Speaking after the interventions of French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the President of the Socialist and Democrat Group in the European Parliament, Gianni Pittella stated:

"In the past the Franco-German rapprochement has been one of the major factors contributing to the integration of Europe; there was a common political vision behind this political cooperation. It is important that Chancellor Merkel and President Hollande have come to testify directly to the house of the European citizens, but Europe needs a new vision now. Europe needs a gradual but inexorable new political project supported and shared by all member states. We can no longer imagine imposing further integration from the top down. The inter-governmental model is out-dated and must finally be overcome.

"Our vision is of a more democratic Europe, which can only be possible through deep reform of the Union's institutional governance and by strengthening  the legislative competencies of the European Parliament.

"Our ambition is to provide the European Union with adequate fiscal capacity to fund a European unemployment insurance system. We demand that the EU declare war on tax avoidance and tax evasion. We call for a new Europe that should be at the forefront of the fight against climate change.

"A Europe that is no longer a political dwarf on the international scene or that abandons solo-runs from individual member states, and acts as one to achieve its vision of peace and provides diplomatic solutions to the conflicts we face."

 

The President of France François Hollande and the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Angela Merkel debated with the European Parliament on the current situation in the Union and the challenges to be tackled, notably on migration policies.

 

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