The Spanish King launched a pro-European message, underlining the need for the EU to recover its competitiveness and take a prominent position on the geopolitical board.
The EU's values, including democracy, pluralism, and equality, need to be reaffirmed in the face of rising populism and the threat of autocracies.
The far-right has been strengthened in France and Germany, weakening their leaders and highlighting the need for unity in the EU.
Mario Draghi, awarded the Carlos V Prize, advocates the need to protect the economic and industrial sovereignty of member states and reduce strategic dependency on unreliable partners.
To confront demographic, technological, and defensive challenges, Europe needs to regain competitiveness, requiring public-private collaboration to finance its initiatives.
Conclusion: Europe faces an uncertain future in which it needs to assert its democratic values, boost competitiveness, and protect its economic sovereignty. Collective actions and unity are essential to overcome emerging challenges.