Othmar Karas. the Vice-President of the EU Parliament said goodbye to the EU Parliament on Friday during his last plenary session as president in Strasbourg. “Share honest politics! Act on your beliefs, not on party tactics. Fight against stupid nationalism!” the ÖVP politician appealed to his colleagues.
A ‘courageous Europe’ is needed, the European politician wrote on X on Friday.
Karas, an EU parliament member since 1999, will no longer run in the June elections, not for the ÖVP, but also not with his own list, as has long been speculated, after the open break with his own party.
“United in diversity”: Karas recalls the EU motto:
Karas emphasized in his speech on Friday that he has learned, experienced and experienced a lot in this house over the past 25 years. “My answer to the question: what is the European Union has changed in recent years and over time. But in 2000, the European Union gave itself a motto. And I realize more and more how fittingly he answers this question: ‘United in diversity’. Because we are not all the same – and that’s a good thing.”
Call to colleagues in the EU Parliament
The EU makes rules for 450 million citizens, with different languages, traditions, cultures, histories and experiences. Karas: “Let us never forget that. Let us be aware of this responsibility. His call to his colleagues: shape fair, honest and courageous politics. Get up every day and act according to your beliefs and not according to current party politics and fight with all your might against stupid nationalism!”
The 66-year-old took stock during his last press conference at a plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday and dared to look ahead: “The EU is currently only functioning at a performance level of 70 percent. The really big reforms are not successful. In these times we need an EU that runs at 100 percent.”
“It doesn’t get better by watching”
He praised some of the proposals from the report on improving the internal market presented last week by former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta: “We need a Europe that is able to act. If you look at it, it doesn’t get any better.”
Karas supports Ursula von der Leyen
He “hopes that Ursula von der Leyen will again lead the European Commission,” Karas said. She was a successful president. Despite the increasing criticism in recent weeks, for example on personnel decisions, Karas expects that the Germans will be re-elected, “if the EPP becomes number one again, which I assume, and if the cohesion of the political forces in the center is strengthened again. , want to do something together – and I assume that.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
