On 27 May, ALDE Party hosted a Liberal Breakfast event in Brussels, bringing together nearly 100 participants for an engaging conversation with Denmark’s Minister for European Affairs, Marie Bjerre (Venstre), on the upcoming Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Moderated by Ana Vasconcelos MEP (Iniciativa Liberal, PT), the morning discussion focused on the key priorities Denmark will bring to the table during its time at the helm of the Council and the pre-presidency preparatory initiatives held by the Minister.
In her opening remarks, Minister Bjerre stressed the urgency of action and unity in the face of a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape:
''There is an open playing field for Europe now to act, to advance, to make Europe greater in this changing world order.''
The conversation centred on the need for the European Union to adapt to a new era and become a superpower. That means addressing internal market challenges, scaling up military investment, simplifying the EU’s budget and embracing a renewed momentum for enlargement.
“I feel that we are all getting closer together. We are thinking more European.” said Bjerre. “Our priority will be to move in that direction to strengthen Europe, and first and foremost, it is about security and defence.”
Enlargement, she noted, is a defining issue of the moment:
“Enlargement has gotten a renewed momentum. There has been enlargement fatigue for many years. But now, we need to move forward. This is a necessity.”
During an open exchange with the audience, Minister Bjerre was also asked about how the Danish Presidency would handle ongoing concerns regarding democratic backsliding in Hungary.
“We are planning to look at all available tools because we are also seeing what direction it is moving in.”
“Europe has to be built on a strong democracy, otherwise we will not function, otherwise our internal market will not function,” she concluded.
The event marked a timely look ahead to the Danish Presidency running from 1 July – 31 December 2025, highlighting liberal leadership at a critical juncture for the European Union.
Click here to see more photos from the event.