On 10 September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered the 2025 State of the European Union address to MEPs, setting out the EU’s priorities for the upcoming months amid geopolitical challenges coming from Russia and US President Donald Trump.
In her speech, von der Leyen focused on the harsh challenges facing Europe and the world, from war and bloodshed in Ukraine and Gaza to affordable housing. The EU must fight for its place in a world marked by “imperial ambitions” and dependencies, she told the European Parliament’s Plenary session in Strasbourg.
ALDE Party President Svenja Hahn MEP (FDP, DE) urged von der Leyen to show more leadership at the helm of the EU, stressing the need for concrete action on defence, security, trade and the removal of internal barriers as the foundations for Europe’s strength.
“Ursula von der Leyen must finally show a clear vision for the future of the EU. Our ambition is to make Europe the third superpower, alongside China and the US, so that we can remain the beacon of freedom and democracy. For this, we need to invest and prioritise in our joint defence and security and the course must be set towards economic growth: more trade with more partners, slashing of red tape and the removal of all barriers in the internal market,” said President Hahn.
In her response, Renew Europe President Valérie Hayer MEP called to protect the EU’s democratic model, strengthen its economic power and reform its governance, warning that success depends on President von der Leyen’s leadership and the unity of pro-European forces in the Parliament.
“We are losing the Europeans, because the Europe that was supposed to protect them, seems weak against Trump, Putin, China, on climate. Madam President, with Renew, we refuse to accept this fate, we refuse weakness. Weakness is a choice, and it is not ours. It is time to move to the Europe of tomorrow: a more integrated Europe, sovereign and federal Europe that protects,” said Hayer.
“Europe is not condemned to weakness, far from it. We have the engineers, the scientists, the soldiers, the farmers, the entrepreneurs; we have the ideas, the values, the creativity. What we lack is not capacity, what we need it confidence to act together. Imagine what Europe can be: a continent that runs on its own clean energy, that builds technology others can only dream of, that speaks with one voice and fights with one army. It can be done,” added Renew Europe Vice-President Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy MEP (D66, NL).
“Mrs. von der Leyen, with great power comes great responsibility. I ask you to show leadership, deciding exactly what needs to be done and then forcing it through; show courage by treating what is important better than what is urgent; and show speed, because you know we can move faster and we are running out of time. You have the great responsibility to reform the EU before it is too late: Renew Europe will be here to help you, but the primary responsibility is yours,” added Renew Europe Vice-President João Cotrim de Figueiredo MEP (Iniciativa Liberal, PT).
Photo: European Parliament / 2025