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Debatte über Ursula von der Leyens Rede in The Ring
Nach der Rede von Ursula von der Leyen: Die Abgeordneten Li Andersson und Lukas Mandl analysieren die Ansprache in einer Spezialausgabe von „The Ring“.
LESEN SIE MEHR : http://de.euronews.com/2026/09/22/debatte-uber-ursula-von-der-leyens-rede-in-the-ring
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Nach der Rede von Ursula von der Leyen: Die Abgeordneten Li Andersson und Lukas Mandl analysieren die Ansprache in einer Spezialausgabe von „The Ring“.
LESEN SIE MEHR : http://de.euronews.com/2026/09/22/debatte-uber-ursula-von-der-leyens-rede-in-the-ring
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NewsTranskript
00:08Hallo und willkommen zu The Ring, Euronews' weekly debate show,
00:12broadcasting live from the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
00:15Ich bin Stefan Grobe.
00:17On The Ring, debaters go face-to-face
00:19on some of the biggest political issues facing the EU.
00:23And tonight, we want to deconstruct Ursula von der Leyen's
00:27State of the European Union address one of the biggest events
00:30on the EU's annual political calendar.
00:33Let's take a look at Europe's challenges
00:36and the EU Commission President's answers.
00:41Europe is facing a world of war, geopolitical rivalry
00:45and economic pressure.
00:46And the European Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen
00:49has set out her answer.
00:51A stronger, more independent Europe
00:53that can stand on its own feet.
00:55From Ukraine and European defence
00:57to migration, China, AI
01:00and the future of Europe's economy,
01:02her State of the Union address
01:03has laid out an ambitious agenda
01:05that also includes making Canada
01:07an associate EU member.
01:09But how much of this can actually be delivered?
01:12And what will it be for Europe's citizens?
01:15What is von der Leyen's vision for the continent?
01:17Her biggest promises
01:18and the political battles that lie ahead.
01:23A lot to unpack here for our contenders.
01:27And here they are.
01:29Lee Andersen, a Finnish MEP from the Left Group.
01:32The former Finnish Minister of Education,
01:34she is a member of the Delegation for Relations
01:36with the United States
01:38and chairs the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
01:41in the European Parliament.
01:42She says,
01:44While von der Leyen is worried over climate heating,
01:46the Commission is deliberately slowing the pace
01:49in cutting emissions.
01:50The EU is moving in the wrong direction
01:52regarding its climate policies
01:54and we cannot only focus on adaptation.
01:56The number one concern of Europeans at the moment
01:59is the cost-of-living crisis.
02:01We need more ambition to tackle higher rents,
02:04energy costs and strengthen working conditions.
02:07Lukas Mandl, an Austrian MEP
02:09from the European People's Party.
02:11In the European Parliament,
02:13he sits in the Committees on Development,
02:15Legal Affairs and Civil Liberties,
02:18Justice and Home Affairs.
02:20Regarding the political direction
02:21of Ursula von der Leyen's Commission,
02:23he says,
02:24Leadership means doing the right things.
02:27Management means doing things right.
02:29The President is slowly closing the gap
02:31towards leadership.
02:35So let me welcome to the ring
02:37Lee Andersen and Lukas Mandl.
02:39Great to have you here.
02:40Thanks for coming.
02:42Now, the aim of the ring
02:43is to offer our viewers a glimpse
02:46at European Parliament debates,
02:47so you should feel right at home.
02:50Are you ready?
02:51Yes.
02:52Ready when you are.
02:53All right.
02:54Now, I like this.
02:55Was this, the speech by Ursula von der Leyen,
02:58a vision for Europe
02:59or a shopping list of promises?
03:03Lee, I want to start with you.
03:05I think this was more of a shopping list, actually.
03:07I don't agree with Ursula von der Leyen
03:09on all her policies,
03:10but I think she has had stronger speeches
03:11than this one.
03:13So I did not really see or hear
03:15the big vision for Europe.
03:17I think she went through a lot of initiatives.
03:19Many of them were actually not new.
