State of the EU | State of the EU: speech without value(s)

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Wednesday during the annual speech on the state of the EU in the European Parliament Photo: dpa The speech on the state of the EU, which Commission President Ursula von der Leyen celebrated on Wednesday in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, leaves one thing above all: perplexity. Instead of a sober inventory of the current situation: flowery descriptions. Instead of clear announcements about the further development of the community: talk of a “complex age”. Instead of concrete proposals: vague ideas about what Brussels should, should and could do.

And there were a few of them: reducing bureaucracy and mastering the energy crisis (also using nuclear power), free trade and strengthening the capital market, heat action plan and climate damage insurance, AI regulation and protection of minors in the digital space, protection of democracy and equal opportunities in society. You don't need to be a prophet to suspect that most of these initiatives will end up like the initiatives from previous years: they will disappear into the drawer.

However, packed into the mass of topics were a few points that probably had little to do with the so-called values ​​of the EU and its role as a Nobel Peace Prize winner. The continuation of rearmament as the only recipe for the “defense” of Europe, for example. The forced arming of Ukraine to stop the warmonger in the Kremlin, whatever it takes. The laissez-faire attitude towards Israel's right-wing extremist government. Of course, there are no easy solutions either for protecting Europe or for international dispute resolution. But not even thinking about it is criminal. And if, after the EU asylum policy has already been tightened, the “border protection authority” Frontex is to be strengthened again with the express aim of accelerating “returns”, this should not least strengthen the extreme right. As is well known, she wants to join the government in many European countries.

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