“Why Europe? – Presidency Meeting with Prof. Steven Van Hecke”

The Presidency meeting took place on the first day of the Summer Academy on 10 July 2023. During the meeting, discussions revolved around Teona Lavrelashvili’’s report on seniors’ representation in EPP Partner Parties, which provided an analytical assessment of selected parties in 10 countries. The meeting also focused on the follow-up of the ESU Resolution on the “EU Care Strategy”. Additionally, significant attention was given to the renewal of the ESU Presidency for 2024 and the planning of the ESU Congress in 2024.

We welcomed Prof. Steven Van Hecke as guest speaker. During his intervention, Professor Steven Van Hecke discussed the challenges currently faced by Europe, the European People’s Party (EPP), and upcoming elections. He highlighted various key points: He emphasized the importance of the upcoming elections in Spain, the Netherlands, and Poland, as well as the NATO summit held on 11-12 July.  Prof. Van Hecke stated that the EU is not solely focused on climate change but also takes into account other important aspects. He emphasized that the EPP holds significance in this regard. He emphasized that the Green Deal is not only about addressing climate change but also about reorganizing the EU, independently from the United States and China, which poses one of the significant challenges of the 21st century. 

Regarding the 2024 European Elections, Prof. Van Hecke suggested that if von der Leyen wishes to be Spitzenkandidat, she will likely have the opportunity. He also mentioned that while the EPP is expected to remain the largest party, it may have fewer MEPs.  In response to a question from the public, Leif Hallberg, Prof. Van Hecke addressed the important factor of demographic change in the EU, encompassing both immigrants and older people. He also acknowledged that the EU, which originated as a Christian project, has evolved into a secular project, raising the question of when Christian values were last mentioned by politicians. His remarks shed light on the shifting focus towards center-right topics, the significance of the Green Deal, and the need to address demographic changes within the EU. We were very elated with his intervention and during the evening dinner, ESU members were also given his new book ‘Why Europe, An Integration History From A(denauer) to Z(elenskyy)’, which explains all the info from his presentation and so much more. You can find his presentation here.