Rome, September 16 (askanews) – "The fate of Europe must remain in the hands of Europeans." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared this today in Strasbourg, speaking to the European Parliament during her annual State of the Union Address. Continuing her remarks last year in her opening speech for her second Commission, the European leader emphasized the Union's need to preserve its independence in a changing world.
Addressing the audience, von der Leyen opened her speech by quoting Charles Dickens: "He was the best of all time, he was the worst of all time." During her speech, von der Leyen insisted on the need to strengthen the Union's independence, aligning this priority with the numerous challenges facing Europe: from the war in Ukraine to the crisis in the Gulf, from the trade deficit with China to the growing need for critical raw materials. The Commission is therefore called upon to intervene on multiple fronts: from the climate crisis to the race for artificial intelligence, where, von der Leyen emphasized, the Union must remain "in the race." And again: migratory pressure at Europe's borders and the protection of minors in the face of increasingly insidious dependence on social media.
On this point, von der Leyen was categorical: "Enough is enough." Paying tribute to the guest of honor, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, von der Leyen also announced the decision to make Canada the first associate member of the European Union. This decision reaffirms Brussels' willingness to move forward with those countries that share the same democratic and liberal vision. A vision that von der Leyen continues to see in Ukraine's future as well.
For this reason, in her keynote speech, the Commission President reiterated the EU's full and firm support for Kiev, announcing new initiatives to support the country ahead of the coming winter. A clear message to those, von der Leyen implicitly stated, who are trying to divide the Union from within. Following the speech, a debate was held, sponsored by the European Commission, at the Esperienza Europa space in Rome, named after David Sassoli. Here, from Strasbourg, Carlo Corazza, Director of the European Parliament Office in Italy, had the opportunity to interview the two vice-presidents of the European Parliament, Pina Picerno and Antonella Sberna, as well as numerous Italian MEPs. Claudio Casini, Head of the European Commission Representation in Italy, commented immediately on the speech. "The President outlined the European Commission's program for the coming year and the European Union, then addressed all the topics that concern European citizens and the future of the Union, emphasizing the most important issues, from security to the lives of citizens, from the protection of our young people to international relations with other states in the world. It is a very complex and very important discussion that will then be implemented in the coming months." The Irish Ambassador to Italy also shared the same opinion. Elisabeth McCullough, speaking to Askanews, said she shared the perspectives outlined this morning: "It was a very powerful speech. I also think it was very realistic and touched on a wide range of issues, addressing all the areas that are also priorities for the Irish Presidency: competitiveness, security, and values. And, you know, she spoke a lot about European values and how they underpin everything, which I think is very important. Regarding competitiveness, I really appreciated the president's discussion of the implications for ordinary European citizens. She talked about jobs, a jobs package, a housing package, and also a lot about energy, which is obviously a huge issue and of fundamental importance for people across the Union right now, with rising energy prices." A Europe that looks to the future, with what we might call, quoting Antonio Gramsci, "the optimism of will." A Europe that wants to continue to be a beacon of democracy and rights. This is precisely why, ahead of the upcoming anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, von der Leyen has announced a European Congress to reaffirm the relevance of the values on which the Union was founded, even in a world shaken by the winds of war and new threats to social and individual freedoms.
Notizie.it editorial team