State of the Union Address
Von der Leyen: "Europe Is in a Fight"

© European Union 2025; European Parliament

Addressing a well-attended plenary session in Strasbourg, the Commission President left no subject untouched in her hour-long speech, each point carefully framed to present Europe as resilient in crisis, forward-looking, and globally responsible. 

She stressed the need for unity among the pro-European majority in confronting imperial Russia, supporting Ukraine, building a robust European defence architecture, and advancing a two-state solution in Israel. Economically, her emphasis fell on restoring Europe’s competitiveness and positioning it at the forefront of future technologies.

Following a Summer of Humiliation by Trump: "A Fight for Our Future"

“Europe is in a fight,” Ursula von der Leyen began, setting the tone for a speech that became a call for Europeans to “fight for our future.” 

Almost the entire first half was devoted to the global strategic environment and the challenges it poses for Europe. Nor was the perennial question of EU reform absent: she argued that the Union must free itself from the “shackles of unanimity,” particularly in foreign policy – thereby shifting the responsibility back from Brussels to the 27 national capitals.

Ukraine and New Defence Initiatives

A central focus of her address was Ukraine. To applause from Members of the European Parliament, she announced a Commission initiative to channel interest accrued from frozen Russian assets into Ukraine’s reconstruction. Previous attempts of this kind, however, had foundered on legal objections from countries such as Belgium and Germany. 

Von der Leyen also pledged to advance further ambitious defence projects of common interest. Yet here too, momentum has been limited: a similar initiative already faltered earlier this year amid resistance from member states during the drafting of the Defence White Paper.

Gaza: A "Man-made Famine" and European Disunity

Von der Leyen used the speech to signal a tougher Commission stance towards Israel in response to the “man-made famine” in Gaza. She proposed not only suspending trade-related matters of the Association Agreement and freezing bilateral payments, but also announced – to parliamentary applause – new sanctions initiatives targeting “extremist ministers" and violent settlers in Israel. 

Yet Europe remains deeply divided on its Israel policy. Previous initiatives have already stalled for lack of a qualified majority.

No Concrete Announcements on EU Enlargement

The Commission President devoted only a few sentences to the issue of EU enlargement. She emphasised that it is not merely a question of “uniting” Europe, but of “reuniting” it. 

Yet the future of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, and the Western Balkans, she underlined, lies within the European Union.

Competitiveness, Innovation, and Technological Sovereignty

Von der Leyen emphasised competitiveness as a cornerstone for safeguarding European autonomy. Here she can draw on proposals from the trailblazing reports by Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta last year. 

A central pillar of her competition agenda is the urgent completion of the Single Market in finance, energy, and telecommunications, slated for 2028. 

To drive research and innovation, a new Competitiveness Fund will be established, while funding for the “Horizon Europe” programme is set to double. At the same time, annual bureaucracy costs are to be reduced by €8 billion through omnibus legislative packages.

To secure technological sovereignty, von der Leyen announced investments in AI gigafactories. A new “Scaleup Europe Fund” will provide capital to start-ups in key technologies, strengthening Europe’s innovative capacity. A new “Made in Europe” criteria in public procurement is intended to boost demand for European products. A planned “Industrial Accelerator Act” will promote green technologies and accelerate the implementation of the circular economy framework.

On Migration: Control, Returns, and Combating Traffickers

Since the adoption of the new European Asylum and Migration Pact in 2024, member states have been in the implementation phase, which runs until June 2026. 

In her speech, von der Leyen emphasised the importance of an effective migration policy for maintaining citizens’ trust in the state and democracy. The Commission therefore plans to triple funding for migration and border management in the next EU budget. At the same time, the return of rejected asylum seekers is to be made more efficient through a common European return system.

Little Development Policy, More Geopolitics and Economic Interests

Notably absent from von der Leyen’s speech were traditional development policy topics. While there were occasional references to international cooperation — such as reconstruction efforts in Gaza, support for Ukraine, or a European-led global health initiative — classic development issues, including poverty reduction, the promotion of democracy, peace and security, education, food security, or sustainable development, received no mention.

The current EU strategy for international cooperation, Global Gateway, was referenced only once, in connection with a “Buy-European” approach. Europe is to be positioned as an attractive partner in global competition: “The world wants to choose Europe. And we need to do business with the world.”

The shift towards economic and strategic interests is also evident in how the speech addressed cooperation on climate issues. Europe is cast as an exporter of clean-tech solutions to developing and emerging markets, both to meet the growing demand for sustainable solutions and to strengthen its own competitiveness.

Similarly, the new Global Europe Instrument, proposed by the European Commission in July 2025 as part of the draft Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034, frames international cooperation as a means to advance the EU’s strategic objectives, including competitiveness.

Conclusion: A Rallying Speech Confronts Political Divisions

The speech was designed to galvanise and call for unity. It made clear statements on foreign and security policy, emphasising European defence capabilities, steadfast support for Ukraine, the containment of Russia, and a firm stance on humanitarian standards in Gaza. 

With her address, the Commission President sought to win over all democratic forces across the political spectrum.

Yet the leaders of the centrist platform parties were not slow to criticise. From the centre-right came concerns over insufficient support for Israel and overly ambitious, unrealistic climate targets at the expense of industry; from the centre-left, criticism focused on the US trade agreement and what was seen as too weak a response to Israel’s human rights violations in Gaza. 

It remains to be seen whether von der Leyen’s call for greater unity and progress in implementing her agenda will endure, given the competing interests within both the European Parliament and the Council.

This analysis was first published in German on the website of the Hanns Seidel Foundation and can be retrieved here.