03:21I would say that the biggest surprises
03:23was in the area of defense cooperation,
03:26the Article 4 for the European Union,
03:28and, of course, also this new initiative for Canada.
03:30But otherwise, I also missed more on the climate ambition
03:34and the cost of living crisis.
03:35Okay.
03:35Lukas, was this a great speech
03:37or did she play it safe?
03:38Your question was whether it was visionary.
03:40I think I always advocated for more vision,
03:43more leadership.
03:44There is still room for improvement,
03:46but different to Lee Andersson,
03:49I think there were weaker speeches in the past
03:51than this one.
03:51So this speech was an improvement,
03:53as I said, from management,
03:55which was always good with Ursula von der Leyen,
03:56a good manager towards leadership,
03:58which is actually expected
04:00from a commissions president.
04:01What, above all,
04:02should Europeans remember
04:04of this speech in the future?
04:07I think this speech will be remembered
04:10by the fact that we had
04:12the Prime Minister of Canada in the room listening,
04:14and she did not once mention the US
04:17during the entire speech.
04:19So I think in a way it was a signal
04:20of how Europe is trying to position itself
04:23in this new geopolitical situation.
04:25And I do also hope that Ursula will take some inspiration
04:28from the Prime Minister of Canada,
04:30because I think Canada, in a way,
04:31has been stronger and more clear
04:33in where they stand
04:34and also standing against certain policies
04:37and attempts to push down from Donald Trump.
04:41So Mark Carney was in the room,
04:43Donald Trump was not,
04:44but he might have been the elephant in the room.
04:49She didn't mention him.
04:51Was this because she didn't want to get into this?
04:54She didn't want to provoke him?
04:55I agree with Leanderson that these are two points
04:58that will be remembered.
05:00Mark Carney in the room,
05:01and actually also the matter of fact
05:04that the US is our strongest ally on the planet still,
05:07even under this US administration,
05:08which causes a lot of struggle,
05:10was not mentioned.
05:11But positively speaking,
05:12I mean, despite these factors
05:15that are due to the trouble the world is in,
05:17the security dimension,
05:19the economic dimension will absolutely remain remembered,
05:24I would say.
05:25The Security Council for Europe is an excellent idea.
05:29When it comes to the economy,
05:30the investment union,
05:31which is extremely urgently needed.
05:34We have seven times smaller growth than the US.
05:37We have 12 times smaller growth than China.
05:40And we have had that for every year,
05:43annually since the pandemic.
05:44You mentioned the economic problems.
05:47And one big thing is,
05:48and I go back to Trump,
05:50is of course the tariff situation.
05:52No word on this.
05:54Why?
05:56Well, as I said,
05:57I think it's also her way
05:58of making a very clear standpoint.
06:01The fact that she did not mention the US,
06:03not the tariffs,
06:03not anything else.
06:05Talked about her own priorities.
06:06But since Mark Carney was in the room,
06:09we know that Canada has had a much,
06:11I would say,
06:12like stronger policy
06:13against the US administration
06:14when it comes to defending their own interests
06:16against Trump's tariff threats.
06:19So maybe that was not an issue
06:20she wanted to touch upon for this reason.
06:22She knows that the agreement
06:24between the EU and the Trump administration
06:26got a lot of criticism,
06:27also within the European Parliament,
06:29for not being favorable enough for Europe.
06:32So on the defense and security part,
06:34yes, there were initiatives.
06:35On technology,
06:37there was not.
06:37There was not anything in this speech
06:40that would mean like increasing
06:41our digital sovereignty
06:42or how she's going to take
06:44that project further.
06:45And my biggest criticism is,
06:48even though Ursula rightly mentioned
06:50that we paid 90 billion euros more
06:53for importing the same amount
06:55of fossil energy
06:56after the Strait of Hormuz closed,
06:59what her commission is doing
07:01at the moment
07:02is actually weakening
07:03the European climate policies,
07:06the emissions trading system,
07:07which are built to ensure
07:09that we get rid
07:10of this fossil energy dependency,
07:12which is extremely expensive
07:14for our economies,
07:15for businesses,
07:16and for customers.
