Former EU Parliament President Martin Schulz called on Europe to stand together in the face of immense challenges. “With a view to China, Russia’s attack on Ukraine, which violates international law, and Donald Trump as the future US President, Europe must remember that it is a legal community of democratic constitutional states whose principles are tolerance, respect and human dignity,” said Schulz German press agency. This is closely related to social justice, from which many benefit. “That has always been Europe’s recipe for success – and that must be defended.”
Schulz was President of the European Parliament from 2012 to 2017 and will receive the visiting professorship from the Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU) and the Frank Loeb Institute (FLI) at a ceremony in Landau on Monday (December 2). They are honoring Schulz’s “outstanding achievements” in his commitment to European democracy. The former SPD leader now heads the SPD-affiliated Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
“Biggest challenge” of his term in office
The political landscape in Europe has changed a lot since his time as Parliament Speaker. “Nevertheless, the pro-democratic forces in the EU are still clearly in the majority in almost all countries. This is good news for democracy!” As an example, Schulz cited the approximately 28 percent for the right-wing FPÖ in the parliamentary elections in Austria. “That means that 72 percent didn’t vote for them. Why do I mention that? Because the FPÖ wanted to give the impression that the whole people was behind them and the other parties were just marginal troublemakers.” But the reality is different.
The “biggest challenge” during his term in office was Hungary, said Schulz. “It is really difficult to deal with Hungary as a member of the European Union, which always tries to grab money from within this union, but does not want to adhere to the common rules and is deliberately undermining the EU’s democratic community.” His wish for the EU is that it remembers its strength. “And that lies in unity.”
