European lawmakers gathered in Strasbourg for the first plenary session of the new legislative season, confirming the reelection of Roberta Metsola and Ursula von der Leyen to top European positions. Metsola, emotional about her European upbringing, emphasized the values of the EU Parliament. Meanwhile in Brussels, EU officials grappled with the drama of the U.S. presidential campaign after an attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.
Josep Borrell condemned the attack and expressed relief that Trump survived. The Republican Party, confident after the assassination attempt, celebrated Trump as a hero at their convention, increasing their chances of winning in November. European leaders, preparing for a potential Trump victory, will need to step up efforts to navigate expected policy shocks and shifts in U.S. foreign policy.
Majda Ruge from the European Council on Foreign Relations highlights the need for European leaders to prepare for a possible Trump re-election, emphasizing the importance of starting preparations earlier. She notes that a VP JD Vance in a future Trump administration could lead to a shift in military and financial resources from Europe and Ukraine to focus on China and Taiwan.
The European Parliament session also discussed the state of the U.S. election campaign, with calls for unity from both Trump and Biden. While unity may be more apparent in the Republican Party, the European Union will need to reassess and strengthen their strategies to adapt to potential changes in U.S. foreign policy under a second Trump administration.
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