07:17This global political powerhouse,
07:20does Europe have the political will
07:22for this and the money?
07:25Absolutely.
07:25I mean, this is the strength of Europe.
07:27We have the political will
07:28more than any other part of the world
07:29when it comes to the environment,
07:31which you very much care for.
07:32No other part of the world
07:34would be so committed
07:35to tackling the crisis
07:37of climate change.
07:38No other part of the world
07:40had to be so committed
07:42to get rid of Russian gas,
07:43for example,
07:44after the attack of Putin-Russia
07:46against Ukraine
07:46and with hybrid means
07:47and measures against all of us.
07:49I highly appreciate that
07:50Lee Anderson,
07:51my colleague in the left group,
07:53is standing with Ukraine,
07:54not with Russia like others do
07:55in the left group
07:56of the European Parliament.
07:57This is absolutely appreciable.
08:00And Europe is still
08:01economically strong.
08:02We were in decline.
08:03We have slower economy
08:05and smaller growth rates
08:07since the pandemic annually,
08:08as I have mentioned before.
08:09But we still have the chance
08:11we can take,
08:12but we only take the chance
08:13if we make investments possible.
08:15And then everything is possible,
08:16including overcoming
08:18the energy prices peak,
08:20which is absolutely a problem
08:21for the economy too,
08:22and including tackling
08:23the environmental problem.
08:25But the problem is,
08:26if you look at the climate policies,
08:29for example,
08:29even though the EU has been
08:31a global leader
08:32when it comes to setting
08:33ambitious climate targets,
08:34when we look at our energy system,
08:37we actually see that
08:38of advanced economies,
08:40Europe is one that imports
08:41actually the most of its energy.
08:43So we have a high energy
08:45dependency rate,
08:46especially if you compare
08:47to China or the US,
08:48for example.
08:50And during the last years,
08:52even after we have cut
08:53dependency on Russian fossil fuels,
08:55which is the right thing to do,
08:56we are using more money
08:58to import fossil energy
09:00than what we are using
09:01for clean energy
09:02in the European Union.
09:04And this makes no sense,
09:06as was already said,
09:08no sense from the point of view
09:09of our economies
09:09or from protecting people
09:11against the price shocks,
09:13which we, of course,
09:14also should be one
09:15of our core priorities
09:16in a situation
09:17where a lot of Europeans
09:18are struggling
09:19with the cost of living crisis.
09:21Lucas, your comment.
09:22Europeans are struggling
09:23with the cost of living crisis
09:24and European businesses
09:25are struggling
09:26with the energy prices.
09:27This is why it's not
09:29the wrong thing to do.
09:30It's the right thing to do,
09:31of course,
09:31to do what's necessary
09:33to have the energy
09:33we need today for today,
09:35the energy for tomorrow.
09:36We will need tomorrow.
09:38At the same time,
09:38we have to develop
09:39sustainable energy sources
09:41and decrease our dependencies,
09:44which is absolutely right.
09:45But the one thing
09:46goes together with the other.
09:47We can stop the economy
09:48for a year or two
09:49or even longer
09:50and then restart
09:51because then Europe
09:52will be destroyed.
09:53So we have to do both
09:53at the same time.
09:54All right.
09:55Let me stop you right here.
09:57We can go on
09:58as we're just getting warmed up,
10:01as you've seen.
10:01Now it's time for gloves off.
10:08Now, we want viewers
10:09to get a real flavor
10:11of the European Parliament chamber
10:12where members ask
10:14each other questions.
10:15So let's get started.
10:16And Lucas, you begin.
10:18Lee Andersson,
10:19I already said
10:21I highly appreciate your stance
10:22when it comes to
10:24defending ourselves
10:25against the Putin-Russian threat.
10:27I've also mentioned
10:28the economy.
10:29So my question is,
10:30do you support
10:31a stronger capital market union,
10:33a savings and investments union,
10:34as the president has outlined,
10:35or do you have any other strategy
10:37to overcome
10:38the economic crisis?
