Honor for political service: Merkel receives Spanish European Prize

Chancellor Merkel has been honored in Spain for her many years of political service to Europe – with the Karl V European Prize. In her speech, she described the EU as a “stroke of luck for all of us”.

Merkel spoke of a special honor to be awarded the European Charles V Prize – at the place where the then most powerful man in Europe spent his last days, in the middle of the 16th century in the Yuste Monastery in the western Spanish region of Extremadura.

The Chancellor praised Europe as a project of peace and freedom. But Europe has no legal right to peace and freedom – both have to be defended again and again, for example against terrorism and extremism.

“Europe – only as strong as it is united”

Merkel called on the EU states to overcome their differences of opinion. Europe is only as strong as it is united. Without specifically naming the governments of Hungary or Poland, she spoke of “centrifugal forces” that had been at work for some time. They arise when expectations of the EU are not fulfilled or the economic and social differences become too great. According to the Chancellor, there is a risk of imbalance if national interests are placed above the benefits of the European project.

But Merkel was confident: When it came down to it, the European Union had always stuck together over the past few decades. She will continue to do so.

Praise for Merkel’s pragmatism

Spain’s King Felipe said Merkel was always ahead of her time. He praised their pragmatism and reliability. As a natural scientist, the Chancellor has analytical skills with which she would often have achieved balanced problem solutions at EU level, according to the Spanish King.