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EurActiv (14 September 2021)

The state of the European Union address must become a real democratic exercise. And that requires an assertive European Parliament prepared to hold the Commission president to account, writes Sophie In’t Veld.

Sophie In’t Veld is a Dutch MEP in the Renew Europe group.

This week, all eyes will be on Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as she delivers her state of the European Union address to the European Parliament. But will the pressure also be on Europe’s top executive? After all, it is the European Parliament that she has to answer to. Or is it?

In a democracy, it is very healthy for the executive to be wary of facing the parliament that checks its power. This wariness seems to be largely absent whenever von der Leyen addresses the hemicycle. Mrs von der Leyen usually draws plaudits with her big ambitious plans for Europe. And rightly so.

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