In her column, Caroline de Gruyter discusses how the annual State of the Union in European politics, once ridiculed, has now become an important and emotional event that highlights urgent political themes and increases citizen engagement. (translated)
During her speech at #SOTEU, Ursula von der Leyen unexpectedly proposed to Mark Carney that Canada become the first "associate member" of the European Union. The problem is that: - there is no such status formally in EU law, and it is unclear what it would entail. (translated)
In yesterday’s SOTEU speech, I made clear that the EU must continue applying pressure on Russia, taking every possible step to weaken its war machine. The adoption of the Graham Bill by the US House of Representatives sends a clear message. My friend, Senator Graham, strongly #SOTEU #Russia #GrahamBill #EU #RU #US
In her SOTEU address today, President @vonderleyen described a Europe that has chosen its own path and is growing stronger and more independent. Strong, strategic partnerships are a big part of that path. Here is what that means in practice. https://t.co/kx6vonB2w3 #SOTEU #EUIndependence #StrategicPartnerships #EU
This year's #SOTEU2026 has been eagerly anticipated due to the ongoing global and regional crises that build on one another and reshape relationships within and outside the EU. Ursula von der Leyen was extensive in diagnosing the situation, but the proposed solutions are yet to come. (translated)
President @vonderleyen was very clear at today's #SOTEU: protecting our borders and fighting illegal migration also means working with our Mediterranean partners to create opportunities. The new Mediterranean Youth Skills and Jobs Initiative goes exactly in this direction - https://t.co/RkrTpa4GAk #SOTEU #Migration #MediterraneanYouth #MT #IT #ES #GR #FR
Three shocks are changing our societies: AI, geopolitics, and the fear of losing jobs or rising living costs. Our European answer must be threefold, with what has always made us strong: listen, act together, and bring growth to Europe. #SOTEU https://t.co/FT5eLSvMLU #AI #geopolitics #Europe #EU
A truly inspiring @vonderleyen 2026 #SOTEU speech today in Strasbourg — with Europe’s ocean, fisheries and coastal communities & islands strategy at the heart of the agenda. From climate resilience and simplification to sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, our Vision 2040, the https://t.co/AWAnPrJ869 #SOTEU #SustainableFisheries #ClimateResilience #EU #FR
🚨I do like to help shoulder the new European Kids Act! In her speech, President @vonderleyen rightly paid a lot of attention to the problem of loneliness and social isolation of more and more children, who often spend hours on social media. (translated)
A new EU law has just been introduced that will allow for a safe internet for children! It prohibits social media for children under 13 years old, and from 13 only with parental supervision and age-appropriate limited accounts! Designs that encourage addiction, such as infinite scrolling, will also be banned! #soteu (translated)
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, presented the state of the Union in this year's speech quite objectively. This is a departure from past speeches, where the assessment was far from reality. She announced a series of new and very ambitious proposals. Some of them among (translated)
🚀President @vonderleyen highlighted @iceye_global in #SOTEU - an example of what Europe can achieve when talent, public funding and private investment come together. @rmodrzewski and @pekkalaurila met through Erasmus and ICEYE began with an idea around satellite imagery. (1/3) https://t.co/Josd1T6ftp #SOTEU #Erasmus #SatelliteImagery #EU #FI
Message from #SOTEU is clear: Europe must get serious about water. For agriculture & our food security, this is urgent New European Water initiative must deliver for farmers: efficient irrigation, modern infrastructure, AI technologies that help use this precious resource wisely https://t.co/juRB0Jbdui #WaterSecurity #Agriculture #EUInitiative #EU
My first message in today’s #SOTEU debate: When dictators cooperate, democracies must work even more closely together. The enemies of our democracy exist inside and outside our borders. We know it. We must expose the risks posed by populists and autocrats and defend our https://t.co/75xkA59CG8 #SOTEU #Democracy #Populism #Nospecificcountrycodesarementionedinthetweet.
#SOTEU2026 was, in my view, a major lost opportunity. @vonderleyen Europe needed more than another catalogue of programmes, funds and initiatives. Europe needed strategic leadership. This was the moment to tell 450 million Europeans clearly: WHO threatens our security? WHAT does https://t.co/YrGwryz7j3 #SOTEU2026 #EULeadership #SecurityThreats #EU
Europe caught fire this summer. Von der Leyen's response? The scorched earth policy: blaming ecology rather than the economic model. We will always prioritize billions of human beings over the billions of a few. (translated)
President von der Leyen, the EU itself says about €210 billion of Russian Central Bank assets remain immobilised in the Union. Today’s SOTEU material again describes them as immobilised rather than announcing confiscation of the principal for Ukraine. So my question to you is https://t.co/QWzQNMMHQX #EUSanctions #UkraineSupport #RussiasAssets #EU #RU #UA
SOTEU 2026 — SANCTIONS MUST BITE. My proposal for the next phase of EU Russia policy is simple: boycott, embargo, sanction, defund. The objective is to reduce the revenues, financial channels, technology access and international networks that sustain Russia’s war effort. That https://t.co/r95fzr0Kjb #SOTEU2026 #Sanctions #RussiaPolicy #RU
SOTEU 2026 — SANCTIONS MUST BITE. My proposal for the next phase of EU Russia policy is simple: boycott, embargo, sanction, defund. The objective is to reduce the revenues, financial channels, technology access and international networks that sustain Russia’s war effort. That https://t.co/Hgknd5o1sj #SOTEU2026 #Sanctions #EUForeignPolicy #RU
Von der Leyen just condemned Serbia for glorifying Ratko Mladic, but the cult of the genocide perpetrators from UPA somehow does not hinder her from sending tens of billions of euros to Ukraine #SOTEU (translated)
