EUROPEAN SECURITY ISN'T JUST A CONCERN - IT'S THE FOUNDATION ON WHICH OUR HARD-EARNED FREEDOMS DEPEND
Maastricht – 29.04.2024 - Liberal lead candidate Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (MASZ) represented the Renew Europe Now platform in the Maastricht Debate, the first debate among the lead candidates from all political families. Debating in front of an audience of young Europeans, she spoke about the importance of prioritising security and safety to ensure that the European dream stays alive and aligning with the vision of Europe from French President Emmanuel Macron last week in his speech at Sorbonne University.
ON SECURITY AND SAFETY
A significant part of the debate revolved around the topic of European security. MASZ focused with the press on investing in the EU's capabilities and cooperation with a European Defence Union to improve the European capacity to act independently, boost production capacity and strengthen NATO's European pillar to become a robust security provider. As MASZ explained, the campaign's position was embedded, as the defence industry is also a source of jobs and innovation.
On Ukraine, MASZ took the microphone to emphasise that Europe needs to ramp up defence capabilities, from research to military cooperation, to help Ukraine win the war against the Russian aggressor and to deter threats from authoritarian regimes. On the verge of the debate, MASZ said: "We must support Ukraine until victory."
MASZ highlighted that it is essential to abolish the unanimity vote in the European Council, emphasising that we must strengthen the EU’s role on the global stage by acting as one: shift to qualified majority voting in foreign affairs, defence and security policy, preventing individual countries from obstructing our joint ability to act.
"We have to be strong with countries like Hungary, because the local problems of a country affect the Union as a whole."
NO RULE OF LAW, NO EU MONEY. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT!
MASZ has recently emphasised how fragile European democracy still is. The annual Rule of Law report, an initiative from liberal commissioner Didier Reynders, was a significant step. Yet, the Renew Europe Platform stands on the need to expand the annual Rule of Law report scope to include all values in Article 2 to protect and promote the rule of law, equality, respect for human rights and rights of minorities, to combat corruption and ensure adherence to our values.
Regarding the need to reform our institutions, the liberal lead candidate said, "It is evident that we must reform the EU." MASZ focused on this and told the press that we need to transform the European Commission into an actual political leadership body and ensure efficient governance and decision-making by breaking down the siloed approach, which leads to overlapping and contradictory legislation.
On the issue of a potential cooperation between the EPP and ECR or even ID, she pushed the head of the current Commission, Ursula von der Leyen to commit that the EPP will not work with the extreme right and with parties like the AfD in Germany.
ON EUROPEAN DEMOCRACY
MASZ mentioned to the press how proud she is of her European liberal family, as the liberal Commissioners were crucial for adopting the rule of law conditionality mechanism.
Regarding the need to reform our institutions, the liberal lead candidate said, "It is evident that we must reform the EU." MASZ focused on her questions to the press, saying that we need to transform the European Commission into an actual political leadership body and ensure efficient governance and decision-making by breaking down the siloed approach, which leads to overlapping and contradictory legislation.
MASZ pointed out to journalists that it is essential that the Spitzenkandidaten also runs for elections on a list to show that they care about democracy. The EU is not the Soviet Union, nor the People’s Republic of China, which appoints its leaders behind closed doors.
To close the debate, MASZ reiterated the need to focus on security and repeated how safety is a priority for Europeans, especially youth.
"Today, we have debated several important issues - and security emerged as key. Our prosperity and well-being depend upon it. The EU's challenges need a unified approach, from addressing climate change to fostering economic competitiveness while bringing everyone along with these transformative changes.
Security has taken various forms throughout our conversation – defence, personal, and climate-related. But let me be clear: when I speak of security, I am talking about your security in all senses, not the job security of the ones standing on this stage. Many of you here will probably vote for the first time soon. I hope that tonight's debate inspires you to raise your voices.
Let optimism fuel your commitment to our liberal, secure vision for Europe. A Europe where my grandchildren, where you, can flourish in safety, prosperity, and freedom."
ABOUT MASZ
Dr Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann was born in 1958. She is married and has three children. After graduating high school, she studied journalism, politics, German language, and literature at the LMU in Munich, where she earned her doctorate. She then worked for over 20 years as an independent publishing representative for the youth book publisher Tessloff. She was active in local politics in Düsseldorf from 1999-2023 and was a member of the state capital's council from 2004-2023.
From 2004-2009 and from 2014-2017, she was Chair of the FDP parliamentary group; from 2008-2014, she was the First Mayor of the state capital, Düsseldorf, and from 2013-2019, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann was Deputy Federal Chairwoman of the FDP.
She has been a member of the Federal Executive Committee since 2019 and has also been a member of the Bundestag since 2017. Strack-Zimmermann has been Chair of the Defence Committee of the German Bundestag since December 2021. She was elected the lead candidate for the European elections at the federal party conference in April 2023.
In her words:
"Europe is humanity's greatest peace project. After centuries of violent conflict, creating a unified Europe was an incredible achievement. The European Union could be better; there is always room for improvement. I will keep fighting for a Europe that is democratic and free. Europe is our future; we have no other."
For questions about the Renew Europe Now campaign, reach out to Luis Cano - lcano@aldeparty.eu (+36704092084)