“An EU with 27, 30, 36 states”. Chancellor Scholz has again spoken out in favor of an expansion of the EU. The fact that the union is growing further eastward is a win-win situation for everyone, he said. He sees a need for reform of the unanimity principle.
15 comments
>German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is arguing for a significant expansion of the European Union with a view to its geopolitical role. “An EU with 27, 30, 36 states with then more than 500 million free and equal citizens can bring its weight to bear even more strongly in the world,” the SPD politician said at the congress of the party family of European Social Democrats (PES) in Berlin.At the same time, the concerns of the smaller member states in particular must not be lost sight of. “In the future, too, every country must have its concerns heard; anything else would be a betrayal of the European idea. “Currently, the EU has 27 member states with a total of just under 450 million inhabitants. “I am committed to the expansion of the EU. The fact that the EU is growing further eastward is a gain for all of us,” Scholz stressed. However, accession candidates such as Ukraine, Moldova, the Western Balkan states and, prospectively, Georgia would also have to meet the criteria for accession.
>__Scholz is committed to supporting Ukraine__
>He again assured Ukraine and Moldova, as well as other candidate countries, of his support on their way into the EU. The two states, as well as Georgia and the countries of the Western Balkans, “belong to us, to free Europe,” the Chancellor said. He recalled the prospect of accession, some of which had been promised many years ago.
These words must now finally be followed by deeds.
Scholz also professed his support for Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression. Russia’s “brutal invasion” was “an attack on the European security order. The European community of states would not accept this. The chancellor referred to the military support, but also to the sanctions imposed on Russia.
>__Chancellor wants to gradually abolish unanimity principle__
>However, Scholz said, Europe must also strengthen its own capabilities and “take more responsibility for our own security.” As an example, he cited the recent initiative for a common European air defense. But the planned rapid reaction force and a joint EU headquarters are also necessary, he said. “Together and self-confidently, we must advance the European defense effort,” the chancellor demanded.In this context, Scholz again urged reforms in the EU itself to “make it fit” for the future. In order to avoid blockades, he said, there must be a gradual shift to majority decisions “in foreign policy and also in financial policy.” He was well aware that “we still have a lot of convincing to do,” the chancellor conceded. Ultimately, however, majority decisions would mean a gain and “no loss of sovereignty. Unanimity is mandatory on some issues that member states consider sensitive.
>__Internal conflicts over migration policy and finances__
>In addition, he said, the EU must manage to overcome old internal conflicts. Specifically, he mentioned migration policy, but also different views on the subject of finances. On immigration, he said, the aim must be to “prevent illegal migration and at the same time enable legal migration of skilled workers from abroad. “On finance, he praised as a positive example the European reconstruction program to overcome the consequences of the Corona crisis. He said it is equally important to keep European societies together in the current crisis. “We have to strengthen social cohesion,” Scholz demanded. This must include a “European pact for affordable energy,” he said.
>__Social Democrats set election target for 2024 European elections__
>As a further task, the chancellor said that in Europe “we must move forward on the path to greater gender equality.” Here there had not only been setbacks due to consequences of the Corona pandemic, in the Ukraine war gender-based violence could also be observed once again.The PES has 33 European parties as members. Already on Friday evening, the congress had elected former Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven as its new chairman. 255 of 262 delegates voted for the 65-year-old, who thus replaces the Bulgarian Sergei Stanishev after eleven years. There were seven abstentions and no votes against.Löfven, Scholz and SPD leader Lars Klingbeil announced at the congress as an election goal for the 2024 European elections that the Social Democrats will once again become the strongest group in the EU Parliament. Currently, the conservative European People’s Party is the strongest force in the European Parliament – ahead of the Social Democrats and Socialists.
(Translated with deepl)
What’s the purpose of the eu expanding? Why does the EU want more member states in it?
The german industry is hungry for the cheap Balkan workforce.
Seems like we haven’t learn anything from the empire times
Letting spineless Germany and clueless France run the show and transferring even more taxes to backwards states like Poland and Hungary doesn’t sound much like a win-win.
It’s important to abolish unanimity before the EU expands any further. The principle made sense when the Union only had a couple members, but the more it grows, the more paralyzed it will become if unanimity is upheld.
The new holy Roman empire
I’ve been downvoted to hell last time I mentioned it, but oh well: give them some sort of lite membership.
Like all citizens become EU citizens, can travel, study and work freely, and all the economic benefits including access to EU funds, but for a period of several years those new lite members would not have MEPs, or veto abilities, or any part in decision making.
Let’s expand Schengen first
Sad to see unanimity go.
But thanks Orban for showing everyone why it needs to go.
Germans/Europeans always needed their Lebensraum. Good for the new countries too tho, get more bureaucratic stability and investment dollars.
for the love of god bring me a federalization, the collapse of the national parlaments, the decentralization of power. for the love of god, bring me a federation of european soviet
36 EU member states? We now have 27. Let me see how far I get by heart.
PLUS
28. Albania
29. Montenegro
30. North Macedonia
31. Bosnia Herzegovina
32. Moldova
33. Ukraine
34. Iceland
35. Norway
36. Scotland
37. Königsberg (war compensation)
38. Belarus (after its liberation)
MINUS:
37. Hungary (undermining EU values)
36. Poland (idem)
On the contrary, the unanimity principle must be expanded and made universal! Many if not most countries joined because of this principle! Otherwise the bigger countries can promote policies contrary to the interests of the smaller countries and this is not fair!
Who do you add to get 36?! That’s 9 nations.
1. Ukraine (obviously) 2. Bosnia and Herzegovina? 3. Montenegro 4. Moldova 5. North Macedonia
Who are the other 4? I think Turkey, Serbia, Albania and Belarus (as long as Lukashenko is around) are all somewhat unappealing to current EU nations and have their own issues.
So is it those 4? Or are we looking at the likes of Iceland, Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein? San Marino? Vatican?
Are Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan candidates?