The President of the Republic asked today for a European Union that is “active, leading, more determined and decisive than ever” and that knows how to unite for peace and solidarity, “without illiberalism or nationalism.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa left this message in a note published on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic to celebrate Europe Day “and its unique project of unity and solidarity.
“Today, more than ever, we must be able to find inspiration in those who, over the last seven decades, have dreamed and aspired to a Europe united by peace, hope, well-being and a prosperous future for all Europeans, but also with solidarity and warmth for those who seek and need our firm support,” he argued.
Quoting France’s Simone Veil, the first woman president of the European Parliament, the head of state said, “The fate of Europe and the future of the free world are entirely in our hands.”
“Europe and millions of Europeans deserve to believe in their future and in a Union that is pioneering – on climate, energy, digital, knowledge and so many other crucial areas – and above all acting, leading, more determined and decisive than ever before,” he appealed.
In this note, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa reiterated Portugal’s commitment “to the founding principles and values” of the European Union, “human dignity, freedom, equality, democracy, the rule of law, respect and promotion of human rights, pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, and social justice.
According to the President, “forged in crises, as Jean Monnet predicted, Europe has been living under the specter of cyclical emergence,” with the covid-19 pandemic, the “clash of inflation,” and “the emergence of the shock of war in Ukraine” caused by the Russian invasion of February 24 last year.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa added that the European Union has also faced “the emergence of nationalist alarm,” a “protectionist risk,” and “the emergence of the danger of political and social closure.”
“At a time of uncertainty, unpredictability and crisis, it is of paramount importance to ensure that the dramatic changes underway in the European Union, at its borders and in the wider world, do not erode these common values. To this end, it is vital, without illiberalism or nationalism, to take care of our democracies, without which there is no European Union,” he considered.
According to the head of state, “Portugal has a role to play in all these challenges” facing the European Union.
“Its fulfillment will project our country, ensure the well-being of our people, and help Europe move beyond the phase of cyclical emergencies and enter the often-delayed phase of greater shared self-confidence among states and peoples,” he considered.