10:39So it depends on what we will do
10:42and what she will propose
10:43because I, for example,
10:45do not support proposals
10:47that would mean deregulation,
10:50for example,
10:50of the banking sector
10:51or of the financial sector
10:53because even though 2008
10:55may seem like a long time ago,
10:58I think we should have learned
10:59some important lesson
11:00from that financial crisis,
11:01also when it comes to
11:02regulating the financial markets
11:04and the banks.
11:05So whatever is done,
11:07I think it should not be done
11:09in a way
11:10where we kind of forget
11:11the important lessons
11:12we should have learned then
11:13because at some point
11:14we will have a new bubble
11:15in the financial markets
11:17and we will be faced
11:18with the same kind of problems
11:19unless we make sure
11:20that we have sufficient rules
11:22in place.
11:24When it comes to the economy
11:25at large,
11:26one reason that I am focusing
11:28a lot of energy
11:29is that the fact that Europe
11:31is so fossil fuel dependent
11:32and imports a lot of energy,
11:34it really is a problem
11:35for our competitiveness.
11:37So we've seen countries
11:38that have managed
11:39to invest a lot in renewables
11:40such as my own country, Finland.
11:42It has also kept
11:43electricity prices down
11:46for companies
11:47and for customers.
11:48So there's so much to win
11:50by doing more
11:52in reducing the fossil fuel dependency.
11:55It's a win for the environment,
11:56of course.
11:57It's a win for the economy,
11:59but it's also a win
12:00from the social point of view
12:01because energy prices
12:04and gas,
12:05specifically natural gas,
12:07was one of the main reasons
12:08for the inflation
12:10after the 2022 energy crisis,
12:12for example.
12:12And I'm afraid
12:13we're going to see
12:14a similar situation this winter.
12:16Okay, clear answer.
12:17And now your question
12:18to your opponent.
12:20So I feel like
12:21I talk a lot about energy,
12:23as you heard.
12:24I think one of our main priorities
12:26should be to reduce
12:28fossil fuel dependency.
12:30This summer,
12:32the Commission proposed
12:33to weaken
12:34the emission trading system
12:35of the European Union,
12:37meaning that we would
12:37slower down the pace
12:39of cutting emissions
12:40and also hand out
12:42free fossil fuel allowances,
12:44meaning financial support
12:46to businesses
12:47that use fossil energy longer.
12:49Many businesses in Finland
12:51are super critical of this.
12:53And the question...
12:54They have invested
12:54in decarbonization.
12:55They don't want this to change.
12:57your group, EPP,
13:00has demanded
13:00to weaken the ETS system.
13:03How is that compatible
13:04with making good decisions
13:07for companies and economies?
13:09That's connected, even,
13:11because the best decisions
13:12for economies
13:13is allowing economies
13:14and businesses
13:15to do their business.
13:18And we have the situation,
13:19as I have mentioned before,
13:21that Europe is not an island.
13:22Europe is dependent
13:22on other parts of the world.
13:24We reduce dependencies
13:24of various kinds,
13:26especially the critical ones.
13:28But if others have
13:29much lower energy prices,
13:31we cannot allow
13:31for our businesses
13:32to have extra costs
13:33only created politically.
13:35And this is why
13:36we have to reduce
13:37fossil fuels.
13:38I totally agree with that.
13:39But at the same time,
13:40from day to day,
13:41we need our businesses
13:42to win.
13:44Also, you care
13:45for the social welfare system.
13:46I care for the social welfare system.
13:48Ronald Reagan
13:48has once stated,
13:49he was president
13:50of the United States,
13:51a good one, by the way,
13:52and he said
13:53the best social program
13:54is a job.
13:55And who creates jobs?
13:56It's businesses,
13:57it's the economy.
13:58So if you want to keep up
13:59a proper social security system,
14:01if you want to keep up
14:02also the state security systems
14:04for people who need it,
14:06we have to keep up
14:07strong businesses.
14:07And this is why
14:08we cannot isolate Europe.
14:09We have to rather convince
14:11other parts of the world
14:12to also tackle climate change.
14:13We have to convince
14:14other parts of the world
14:15to join our pathway
14:17towards a climate change,
14:21aware humanity.
14:22And we are far away from that.
