Merkel says Europe far from becoming world's strongest continent

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday said that Europe remains far from achieving its long-standing ambition of becoming "the strongest and most science-based continent in the world."

Speaking at a ceremony at the European Parliament honoring the first laureates of the European Order of Merit, Merkel said the EU's promise of prosperity to its citizens is under strain and requires renewed efforts.

Referring to commitments made by EU leaders in Lisbon in 2000, Merkel recalled that Europe had set out to become the world's leading knowledge and science-driven continent.

"If you go back to 2000, when in Lisbon the heads of government stated that Europe should be the strongest and most science-based continent in the world, and we are far from that goal, and there's a lot of work that you have to do in order to get closer to that promise," she said.

Merkel stressed that economic success remains essential for sustaining broader European objectives, including climate protection and biodiversity efforts.

She argued that sustainability and economic success must go hand in hand if European citizens are to continue seeing the EU as a source of added value.

On peace, Merkel said stability in Europe can no longer be taken for granted, pointing to the ongoing war in Ukraine as evidence that long-standing assumptions about security have been shattered.

She also noted that shifting international dynamics, including changes in US security policy, underscore the fragility of Europe’s security environment.

Merkel warned that democratic systems are under pressure, particularly due to social media platforms where misinformation can spread rapidly and distort public debate.

She said the growing influence of artificial intelligence is further intensifying the challenge, calling for continued regulation of both social media and AI to safeguard democratic processes and the integrity of information across Europe.