of the European Union, they have stated their distance to the EU institutions.
== Relationship to other initiatives == WhyEurope has had a number of cooperation with other pro-European initiatives. Since beginning of 2016, Benedikt Kau and Hans-Christoph Schlüter were in contact with Daniel Röder and Sabine Röder when they launched the demonstrations under the name Pulse of Europe.<ref>{{cite web|title=Why Europe – Wahres mit Augenzwinkern – #PulseofEurope|url=https://pulseofeurope.eu/de/why-europe-wahres-mit-augenzwinkern/|accessdate=2018-03-10|language=de-DE|archive-date=2018-03-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318054138/https://pulseofeurope.eu/de/why-europe-wahres-mit-augenzwinkern/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Pulse of Europe adopted the campaign and the slogan of the campaign “Blijf bij ons” focusing on the Dutch General elections. Together, the initiatives mobilized ten thousands of people joining pro-European demonstrations.<ref>{{citation|title=Duitsers demonstreren tegen 'nexit': blijf bij ons!|language=German|url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2162875-duitsers-demonstreren-tegen-nexit-blijf-bij-ons.html|access-date=2018-03-10 }}</ref>
Further cooperation included projects with the Young European Federalists and Laute Europäer.<ref>{{Citation|title="Positiver Populismus" – Co-Gründer von WhyEurope im Interview|url=https://www.laute-europaeer.de/2017/12/08/whyeurope-interview/|language=de-DE|accessdate=2018-03-26}}</ref>
== Reception == On 31 January, Marine Le Pen (Front National) filed a parliamentary request in the European Parliament asking about the funding of WhyEurope through the European Commission.<ref>{{citation|periodical=euractiv.com|title=Le Pen confuses student initiative with ‘EU propaganda’|date=2017-04-28|language=German|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/le-pen-confuses-student-initiative-with-eu-propaganda/|access-date=2018-03-10 }}</ref> Commissioner Günther Oettinger, then responsible person for the EU budget, replied that the Commission has not funded WhyEurope in any way and the name were not found within the central accounting system.<ref>{{cite web|title=Answer to a written question - Whyeurope - E-000605/2017|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getAllAnswers.do?reference=E-2017-000605&language=EN|accessdate=2018-03-10}}</ref> {{Quote|text=When EURACTIV first discovered the WhyEurope Twitter account a few days ago, we were puzzled by the freshness of the pro-European messages, in stark contrast to the EU’s usually boring official communications.|sign=Georgi Gotev, Senior Editor at Euractiv|source=}} November 2017, WhyEurope has been awarded ''European Public Communication Award'' by the European Committee Of The Regions.<ref>{{citation|surname1=Marco Karp|title="Why Europe" macht Stimmung für Europa|language=German|url=https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/heute/why-europe-macht-stimmung-fuer-die-eu-100.html|access-date=2018-03-10 }}</ref><ref>{{citation|periodical=cantaloup.fm|title=Auszeichnung für Tübinger Student durch die Europäische Union|language=German|url=http://cantaloup.fm/news/%EF%BB%BF-auszeichnung-fuer-tuebinger-student-durch-die-europaeische-union/|access-date=2018-03-10 }}</ref> The prize was received during the EuroPCom in the hemicycle of the European Parliament.<ref>{{cite web|title=Preis für Tübinger Studenten: "WhyEurope" wird von der Europäischen Union ausgezeichnet {{!}} Universität Tübingen|url=https://www.uni-tuebingen.de/universitaet/aktuelles-und-publikationen/attempto-online/newsfullview-attempto/article/preis-fuer-tuebinger-studenten-whyeurope-wird-von-der-europaeischen-union-ausgezeichnet.html|accessdate=2018-03-10|language=German}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=WhyEurope: Populismus für Europa - EURACTIV.de|url=https://www.euractiv.de/section/europakompakt/news/whyeurope-populismus-fuer-europa/|accessdate=2018-03-10|language=de-DE}}</ref><ref>{{citation|periodical=euractiv.com|title=Student's project WhyEurope wins Special Prize for communication|date=2017-11-13|language=German|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/students-project-whyeurope-wins-special-prize-for-communication/|access-date=2018-03-10 }}</ref><ref>{{citation |title=Neunkirchener Hans-Christoph Schlüter mit European Public Communication Award ausgezeichnet |date=2017-11-10 |url=https://www.siegerlandkurier.de/lokales/neunkirchen/neunkirchener-hans-christoph-schlueter-european-public-communication-award-ausgezeichnet-9267296.html |periodical=Siegerlandkurier |language=German |access-date=2018-03-10}}</ref><ref>{{citation|surname1=Badische Zeitung|title=MENSCHEN - Freiburg - Badische Zeitung|language=German|url=http://www.badische-zeitung.de/freiburg/menschen-x6ga3flix--144855888.html|access-date=2018-03-10 }}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Trois étudiants Strasbourgeois récompensés par l’Union Européenne|language=German|url=https://www.dna.fr/politique/2017/11/12/trois-etudiants-strasbourgeois-recompenses-par-l-union-europeenne|access-date=2018-03-10 }}</ref>
In May 2018, WhyEurope was awarded the Arno-Esch-Preis by the Association of Liberal Academics in Germany.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.obermain.de/lokal/lichtenfels/art2414,650339|title=Für Europa mit "Positiven Populismus"|date=2018-05-22|work=obermain.de|access-date=2018-05-23|language=de-DE}}</ref>
== References == <references />
==External links== *{{Official website|http://www.whyeurope.org/}}
Category:Pro-Europeanism Category:Organisations based in Tübingen Category:Political advocacy groups in Germany Category:Organizations established in 2017 Category:2017 establishments in Germany