Estonian MEP: Europe needs a strong leader
Isamaa MEP Riho Terras said in an interview with local paper Põhjarannik that a major European country head should emerge as a pan-European leader to steer the union away from increasing bureaucracy and ideological politics and back on a path of progress.
According to Terras, the key figure behind Europe's ongoing decline is former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who served from 2005 to 2021. Terras attributed her legacy to pipelines with Russia, migration issues and the Greek financial crisis, all of which he said contributed to the rise of extreme forces.
Terras noted that since Merkel's departure, Europe has lacked a strong leader, stating that, in his view, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron and British leaders have been unable to fill the leadership role.
Terras also remarked that there is a global leadership crisis, which he traced back to the tenure of U.S. President Barack Obama (2009-2017), citing Obama's decision to withdraw U.S. forces from conflict zones as a signal to hostile states to test boundaries.
Additionally, Terras highlighted that the core message of former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi's report on European competitiveness is the need for greater investment. However, he expressed skepticism that there are enough politicians in Europe willing to stimulate the economy through loans.
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Editor: Valner Väino, Marcus Turovski
