Euro symbols of unity and disunity

Date: 01/12/05

In the culturally diverse European Union, the euro coin is an emblem of integration and a symbol of a greater European economic and political identity. But since individual member states have the power to decide what image to display on euro coins minted in-house, some recent aesthetic decisions indicate disunity.

Italy, for example, is issuing 18 million two-euro coins commemorating the first anniversary of the country's signing of the European constitution which was subsequently rejected by French and Dutch voters. Slovakia announced on 20 November that a Christian cross will grace its currency when it switches to the euro in 2009. And there has been talk of Poland joining the Vatican in displaying an image of the late Pope John Paul II on their future euros. This month, the Vatican is issuing a two-euro coin to commemorate the World Youth Day of August 2005.

Religion has been a highly divisive subject during negotiations on the proposed EU constitution. While a group of countries, led by Poland and Ireland, had insisted on introducing references to Christianity in the constitution, other member states, in particular France and Belgium, totally opposed such references. In the end, no mention of Christianity was made in the constitution.

With European governments anxious to cultivate a feeling of belonging among the 10 million Muslims living in western Europe and with the prospect of countries with mostly Muslim populations, such as Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina, joining the EU, talk about Christian values or symbols is likely to become increasingly controversial.

But despite their religious and political connotations, analysts do not believe the image of a Christian cross or of Pope John Paul II on euro coins will have a serious effect on relations between member states.

"It's not a big issue," said Mattias Bengtsson, president of the Centre for the New Europe think-tank in Brussels. "If it had something like a swastika on it, or a Communist symbol, then it would be an issue."

Aurore Wanlin, a research fellow at the Centre for European Reform in London, agreed, saying she "would not interpret too much into this". But while Wanlin does not think the Italian nod to the EU constitution will ruffle too many feathers, she is astounded that Italy thought to issue these two-euro pieces.

"The situation in Italy is so surprising because it is uncertain that the constitution will ever come into force, and in fact, probably will not," she said. "But the main value in the EU is tolerance. If coins were to become an issue, it would be more of a national problem than an EU-level problem."

As for Slovakia, it joined Austria, Italy, Estonia and Lithuania in becoming one of the few member states to let the public directly choose their euro coin design. For one week beginning on 12 November, Slovakians voted by phone, text message or via the internet for their favourite of ten designs. The image of a double cross standing on a triple mountain, which is also portrayed on the Slovak flag, garnered 33,000 of 140,000 votes to beat designs of Slovakian monuments, other crucifixes and the Virgin Mary with Jesus.

National Bank of Slovakia spokesman Igor Bar�said that while he understood how the greater EU might interpret Slovakia's design choice as religious, the double cross in this case represented Slovakia more than it represented Christianity.

"Originally the cross was a Christian or religious symbol, but now it's more of a national symbol of Slovakia," Bar�said. "Our hockey players wear the symbol on their jerseys also."

Bengtsson said whatever euro coin design a country chose, there was likely to be some dissent.

"Look at Belgium or Spain, they have monarchs on their coins - that could be a touchy issue for the French, maybe," Bengtsson said. "It's hard to please everybody."

One French centre-right MEP commented that diversity was part of the "charm" of the EU, provided that it did not go as far as dividing member states. "As long as member states don't put on their euro-coins controversial historic leaders who were heroes for one country and invaders for others, that's fine," he said.

Article takes a look at the symbols on different EU Member States' Euro coins. Individual Member States have the power to decide what image to display on euro coins minted in-house.