Discussion about the State of the European Union

[Spain]

Jean-Claude Juncker entered the Council for the last time on his Commissionship as Internal Affairs Commissioner to accomplish one of his last promises: delivering a speech about the state of the European Union. When everything was ready, he stood up, went to the podium and delivered his speech:

Councillors:

As I promised, I would come to the European Council for a last time to open a discussion about the State of the European Union, delivering a speech and then, answering to your questions, if there are any. Today, I am here to accomplish that promise, because I am someone who believes that promises ought to be accomplished.

I am here to say that it's been an honour to have been the European Union's Internal Affairs Commissioner, and furthermore, it will be an honour to leave a better European Union than the one I found 8 months ago. Hopefully my substitute will be able to say the same when his time comes, for the good of our region and the common European project we all share and love in some way. Before I start listing everything, I would like to apologise to any that has felt offended by any of my words or speeches during my consequtive terms in the European Commission, and I hope you all accept these apologies.

Today, I'm proud of these 8 months of hard work, of hard campaigning, but also, of getting to know many countries and many Europeans, bringing the European Commission closer to them. These 2 terms have seen the creation of the European Commission App, the applications for many European possitions, 2 European-scale summits with the EU leaders, a debt to the Commonwealth of Leagio to turn their energy production greener, the peace talks in Eastern Haane which at first were a success, but then a cruel war took place, the anti-racism plan, the European Heritage Site Programme reactivation, the first Europe Day in our region's history, the Eurorail project, which will kick off tomorrow, summits with Montenbourg, Czech Slavia or Angleter, the Caspian Countries negotiation table and the European Green Deal, along with many other things as transparency, establishing the 'diplomacy first' I've said million of times, as also a much closer approach to problems and issues in Europe. Without any doubt, I can affirm I've been one of the Commissioners who has spent one of the higest amounts of time in the European Council.

Sadly, not everything in this job is easy: During my 8 months term, I have seen many disgusting things: revolts in Czech Slavia, how many people tried to offend me in Reitzmag burning effiges of myself, protests against me and the ban of the European Commission app in Mennrimiak, which by the way I loved because they helped me to be even better, the Spanish - Reitzmic diplomatic crisis which at the end was solved with a little help from me, the cruel and violent war in Eastern Haane which, comparing it to other wars, I had never seen anything as brutal as that, the appearance of the Union of Nicoleizian Soviet Republics, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. But I have also seen many great things, like a new democratic Government in Inquista, the passion of many Europeans for their institutions or the new countries that have joined us during these months. Suming up all of this is equal to a great legacy which, in my opinion, my substitute will receive.

When my substitute's term starts, I will be leaving my office with a huge smile, but also with a huge empty space in my heart. It is not easy to leave the job you have been doing for 8 months, and you love so much, but we need to protect the democracy of the European Union. But also, a huge smile of accomplishing many of the promises and getting to do many of the things I promised in my campaigns. I would like to advice everyone about how hard this job it is: you can feel you are ready, but believe me, you don't know how does it feel to enter that office and seeing a big tower of papers you need to read. Being a Commissioner on this region isn't easy, and if someone believes it is, he is absolutely wrong.

Now that I'm here, I wanted to wish the best of luck to Speaker Firoux, whose also leaving Europolis, this time after his resign as Speaker of this chamber. Edward, and I'm sorry to call you like this in public, but this messages requires so, you have been one of the best, if not the best Speaker of the European Council, and I hope your future life gives you lots of happiness. We will miss you, but you'll leave us a great legacy. I would also like to adress you, Councillors, to thank you for your patience with me and your continued co-operation and interest on everything I did on this chamber. Also, to any nation leader that could be watching this, it has been a pleasure to work along with you during these months, with the only purpose of helping you, your government and your country.

Finally, I wanted to save up my most emotional words to the millions of Europeans and my Commission mates. Angela, Antoni and also Eilidh, who for sure will be watching this speech from her house, you have been the best Commission mates someone could have had. It has been a pleasure to work along all of you, and I feel I still debt a lot to you. To the million of Europeans, I wanted to thank you for your love or hate towards me. I have no rancour against any of you, but admiration. I admire that you have else loved my job or survived to it. I wanted to give a special thanks to those that supported me, that were on my rallies when I went around every single country of Europe. You are the ones that made this dream come true.

I would like to be back soon, as Internal Affairs Commissioner or as Premier Commissioner, the time and of course, my mates from the European Progressive Alliance will say. Today, I close a chapter of my life, one of the greatest, and with lots of pride and happiness, I leave a better Europe. Thank you very much for everything, thank you to everyone, and now I'm up to answer any questions you have.

Good afternoon and God Bless the European Union, God Bless your countries, God Bless the Europeans, God Bless you all. Thank you very much, for everything.