From the deck of the Italian aircraft carrier Garibaldi, which is spearheading the EU’s migrant rescue and anti-smuggling effort, Italian Premier Matteo Renzi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Holland also promised new economic prospects to young people albeit without any specific proposals or details.
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Speaking aboard an aircraft carrier anchored off the Italian island of Ventotene, one of the cradles of the dream of a united and integrated Europe, the leaders vowed to strengthen the European project following the Brexit vote.
Europe’s economic outlook, jihadist attacks, the refugee and migrant drama, the Syrian conflict, and relations with Russian Federation and Turkey were all on the agenda for the talks later on Monday on the island of Ventotene, one of the cradles of the European dream.
“For many populists, Europe is to blame for everything that goes wrong”, Renzi said at the joint news conference before the leaders sat down for talks aboard the ship.
Merkel will also discuss with her eastern partners the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the sanctions against Russia, the EU’s relations with Belarus and the situation in Turkey after the failed coup attempt in July.
The leaders of the Eurozone’s three biggest countries met on an Italian naval aircraft carrier and will now join other European Union leaders and heads of state in Bratislava on 16 September.
In her interview, the chancellor said freedoms of opinion and assembly were available to all German residents but “everybody should express their different opinions peacefully”.
Separately, Renzi has said that there will be a new general election in 2018, no matter the outcome of his country’s referendum on constitutional reform in October.
After the Berlin summit, where they called for broad new economic “reforms” attacking the working class and a united European Union military policy, they were determined to show unity and halt further disintegration of the EU.
Whatever the fearless rhetoric, the reality is that – as Francois Hollande, the French president noted – the forces of “fragmentation” are rising in Europe and (as he didn’t say) Britain’s vote for Brexit is adding a significant load to those centrifugal political forces.
Renzi had earlier taken his guests to the grave of Altiero Spinelli, one of the founding fathers of the ideal of European integration.
Monday’s talks marked the beginning of a week of meetings for Merkel with other European governments that will see her travel to four countries and receive leaders from another eight. France and Germany have long clashed over the best way to boost growth, create jobs and tackle immigration and terrorism.
“Europe is on the witness stand”, Ms Merkel said.
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Ms. Merkel is “looking to peel off some low-hanging fruit to try to address issues that are concerning citizens in Europe-borders, cooperation over terrorism, these types of issues that are perceived [to be at] the forefront of citizens’ minds”, Mr. Rahman said.
