Europe needs less Government. The problem is that these tax changes are just never linked to tax cuts and actual living improvements for the everyday workers.
A proposal to phase out pensions for people currently aged under 40, in coordination with a large decrease in the Payroll tax rate (and strict orders to business to pass it along entirely to employees) would be met with reasonable popularity.
Europe artificially inflates the cost of labour with its huge taxes, and wonders why there are problems with unemployment and tax evasion. It artificially inflates the cost of living with huge VAT rates, and wonder why people don't have more children or consume more.
Have a look at what Georgia (country) is doing. They have to compete on their own merits and do so with amazingly efficient taxes:
* 20% flat income tax
* No social security or employment taxes
* up to 1% land value tax
* 18% VAT
* 15% corporate tax
* Excise taxes on drugs and fossil fuels
As a result the country is developing very well despite its lack of natural resources, unfortunate geographic positioning, and prior Russian invasion.
European bureaucrats like to defend heavy taxes and redistribution because it creates a need for their services. We should tax people less, and let them decide what to spend their money on. Along the way remove as many impediments for employment as possible, and tax the goods which have negative externalities (fossil fuels, drugs, food sweeteners)
...
If you really want to set the cat amongst the pigeons, we can look at an entirely different tax regime, where each person and business is expected to pay a fixed tax rate per year, merely for existing (scaled to size of business, and probably age and health status). Then, they are free to earn what they like, independent of tax. I don't see why Government shouldn't operate on the same principles as a business, with transparency and efficiency.