“Autocracies around the world – see Russia – are deliberately trying to weaken our liberal democracy in Europe. They are striving for more power, more land, more influence. A weak Europe would be vulnerable. And it would be powerless in the face of this influence,” Van stated the barking continues. However, a strong, independent Europe can defend itself against influences like these, for example through a strengthened democracy, an intact media landscape and a functioning legal system. “And frankly: we must also prepare to defend our Europe against military attacks,” said Van der Bellen.
Big problems, like the climate crisis, also need to be tackled on a large scale. “Common and united, as the European Union.” Now it is important to decide “whether this Union will be fragmented into individual small parts” or whether it will be further developed “for all of us.” Of course, these little parts are all wonderful, said the Federal President. “Rich in cultures, customs, languages. And we all love our beautiful Austria. But: In order to protect the small one – our country – the big one – the united Europe – must be strong.”
Europe’s freedoms, easy travel, networked work, efficiency in crisis management or simply the freedom to live, love and believe “don’t just fall out of the sky. We have to do something about it,” said the Federal President. Therefore, it doesn’t matter whether you go to the EU elections on June 9th or not. “Take part in the EU elections. Your children and grandchildren will thank you.”
Europe Day is celebrated every year on May 9th for peace and unity in Europe. On May 9, 1950, the then French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presented his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe. A year later, the two former war enemies Germany and France, together with the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Italy, founded the “European Coal and Steel Community” (ECSC), with which the two goods important to the war effort were placed under joint control. In the following decades, the cooperation expanded to other areas of life and culminated in the founding of the European Union in 1992, which has a common internal market and a common currency and now includes 27 member states.