This article was originally published in English
This Thursday, May 9, the European Union is celebrating the “Schuman Declaration”, the birth certificate of the EU, proclaimed 74 years ago.
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For Europe Day, the progress of the European Union was celebrated in the capitals of the Member States on May 9. This is the anniversary of the proclamation of the birth certificate of the EU, the “Schuman Declaration”, pronounced 74 years ago by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and founding father of Europe, Robert Schuman. But this year, the Union is also preparing for the European elections, which will take place from June 6 to 9.
Citizens were invited to visit EU institutions on the occasion, with the European Parliament buildings in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg opening their doors to the public.
These celebrations took place as the EU continues to prepare for one of the most important elections in its history.
The June elections will be held against a backdrop of ongoing crises on the continent, facing the war in Ukraine, climate emergencies and fundamental questions about the scope and purpose of the EU itself.
The 27 countries of the European Union, with a population of 450 million, will choose 720 MEPs to serve them over the next five years.
An “existential fight” on the horizon
Carlo Wolter, an 18-year-old from Germany, said he would vote because he belongs to the next generation of European voters shaped by politics. “Our opinion matters for what should happen in the future”he believes.
The European election results will also indicate whether the continent’s political drift will match the rightward shift seen around the world, from Argentina to Indonesia to Slovakia.
“It will be an existential fight”said Guy Verhofstadt, former Belgian Prime Minister and outgoing liberal MEP.
“The far-right parties are clearly influenced by Russia and China. They don’t really want to strengthen Europe. They are a recipe for a weak Europe. And a weak Europe will be destroyed”he warns.
Italian MEP Nicola Procaccini (Brothers of Italy, ECR) says the current composition of the European Parliament leans too far to the left, but he thinks it is possible to “move to the right”. “Center-right movements are moving forward”did he declare.
Geopolitical developments in recent years have also prompted EU member states to reassess their defense efforts. “It is not individual member states that will protect citizens”declared Mr. Verhofstadt, adding: “We absolutely need a European Defense Union to protect us against Russia, for example, and certainly in a world where perhaps former US President Donald Trump returns to the White House.”
