Majority decisions, stronger defense cooperation and penalties for violations of the rule of law: Chancellor Scholz outlines reform steps for the European community of states in Prague. Among other things, this is intended to prepare for the admission of new members.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in favor of radical reforms in the EU in order to prepare it for the admission of new states. According to the text of the speech, Scholz proposed majority decisions in foreign and tax policy and a reorganization in the European Parliament in a keynote speech on European policy in Prague. The votes should have approximately the same weight.
He does not want to shake the principle that every state appoints an EU commissioner. However, these would then have to share responsibilities in a commission, he demanded. Moving away from the principle of unanimity is important, even if this has an impact on Germany.
At the same time, the SPD politician called for much greater defense cooperation, called for a fully functional EU headquarters and offered a central German role in organizing air defense in Northern and Eastern Europe.
With regard to the rule of law conflicts with Poland and Hungary, the Chancellor emphasized that the EU must not make any compromises on the EU’s foundation of values. “It also seems sensible to me to consistently link payments to compliance with rule-of-law standards,” he said.
Scholz expressly spoke out in favor of a significant expansion of the EU. The Western Balkan states, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and “prospectively” Georgia belonged in the EU. This enlargement is in the interest of the European Union. “These days the question arises again as to where the future dividing line will be between this free Europe and a neo-imperial autocracy,” added Scholz.
