President @EmmanuelMacron opens speech launching #FutureOfEurope by making the case for Strasbourg as a heart of the European project.
The European Parliament where he’s speaking has been empty for 6 months as MEPs refused to make the monthly trip from Brussels because of COVID.
The European Parliament where he’s speaking has been empty for 6 months as MEPs refused to make the monthly trip from Brussels because of COVID.
#Macron says Europeans should be proud of what the EU has accomplished. He says now is the time for citizens to have their say about how the EU can improve.
The nagging question: if #TreatyChange has been ruled out, will this conference actually result in any changes?
The nagging question: if #TreatyChange has been ruled out, will this conference actually result in any changes?
Macron says that the populists and nationalists who oppose the values of the European Union have proven unable to effectively respond to the #Covid19 pandemic.
He says Europe was right to respond to the crisis with a unified strategy.
He says Europe was right to respond to the crisis with a unified strategy.
“This has been a year of lessons learned, and we shouldn’t stash them away in a drawer somewhere,” says European Parliament President @DavidSassoli.
“Some things haven’t worked, and some have. We want to improve the way we function”
“Some things haven’t worked, and some have. We want to improve the way we function”
"The conference will be an area where we inevitably have to tackle the issue of health," says #Sassoli. "We need a European policy on human health as a result of the pandemic. If we don’t achieve that, it will be a defeat."
But that will require #TreatyChange.
But that will require #TreatyChange.
Sassoli "Our democratic systems constantly need to adapt to the context in which we live. Because democracy is built on a daily basis, and we also know that it’s fragile"
"In January all of us were looking to Washington where there was an effort to attack the American Congress"
"In January all of us were looking to Washington where there was an effort to attack the American Congress"
Sassoli has 2 asks: give Parliament right of initiative, & end unanimity voting requirements in Council.
"There are players in the world who wish to attack us and take advantage of our divisions. A democracy that can’t respond rapidly is a democracy that can easily be attacked"
"There are players in the world who wish to attack us and take advantage of our divisions. A democracy that can’t respond rapidly is a democracy that can easily be attacked"
"Citizens need to help us understand the spirit of the times, which requires more Europe," says Sassoli.
"It may well mean an update to the treaties. And if that's the case, I would ask everyone to be brave. There should be no taboos."
"It may well mean an update to the treaties. And if that's the case, I would ask everyone to be brave. There should be no taboos."
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