PRESS RELEASE

The Union of European Federalists (UEF) congratulates Mr Jean-Claude Juncker for his election to President of the European Commission by the European Parliament yesterday. Mr Juncker's statement in front of the Parliament confirms that he can really be the "old-style federalist" that his opponents accused him to be during the electoral campaign - and this is exactly what Europe needs today.

Federalists welcome Mr Juncker's plan for closer economic and political integration, in particular his proposals for deepening and strengthening the Eurozone (including Eurozone fiscal tools and budget and a single representation in the international institutions), extending the European single market, investing 300 billion euro in European traditional and new infrastructures in the next 3 years to balance national austerity and reform programmes and kick-start the European economy, developing an energy union centred on pooling of energy resources and pan-European energy networks as well as ambitious renewable targets.

Federalists have appreciated Mr Juncker's passionate defence of the benefits of the Euro, his convinced and convincing appeal to the fundamental values and achievements of European unity and his personal homage to Jacques Delors, François Mitterand and Helmut Kohl and their European vision.

Much of what Mr Juncker has promised will depend on the will of the Member States. However, the new process for selecting the President of the European Commission, where the European political parties and the European elections, and thus the European citizens, are the decisive factor in the process, has been a healthy injection of politics and democracy in the life of the European Union and it gives Mr Juncker a stronger authority and legitimacy than his predecessor enjoyed. Federalists invite Mr Juncker to use such greater authority and legitimacy to restore the role of the European Commission as engine for closer European economic and political integration and move his programme forward, mindful that from now on his electorate are the European citizens and the European Parliament and not only the Heads of State and Government.
16.07.2014

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EDITOR'S NOTE
The Union of European Federalists (UEF), is a supranational political movement founded in 1946 dedicated to uniting Europe along federal lines.