SPEECH: He also announced that he would support “transnational lists for the European elections” …
A new Europe in sight. From the first day of his state visit to Greece, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron , delivered a strong speech to “rebuild Europe”, restoring “sovereignty, democracy and trust.”
To achieve this, he cited the creation of a parliament of the euro area, “institutional reform” and acknowledged that Europe had committed “multiple errors” during the “early years of the Greek crisis.”
Solemnity and symbols in the program
“Today sovereignty, democracy, trust are in trouble,” he said, speaking on the hill of the Pnyx, opposite the Parthenon, the symbol of democracy, at nightfall on the first day of his state visit to Athens. “The Acropolis of Athens is a mirror held up to our European identity,” commented the French president.
“Tonight I want collectively we found the strength to rebuild our Europe, starting with the critical examination uncompromising recent years”, said the French president, alongside Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. “The dismantling of Europe would be a kind of political suicide and history,” he warned.
Soon a Parliament of the eurozone?
It will according to the head of the French state, “find the salt of the euro area, invent strong governance, budget eurozone, an executive manager and a Parliament for the latter.”
Emmanuel Macron wishes to advance the debate by a “new approach”, whose guidelines will be drawn by the end of the year to “submit to the people next year” with “six months of consultations, democratic conventions “. In passing, he announced that “defend transnational lists for the European elections.”
“Our British friends decide to leave. Do not try to reassign nation by nation we the few places they release in the European parliament. No. Consider that at last we can have a European debate, a real European democracy, “he began. “And tomorrow if we want a more integrated euro area, giving it a democratic force, set up a parliament of the euro area, to build the rules of democratic accountability of those who make a decision.”
Walkabout for Emmanuel Macron
“Have mad ambition again want a stronger Europe,” is he exclaimed in conclusion, before going to mingle with the crowd of young spectators. On Friday, Emmanuel Macron and his wife also will review the archaeological cooperation between France and Greece.
Finally, the Elysee also announced on Thursday that the president would travel on the national territories devastated by Hurricane Irma “as soon as is possible.”