14:23We need global
14:25geopolitical gravity.
14:26We need the global outreach
14:28and we will only have it
14:29with two factors.
14:30If we are economically strong
14:31and if we are militarily strong,
14:33meaning capable
14:34to defend ourselves,
14:35then we will be listened to
14:37and then we can,
14:38let's say,
14:39positively share our view
14:40on climate change
14:41with other parts of the world.
14:43Quick reaction?
14:43Yes.
14:44So I still think
14:45that the problem is
14:46now we are making decisions
14:47that favor one group of companies
14:50at the expense of others.
14:52So it's not about
14:53like making things better
14:54for companies or not,
14:55but the weakening
14:57the price signals
14:58in the ETS system
14:59actually benefits
15:00the companies
15:01who have not invested
15:02in decarbonization
15:03at the benefits
15:04of those who have not,
15:06who have.
15:07And I don't think,
15:08I mean,
15:08for if you want to do
15:10business friendly policies
15:12that at the same time
15:13aim at reducing
15:14these critical dependencies,
15:16then you should not support
15:17weakening the emissions
15:19trading system,
15:20which is a market-based
15:21mechanism designed
15:22to make sure
15:24that the price signal
15:25will steer private actors
15:27to invest
15:27in decarbonization.
15:29Also from the point of view
15:31of convincing
15:32other parts of the world
15:33about the reason
15:35why we need to have
15:36ambitious climate policies,
15:38how does it look
15:39when Europe
15:40is actually changing direction
15:42on the climate policies?
15:44when we are signaling
15:46that we are slowing down
15:47the pace,
15:48we are backing down
15:49when it comes
15:50to the green transition,
15:51we're changing a lot
15:52of the legislation
15:53from last mandate.
15:54The signal this sends
15:55to the world
15:56is that Europe
15:56does not believe
15:57in this project.
15:57Rightly so.
15:58We were in the wrong pathway
15:59in the last mandate.
16:00We took a lot
16:01of wrong decisions.
16:02We made Europe isolated
16:03from other parts
16:04of the world
16:04with the supply chain
16:05or for example.
16:06We actually politically
16:08had wrong majorities
16:09also in this very parliament
16:10different to this mandate
16:12when it comes
16:13to the economy,
16:14when it comes
16:14to the opportunities
16:15for Europeans.
16:16And what's important
16:17to understand
16:18is it's not only
16:19the household
16:20like your household,
16:21my household
16:22where we see
16:23increasing energy prices.
16:24It's a dependency
16:26of major parts
16:27of our economy
16:27of energy prices
16:29and here we might
16:29have a different view
16:30on things.
16:31Lower energy prices
16:32or let's say
16:33moderate energy prices
16:34which are still higher
16:35than in the US
16:36or in China
16:36are something
16:38the whole economy
16:39benefits from
16:40and each business
16:41benefits from
16:42and this is not
16:43a choice.
16:44This is not
16:45to be discussed.
16:46This is something
16:46absolutely necessary
16:47to existentially
16:48keep up
16:49European economy
16:51when it comes
16:51to oil and data centers
16:52not even to mention
16:53what energy they need.
16:54For this lively round
16:56we have heard
16:57the views
16:57from our guests.
16:58Now it's time
16:59to hear from
17:00another voice.
17:06And that voice
17:07is of course
17:08Ursula von der Leyen
17:09herself.
17:10Take a listen.
17:12The Commission
17:12is proposing
17:13the Kids Act
17:14in sum.
17:17No social media
17:19under the age
17:20of 13.
17:21No personal account
17:23under the age
17:24of 15.
17:26I am aware
17:26that many perceive
17:27the power of big tech
17:28as overwhelming
17:30and impossible
17:31to roll back.
17:32I disagree.
17:33We do not have
17:34to accept
17:35addictive features.
17:36We do not have
17:38to accept
17:38children being drawn
17:39into ever more
17:40extreme content.
17:42We do not have
17:43to accept
17:43that girls
17:44have their photos
17:45used for AI
17:47generated
17:48sexualized images.
