terça-feira, junho 28, 2005

Blair: mais liderança política para a Europa

(via Comsenso)
O discurso de Blair ao parlamento europeu deve ser lido com atenção. Embora ainda demasiado "preso" às questões económicas, aquele que é talvez o mais "político" dos actuais lideres europeus intui que o futuro, a existir, passa pela política, não pela economia. Destaco as seguintes passagens:

"In every crisis there is an opportunity. There is one here for Europe now, if we have the courage to take it.

The issue is not between a "free market" Europe and a social Europe, between those who want to retreat to a common market and those who believe in Europe as a political project.

I am a passionate pro-European. I always have been.

I believe in Europe as a political project. I believe in Europe with a strong and caring social dimension. I would never accept a Europe that was simply an economic market.

If so, it is not a crisis of political institutions, it is a crisis of political leadership. People in Europe are posing hard questions to us.

It is time to give ourselves a reality check. To receive the wake-up call. The people are blowing the trumpets round the city walls. Are we listening? Have we the political will to go out and meet them so that they regard our leadership as part of the solution not the problem?

Don't let us kid ourselves that this debate is unnecessary; that if only we assume "business as usual", people will sooner or later relent and acquiesce in Europe as it is, not as they want it to be. In my time as prime minister, I have found that the hard part is not taking the decision, it is spotting when it has to be taken. This is such a moment of decision for Europe.

The people of Europe are speaking to us. They are posing the questions. They are wanting our leadership. It is time we gave it to them."

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