A few hours before Joe Biden’s inauguration as the 46th President of the United States, the Presidents of the European Council, Charles Michel, and of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Members of the European Parliament reiterated their expectations of this new American administration on Wednesday 20 January.
Mr Michel reached out to the Americans and proposed to create “a new founding pact. For a stronger Europe, a stronger United States and a better world” (see EUROPE 12621/6). “The United States are back, Europe is ready to reconnect with its trusted and long-standing partner, to breathe new life into our beloved alliance”, added Mrs von der Leyen (see EUROPE 12614/4).
Throughout the debate, MEPs highlighted several priority areas for transatlantic cooperation: strengthening multilateralism and international organisations (United Nations, WHO or WTO), the fight against climate change (Mr Biden is due to sign a decree on the first day of his presidency to re-engage the United States in the Paris agreement), a return to the Iranian nuclear agreement, etc.
“The inauguration of Joe Biden is a new opportunity for the United States and the transatlantic partnership that neither we nor the United States should miss”, explained Romanian’s Dacian Cioloș, on behalf of the Renew Europe Group. He therefore called for trade tensions, as well as economic sanctions, to be left aside, and to work on Biden’s proposal to establish an alliance of democratic countries.
But the return of a partner to the White House does not mean abandoning ambitions for autonomy. Iratxe García Pérez (S&D, Spain) warned against falling into the “false debate that forces us to choose between the European agenda and the transatlantic agenda”. According to her, “an EU with strategic autonomy would be the best ally to the United States”.
Several deputies also recalled that more than 70 million Americans voted for the Republican candidate. “It is a real challenge”, said Manfred Weber from Germany on behalf of the EPP, adding that it would be wrong to call these Americans populists. “Asking for border protection, regulation of Chinese globalisation and job protection is not radical”, he stressed.
MEPs also returned to the attack on the Capitol of 6 January (see EUROPE 12631/7), which, according to Ska Keller (Greens/EFA, Germany) is the result of “4 years of daily lies and contempt for the facts” by Mr Trump. For Mr Weber, it would be “arrogant to try to instruct Americans” when Europeans are facing similar challenges such as populism or disinformation. Several elected representatives pleaded for the regulation of the internet giants and for a more effective fight against disinformation. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)