Hollande calls for more Europe

"Austerity alone is not enough. We must invest for growth recovery", which requires "greater economic integration, and therefore a political Europe"; Cameron "with the proposal of a referendum calls everything into question and I cannot but agree with him"; the military intervention in Mali "was carried out for the people of Mali, for France and for the whole of Europe". François Hollande, president of the French Republic, delivered his speech at the main Hall of the EU Parliament in Strasbourg to convey his Europeanist stance, acting as a spokesperson of "citizens’ expectations of the EU", that need a job and economic security. The French President equally rejected the requests of those MEPs who call for the closing of the Parliament in Strasbourg in order to concentrate all activities in Brussels to cut management costs: "This city, Hollande said, has a high symbolic value for reconciliation in Europe. MEPs should be aware of it".Budget: appeal to the leaders. Hollande accepted to hold a debate with MEPs, renouncing the prerogative of a "solemn session" whereby he would be granted the possibility of delivering his speech without a Q&A session. He thus addressed the Assembly with a firm Europeanist tone, indicating the path of an EU centered on the achievement of its goals in response to questions involving the whole continent, starting with unemployment, and called upon European leaders to do their share. "We have to bring to reason those who intend to amputate national budget by reaching a full agreement between EU Council and Parliament, showing a sense of responsibility". Hollande thus launched an appeal to national leaders who will meet on February 7-8 in Brussels to discuss the EU’s multiannual budget. "It’s time to show that we’re able to take joint decisions to the benefit of European citizens". The French leader addressed a wide range of issues, such as "the challenges that lie ahead, that require common answers", mentioning recession, unemployment, the stability of the single currency and the completion of the internal market, agricultural and energy policy, to include the role of Europe on the international scenario. "The EU cannot only be a market – he said amidst applauses – it’s not the sum of Treaties nor a sum of nations seeking their own interest. Europe is a great project, it is a political will, where mutual trust creates solidarity, where the rules are respected, where one cannot put everything up for discussion every time". Hollande called into question without quoting him, British Prime Minister Cameron, then pronounced a convinced "no" to a "Europe à la carte" and a "yes" to solidarity.Growth and social cohesion. Before the European Parliament Hollande addressed the knot of the Multiannual Financial Framework that in the past hours has been at the centre of the works of EU institutions and Member States’ governments: "Save money yes, weaken the economy, no" he said. The French president thus closely linked Community budget for the period 2014-2020 to the possible responses to the crisis in terms of development, social and territorial cohesion and employment. He thus underlined four principles that will be supported at the summit. "First of all we need a level of expense that will protect common policies", "the budget must give shape to the € 120 billion Pact for Growth agreed at the European Council in June 2012", thus investing in infrastructure, research, sustainable energy, in the training of young people and in regional cohesion". "Thirdly, the budget must help individuals and vulnerable social brackets"; fourth Hollande added "a system of own resources for the EU budget", to step up "transparency". "We need a stronger political union, a union of values​​, based on the movement of people and ideas and on cultural diversity: Europe as a project of civilization", he said. Military intervention in Mali. The French President spoke extensively about the intervention in Mali to halt the advance of jihad rebel troops, which he says could not be delayed any further. Prompted by MEPs and journalists, he said he appreciated the support of the European Parliament to the peacekeeping mission. But other EU countries have left alone France, a former colonial power in Africa; what will be the requests to this regard in the summit scheduled for the coming days? "France intervened in Mali for she had the military capabilities and in the light of her military bases in Africa – anticipated Hollande, with diplomatic art -. No one could replace us in this, or join us in such a short time frame. We acted also on behalf of the international community and we did it without any particular economic interests at stake. But in the future we should be able to do otherwise". "At the summit I will ask Europe to intervene as to form the army of Mali and the International Support Mission for Mali (MISMA), but then funding and assistance will be needed for the reconstruction of the country, to support development policies for this land and throughout the Sahel".