17:50So,
17:51is it time
17:52for Brussels
17:53to tell parents
17:54rather than parents
17:55deciding themselves
17:56what age
17:58children
17:58should be allowed
17:59online?
18:01Lukas,
18:01I'm going to start
18:01with you.
18:02Parents always
18:02have the first say
18:03and this should be
18:05addressed.
18:05Parents have
18:07at the same time
18:07the freedom
18:08and the responsibility
18:09in the education
18:10of children.
18:10Secondly,
18:11it's not new
18:12that politics
18:12is creating
18:14means and measures
18:15in order to save
18:16children from harmful content.
18:17Imagine,
18:18maybe it sounds ironic
18:19today,
18:19that in cinemas,
18:21in each country,
18:21I'm sure in Finland too,
18:22in Austria as well,
18:23we have commissions
18:25for cinemas
18:26which judge
18:27what age
18:28would be the right age
18:29to begin from
18:31for this or that movie
18:32broadcasted in the cinemas.
18:34and if we imagine
18:35what children today
18:36see on TikTok,
18:37Instagram
18:37and in other channels,
18:38then we have
18:40a huge problem
18:41not only for society
18:43also,
18:44not only for politics
18:45when it comes to extremism
18:46also that,
18:46also for mental health
18:48of these very children.
18:49So we have a responsibility.
18:51We also save children
18:53from alcohol,
18:54from nicotine.
18:54I'm a little confused.
18:54Are you supporting her
18:56initiative?
18:56Absolutely.
18:57My home country
18:58was even earlier
18:59but I'm happy
19:00to have a European
19:01approach
19:02because Europe
19:02is one.
19:03Totally on this.
19:04Yeah,
19:04so I need to know
19:06more about
19:06what she will propose.
19:08I've been quite critical
19:09of this idea
19:09of having an age limit
19:10because I think
19:11the problem is
19:12that it kind of
19:12takes focus away
19:13from the responsibility
19:14of the tech giants.
19:16I mean,
19:16they are the ones
19:17that need to change
19:18how their platforms work.
19:21But as far as I understand,
19:23they are trying actually
19:24to find a balance here
19:25by allowing also
19:26then younger kids
19:28to use social media
19:30through their
19:31Guardian's accounts.
19:32And I think
19:33the most actually
19:34important thing
19:35that she said
19:35was that she is willing
19:36to put forward
19:37legislation
19:39aimed at forcing
19:41these tech giants
19:42changing the way
19:44that the algorithms
19:45work on the social media
19:47platforms for kids.
19:48That is important
19:49because that is something
19:50that no single parent
19:51can do.
19:52I'm going to throw
19:53something out there
19:53and please come up
19:55with short answers.
19:56I'm interested
19:56in your thinking here.
19:58We know that kids
19:59spend more and more time
20:00in front of screens,
20:02two and a half hours
20:03per day on average.
20:05Yet the time
20:07they spend reading
20:08a book goes down
20:10and down
20:10and down and down.
20:11What is wrong?
20:12What have we missed?
20:13And how can we
20:14reverse that trend?
20:15Lukas?
20:16I think it's not
20:17about reversal.
20:17It's about a proper
20:18future development.
20:19We have seen
20:20what it causes.
20:21It's highly addictive.
20:22We have not yet added that
20:23before.
20:24Of course,
20:24the platforms
20:25have a big responsibility.
20:26I agree with my colleague here.
20:28And it's actually
20:29the example.
20:30It's not only kids
20:31who are spending
20:31so much time
20:32on the smartphones
20:33and not only there
20:34but in the social media apps
20:36and even worse sometimes
20:37in messenger services
20:38providing a lot
20:39of conspiracy theories
20:40and harmful content.
20:41It's about mental health.
20:43It's about a good example
20:44we have to provide.
20:45But it's also,
20:45of course,
20:46about means and measures
20:47to protect children
20:48like we do with
20:48Arco, Nicotine
20:49and other substances.
20:50We need to move on.
20:51Lee, your thoughts
20:52briefly.
20:54Yeah, I mean,
20:54the challenge is
20:55that it's not only kids
20:56who read less books.
