During her official visit to Santander, in Spain, Roberta METSOLA, EP President attends the Global Youth Leadership Forum, along with Felipe VI, King of Spain. She gives an opening statement to the event along, which theme is "Europe, a Future of Hope". This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Future of Europe / European integration (T2)

statement

EU - Spain (T)

future of the European Union (T)

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

Spain

Santander

president's agenda

Global Youth Leadership Forum - "Europa, a Future of Hope": opening statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Good morning Your Majesty, dear Mayor, dear Governor, dear friends. Europe a Future of Hope is a theme that, on the face of it, might clash with the reality facing so many people around this world. We are living, one could say, through a perfect storm of global inflation, of food scarcity, cost of living increases, unemployment and energy and electricity prices spiking.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, And all of this is framed in the context of war on our continent with the unjust invasion of Ukraine and political uncertainty, propaganda and disinformation that risks driving more people to the fringes. I will start by saying that we must be honest. It is difficult to speak of hope to families who struggle to stretch their salaries and their pensions to the end of the month. It is difficult to speak of hope when parents have to choose whether to heat their homes or switch on the lights.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, It is difficult to speak of hope when businesses are again facing impossible bills after two years of economic pain caused by the pandemic. It is difficult to speak of hope when children are bombed on our continent. It is difficult to speak of hope when you cannot find a job, get a loan or pay your mortgage, or when loneliness isolates. It is difficult to speak of hope when mothers are still faced with little choice, than to put their children on rickety boats to face the seas and dream of a better life in Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, It is easy to see how cynicism grows, how apathy can become a defining force. But I am also here to say that out of this cauldron of crisis, Europe will emerge with answers. Europe was born out of the worst crisis the world has ever seen, and I know that together we will be able to face the future united, determined and stronger than ever before.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, There are no simple solutions. There are no guarantees. Anybody who tells you that does not understand the scale of the challenge. But I am convinced that we are up to it. We've done it before and we can do it again. And we will be called upon to do it yet more. When war fatigue sets in, when poll numbers and newspapers become harder for leaders to read, that is when we must dig deeper and find the resilience to see this through.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, And here, let me say that unity does not mean being homogenous. Europe does not seek to make everybody the same. We are different. We have different traditions, different realities, different languages, different cultures. And Europe is about embracing differences while ensuring equality of opportunity. Everyone must have the same chance, not necessarily the same viewpoint. That is precisely our strength.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, It is also through this new world we need leadership and we need Europe to be the light of hope that shines brightly. That is how we reaffirm our way of open society, of liberal democracies, of individual liberties, free markets and social safety nets that are here to stay. To do this, we must stop taking Europe for granted.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We must listen to people. We must reinvent our projects, and we must find the will to lead and provide answers to war, to inflation, to unemployment, to apathy, to hopelessness. The pandemic showed us that we are exposed when it comes to health. The Russian invasion has shown us that we are vulnerable when it comes to security and defence. The weaknesses of our energy policy have been uncovered and exploited.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The challenges are very real, but we can get our bills under control without abandoning our climate goals. We can only do this if we do it together. Rising energy prices are fuelling inflation, resulting in less disposable income for households and businesses. Our banks and the financial sector are already feeling the pressure with higher mortgages impacting our housing market.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Our economy managed to recover well after the pandemic thanks to our economic governance framework and next generation EU. And now we need to set the right conditions to stimulate a stable path of growth. It is not only a matter of prosperity, it is a matter of security, it is a matter of hope in the future. For Europe to give that hope to so many, this means we must strengthen our systems.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We must build further on the pillars of our guiding, uniting principles. I am proud of Europe's accomplishments and there are many. But of course we have to continue to be honest about our failings and frustrations of our processes and crucially, explain how we can and how we are going to make things better. A question I get asked a lot is why did you get into politics?

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I got into politics because I have always wanted to be able to answer the questions, no matter how difficult those questions are. I remain optimistic because throughout Europe we witnessed so many people, young people, in particular, who want more Europe, not less Europe, who understand the power of Europe to affect positive change. And now is the time for us to recapture that spirit.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Now is the time to see that spirit that was forged in the ashes of World War founded in shared values and common purpose. When His Majesty the King addressed the European Parliament a few years ago, he underlined the importance of the principles and values that are the very foundation of Europe by saying: freedom, equality, solidarity, the dignity of men and women, pluralism and the defence of human rights are the foundations that define us as Europeans.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We must preserve and give effect to those values because our identity, our deepest convictions depend on them. These values are being challenged and threatens today, and fighting this threat is an imperative for people who believe in democracy. By defending our principles, we defend Europe. And the threats we face today is personified in the people of Ukraine. They are fighting for the values we believe in. They need Europe to stand by them and with them.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, And this is important if we are to push for peace and Europe must push for peace a real, sustainable and lasting peace, we must learn from Europe's painful history and understand whom we are dealing with. Peace must remain Europe's goal. But in Europe, we know real peace can only come with justice. Europe's future lies in its ability to adapt with speed, fortitude and unity. And nowhere is this more important than in Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, This is why, to me, Europe has always represented the future, change, possibility, hope. A few years ago with Brexit, we saw many political forces in different countries say it was better to leave Europe. Today no one says that anymore. On the contrary, we have an ever longer list of countries full of young people with hope that want to join, because there is hope in the future of Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The creation of Europe took believe, it took huge political courage and we need to find that bravery now again. The values Ukrainian people fight for are what Europe stands for. It is those values that we must protect. And in doing so, we must get better at explaining why these values are essential, why there can be nothing without them, why it is worth the costs. Too often we talk about democracy, equality, the rule of law as if they are theoretical concepts.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, My job and that of the European Parliament is to demonstrate how they, those big words, but yet so tangible, so concrete on whose everybody's lives depends on, can make a real difference to those people's lives. When people feel that democracy does not help to address that loneliness, isolation and frustration, they will be driven away from it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Economy and economics matters. Jobs matter, dignity and education matter because the extent of the economic gaps in society mean too many people feel alone and alienated. That is when they will feel that Europe has failed them. Politics is at its very essence about standing up, about ideas to make everybody's lives a little bit easier, a little bit fairer.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Europe is the future. I count with the faith and enthusiasm of the young leaders for our project of hope becomes in reality for everyone. That is how we can ensure that Europe defeats the onslaught of easy cynicism. That is how we can ensure our future is truly one that is filled with the endless possibilities of hope. Thank you.

Global Youth Leadership Forum - "Europa, a Future of Hope": opening statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

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