Renzi and Napolitano take centre stage at ‘The State of the Union’ conference. The three day conference in Florence, starting today, has been organised by the European University Institute and will be used to discuss the social and political future of the Union. Over 600 international guests from the world of business and international institutions are attending the event, even more significant in the light of the European elections from May 22-25, 2014.
Today, May 9, in Palazzo Vecchio’s impressive Salone dei Cinquecento, the candidates standing for President of the European Commission will speak. A battle of words, therefore, between Jean Claude Junker, candidate for the Populists, and Martin Schultz, European Socialist candidate. Josè Bovè, for the European Green Party and Guy Verhofstadt, Deomcratic candidate, will also be present. The organisers and institutions were keen to point out that this would be an optimum chance to actively discuss Europe, rather than demonise it.
‘We want a different kind of Europe –commented the Vice Mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella –where the citizens feel as if they are in control. In Florence, we want to provide an answer to eurosceptics. We want to relaunch Europe. Italy is one of the founding countries of Europe. Europe, without Italy, would not exist.’ Nardella concluded by stating, ‘Europe must be conceived as an everyday reality, which plays a part in the everyday lives of all of us.’
To follow the conference today, click here to view the live stream.
