Germany’s Merkel Pushes E.U. Global Government Role: ‘The World Needs More Europe’
by Simon Kent
Chancellor Angela Merkel outlined her objectives Thursday for Germany’s forthcoming six-month presidency of the European Union, saying a more global role and enhanced international governance are a way forward for the troubled bloc.
“The dramatic global consequences of the (coronavirus) pandemic demand that Europe takes on more global responsibility,” Merkel told the Bundestag lower house of parliament.
“At this time, the world needs Europe’s strong voice for the protection of human dignity, democracy and freedom,” she added, Reuters reports.
As the the continued advance of the Chinese coronavirus strickens large parts of the globe, Merkel said it is a teaching moment for the world on how how to challenge “authoritarians” who seek to use it to their advantage.
“They want to undermine the rule of law. They want to harm people’s dignity. They want to undermine people’s human rights and civil rights,” she continued.
In particular, Merkel claimed the spreading of virus disinformation represented a challenge for Europe even as it has struggled to find any unified voice on the matter:
Le Pen: The EU Was the First Casualty of Coronavirus https://t.co/jrItlGWM3w
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) March 26, 2020
“This is something we need to stand up against, not just here,” said Merkel in the speech to the Bundestag.