20:58It's everybody.
20:59I mean,
21:00look at the adults.
21:01Look how we are behaving.
21:03Good point.
21:03So if we want to change this,
21:05I think you need
21:05an all-of-society approach
21:07because the kids
21:07will not start taking up books
21:09if their parents
21:10are still on their phones.
21:12So we would need
21:13to have like
21:14a more broad discussion,
21:15I think.
21:15Of course,
21:15schools are really important
21:16that you read books
21:18in schools
21:18and you focus a lot
21:19on literacy
21:20but this is then something
21:21that would have to involve
21:23also parents and adults.
21:24This is obviously
21:25a task for all of us.
21:27Now,
21:27it's time for
21:29our fourth round.
21:34At this point,
21:35let's take a look
21:36at how Europe's citizens
21:37follow the current debates
21:38and what their thinking is.
21:40In other words,
21:41what does Europe mean
21:42to Europeans today?
21:44Just this week,
21:45the European Council
21:46on Foreign Relations
21:47published a survey
21:48that offers
21:49some eye-opening clues.
21:51For example,
21:5268% of Europeans
21:54describe Europe's
21:55current situation
21:56in terms of
21:57general deterioration
21:59or loss of normality.
22:0112% speak of it
22:04as an awakening
22:05and renewal.
22:07Speaking of Europe.
22:08And 30%,
22:09one-third,
22:11mention Europe's hypocrisy
22:13and its failure
22:15to stand its ground
22:16when confronted
22:17by powerful actors.
22:18Now,
22:19you're both members
22:19of the European Parliament.
22:21When you hear
22:21such statements
22:23and such findings
22:24and such figures,
22:26what do you feel?
22:28Are you worried?
22:29I'm in politics
22:30because I want to change
22:31things for the better.
22:32I very much understand
22:34the majority
22:34in your polls.
22:36Actually,
22:37there is a loss of normality.
22:38Nobody can disagree
22:39with that
22:40for many years already
22:41and nearly every day
22:42something happens
22:42that feels for somebody
22:45at least above
22:46a specific age
22:47as a loss of normality.
22:48I would not call it
22:50deterioration
22:51what's happening
22:51because we dynamically
22:53can adapt.
22:54This is something
22:55Europe is very good in.
22:56But of course,
22:57I mean,
22:57we have to change systems.
22:58That was something
22:59the president addressed
23:00in her State of the Union
23:01speech today.
23:02And the renewal
23:03which is seen by 12%
23:04I think in your polls
23:05which we have just seen now.
23:07The renewal is not yet here.
23:09We have to work
23:09on that renewal.
23:10We need more leadership
23:11and more confidence
23:12in our societies.
23:13And this feeling
23:14of lack of normality,
23:15this feeling of deterioration
23:16is also fueling extremism
23:18to the left,
23:19to the right,
23:20extremism of all kinds,
23:21intolerance in our societies.
23:23This is what I'm most concerned of.
23:24Intolerance is relevant
23:26for politics
23:26but for society
23:27in general,
23:29in daily behavior of people,
23:30in interaction of people,
23:31we should provide each other
23:33with more resonance
23:34and personal encounter
23:35among citizens.
23:36I like the lack
23:37of confidence idea
23:38because this is obviously
23:40the larger theme here,
23:41deep-rooted lack of confidence
23:43and that's why we have
23:44the election results
23:46that we have right now.
23:48What are your thoughts, Lee?
23:49Well, I mean,
23:49I agree both.
23:52I agree actually
23:52with the analysis
23:53on loss of normality.
23:54I mean,
23:55that is something
23:56I guess we all share
23:57looking at what is going on
23:58in the world.
23:59We have all this
23:59multiple crisis.
24:01We have changing
24:02power relations globally.
24:03It means a lot of things
24:04are moving.
24:05And so the old kind of truths
24:07and the old guidebooks
24:08for how to act
24:09are no longer occurring.
24:11But I also agree
24:12with the ones
24:12who criticize this hypocrisy.
