An expected speech, at a time when all of Brussels is speculating on its desire or not to be a candidate for his succession, nine months before the next European elections. Ursula von der Leyen delivered her last State of the Union speech on Wednesday September 13. Very political, the President of the European Commission took care to address the concerns of her own camp regarding the Green Deal, while recalling the EU’s commitments in favor of the climate and Ukraine.of his mandate. Here is the replay of his intervention which lasted approximately 1h30.
A mandate shaken by several crises. Arriving at the head of the executive branch of the European Union at the end of 2019, the Christian Democratic leader had to face two major crises in quick succession: first the Covid-19 pandemic, then the war in Ukraine. In particular, she led the implementation of a gigantic recovery plan, the joint purchase of vaccines, support for Kiev, a strategy to end energy dependence on Russia, etc.
Progress on the European Green Deal. It can also boast of having brought about a large part of the Green Deal, an ambitious plan aimed at slashing the EU’s carbon emissions, which it had made a priority. Even if it is still unfinished, because certain texts are the subject of fierce opposition from his own political family, the European People’s Party (center and right).
Files still pending. Among the issues remaining to be completed, the thorny reform of migration policy still gives rise to difficult discussions, while the increase in asylum requests in Europe is putting countries’ reception capacities under pressure.