Rightfully, von der Leyen focused this year’s State of the Union very much on the war in Ukraine, which further necessitates European assistance, help and solidarity.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “The speech was a rhetorical fireworks for solidarity, and it is clear that we need continued solidarity with Ukraine and continued solidarity among ourselves in the EU. But solidarity cannot be just based on words. Rightfully, von der Leyen noted the role and importance of the unprecedented NextGenerationEU to lift Europe out of the Covid crisis. But crises move on and we need more and new solutions.”

He added: “The challenges that we have been facing during the last decade are numerous and have been costly. The war on anti-terrorism, the integration of refugees, climate change mitigation, the Covid pandemic management, now the war on Ukraine and suring inflation coupled with a threat of a new recession. All the time, the state has bailed out and assisted. Public budgets are strained while public services across Europe lack adequate funding. And despite assistance by the welfare state, many workers, citizens and families have suffered financially. Many continue to be in poverty or are at threat of it, despite a number of successful public interventions such as the EU’s SURE instrument during the Covid pandemic.”

“I heard a lot of geopolitics but missed a social rhetoric in the speech. It is time that von der Leyen delivers what she promised: An economy that works for people – not the other way round. This is the baseline for continued solidarity. The European Pillar of Social Rights, a supposed compass and flagship initiative of the EU, was not mentioned at all in her speech. We need fairness and a European Social Deal reflected in all crisis management. The announcement of a new, adjusted EU economic governance framework to allow more necessary investments may be a start.”

“The first test is how the EU and the Member States will deal with soaring energy prices that currently lead to absurd profits of certain actors in the sector at the expense of the people and many industries. The European Commission’s plans to overhaul the regulation of the energy market is correct, and I hope the Member States will follow suit. They should also not miss a de-coupling of gas and electricity prices”, Klaus Heeger concluded.