24:15because I think
24:16that a lot of people
24:17feel at this moment
24:19when we're seeing
24:20this authoritarian
24:21like right-wing
24:23extremist ideology
24:24of, I would say,
24:25both Vladimir Putin
24:26and Donald Trump.
24:27I think they're actually
24:28very united
24:28in their worldview
24:29and ideology.
24:32We really would like
24:33for Europe to step up.
24:35So both to have
24:36a very ambitious program
24:37for our sovereignty
24:39so we would not be dependent
24:40on any kind
24:41of authoritarian actor
24:43but also in a more
24:45like value
24:45and policy-oriented way.
24:48Like for us to be
24:48really a consequent defender
24:51of international law
24:52and human rights
24:53which unfortunately
24:54the European Union
24:55has not been.
24:56To stand our ground
24:58against Donald Trump's
24:59administration.
25:00I think people miss
25:01also this aspect
25:02That is probably
25:02the lack of normality
25:03when we look at
25:04Washington these days.
25:05Okay, now it's time
25:06to move on
25:07to our fifth
25:07and final round.
25:13And as always
25:13we're doing
25:14something different.
25:15I'm going to ask you
25:16a set of questions
25:17and you can only answer
25:18with a yes or no.
25:20Okay, this has to be
25:21a quick round
25:21because we are already
25:24way ahead.
25:26Was Ursula von der Leyen
25:27promising more
25:28than the EU
25:29can actually deliver?
25:31Leadership means
25:32to also draw a vision
25:33on the wall
25:34so the answer is yes
25:35but that's not a bad thing.
25:36Okay.
25:37Yes.
25:38Yes.
25:38Okay.
25:40Is von der Leyen's
25:41coalition becoming
25:42too broad
25:42to deliver
25:43real political change?
25:46No.
25:47Not at all.
25:48There is
25:49a parliament
25:50with good majorities
25:51as we have seen
25:52in this mandate
25:52and we will use it
25:53for the economy
25:54and for the security.
25:54The question is
25:55what the majority is.
25:57Can Europe
25:57realistically spend
25:58more on defense
25:59technology,
26:00Ukraine,
26:01housing, etc.
26:02all of this
26:02at the same time?
26:05With an increased
26:06budget,
26:07yes.
26:08The one
26:09goes together
26:09with the other.
26:10If the economy
26:11is good
26:11we can spend
26:11in housing
26:12and this is
26:12why we have
26:13to get the
26:13economy moving
26:15forward.
26:16Should the EU
26:16borrow jointly
26:17again to finance
26:18European investment?
26:20Absolutely.
26:21I think
26:22own resources
26:22or the euro bonds
26:23and especially
26:24the investments unit
26:25when it comes
26:25to the savings
26:26that are there
26:27in Europe
26:27is extremely important.
26:28I think
26:29own resources
26:30should have
26:30first priority
26:31but I'm not
26:31against joint
26:32borrowing
26:32if needed.
26:34Should Canada
26:35become a member
26:35of the EU?
26:38Now I have you.
26:42Yes or no?
26:43I will not say no.
26:45I have nothing
26:45against Canada
26:46really.
26:47At some point
26:47sure.
26:48But against the EU
26:49obviously.
26:50There are other
26:51countries
26:51that we need
26:52to focus on first.
26:53Yes or no?
26:54Very short.
26:55Yes or no?
26:55Canada?
26:56Yes.
26:56Okay, good.
26:57And that
26:58final answer
26:58brings us
26:59to the end
26:59of this
27:00live edition
27:01very lively
27:02of The Ring.
27:03Thanks again
27:04to Lee Andersson
27:05and Lukas Mandel
27:06for a fascinating
27:07conversation
27:07here from
27:08the European
27:08Parliament.
27:09Thanks to
27:10our audience
27:10at home.
27:12If you like
27:12you can send
27:13us your comments
27:14to the ring
27:15at euronews.com
27:16We'd love
27:17to have your
27:17feedback.
27:18That's it
27:18for today.
27:19I'm Stefan Grobe.
27:20See you soon
27:21on Euronews.
27:27of theadianvid幕
27:28and
27:28sabemos and
27:28you
27:28have
27:29have
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