What Europe gets wrong about Roma inclusion – and what needs to change

Roma inclusion has been a European priority for years – supported by governments, institutions and philanthropy. Yet the gap between commitments and lived reality remains wide.

In this interview, Kinga Rethy, Executive Vice President of the Roma Foundation for Europe, speaks about:

• why past approaches have failed to deliver systemic change
• the role of political will and long-term commitment
• moving beyond moral arguments to economic reality
• Roma inclusion as a response to Europe’s labour shortages
• the importance of Roma leadership and institutional strength
• what needs to happen next for real impact

The conversation also looks ahead and discusses the strategic priorities shaping the work of the Roma Foundation for Europe and its network.

Roma empowerment is not a niche issue. It is about Europe’s economic future, democratic resilience and social cohesion.

➡️ Learn more about our work: https://www.romaforeurope.org

00:00 Introduction
00:09 The gap between commitments and reality
00:42 Europe’s biggest mistake on Roma inclusion
01:34 Lip service vs real change
02:21 Missed opportunities and lack of political will
03:49 From moral arguments to economic reality
05:27 Proof of concept and real impact
06:16 Coordination across the network
09:39 Culture, identity and representation
10:13 Roma leadership at the top
16:00 Priorities for 2026
18:13 Economic argument and scalability
19:59 Future priorities for RFE
22:32 Political will and Europe’s future
24:00 Roma inclusion as a shared responsibility
25:10 Closing

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