The vice president of the Group of the European People's Party (PPE) in the European Parliament, Esteban González Pons, said today that the last five years have been "very difficult" for the European Union, but stressed that "despite all 27 we are closer and stronger."
González Pons has cited among the most important challenges the EU has faced in the attempt of a nationalist coup in Spain, noting that "populism tries to break Europe also starting with my country."
He also mentioned among those challenges Brexit – which he has described as "the worst of the national populist decisions because no one is more lost than he who does not know where he is going" – as well as the climate crisis, terrorist attacks, the proliferation of fake news, the demographic crisis, and the trade war between the US and China.
But despite all this, said the vice president of the popular, "Europe is still the best political invention in the history of Humanity"
González Pons has thanked the President of the European Commission for this last five years during this term, Jean-Claude Juncker, and all the members of the community executive, which Miguel Arias Cañete has been part of as responsible for climate action and energy.
"From now on," added González Pons, "and as difficult as the times are, we will have an example of what it is to work rigorously, seriously and with love to the European project."