Europe's 'soul'

The President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, delivered the State of the EU speech on the 15 September 2021.

In my blog post for the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, I look at the State of the EU speech and some of its implications:

"Its theme – “Strengthening the soul of our Union” – is reminiscent of the nation-building rhetoric popular in the mid-19th century. Ursula von der Leyen identifies shared common values such as democracy, the rule of law, the safeguarding of the free and independent media, and the right to live in a society free from corruption. She draws parallels between past and present... Such rhetoric makes for a fascinating academic analysis, yet it achieves little if not accompanied by tangible actions."

The blog post may be read by clicking here.