Von der Leyen warns of rising extremism as EU pushes for strategic independence

In her State of the Union address, the Commission chief urges Europeans to resist internal and external attempts to divide the bloc and accelerate the shift to clean, home‑grown energy

Europe’s real anxieties are being weaponized, both from outside and within, to fracture the continent’s unity. That was the central warning from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her State of the Union address before the European Parliament — a speech that cast the European project as both stronger than ever and dangerously exposed to global turbulence.

Von der Leyen said the EU must build an independent Europe with the power to act, ensuring that the continent’s future “remains in European hands.” She pointed to the “dizzying” speed of technological and geopolitical change, which is reshaping jobs, livelihoods, democratic debate and even how Europeans relate to one another.

“We see it in the rise of extremism, in the decline of nuance, even in the way we interact with each other,” she said.

Europeans, she argued, are confronting the erosion of old assumptions and alliances in a world that has become “openly hostile.”

War, industry and narratives: Europe under pressure

Von der Leyen cited the war in Ukraine, the global fight for industrial capacity and a “battle of narratives” aimed at undermining trust in Europe and paralyzing democratic institutions. But she stressed that citizens’ concerns are not limited to geopolitics — they are also rooted in daily pressures such as the cost of living and housing.

The choice ahead, she said, is stark: “Do we want a strong and independent Europe that defends its values, or do we let divisions and dependencies hold us back?”

She warned against actors — from ultranationalists to anti‑EU forces, from Russian interference to disinformation networks — who “despise our values and want to break our European unity.”

“Let’s not just counter them. Let’s fight together for our European idea.”

A stronger yet fragile Europe

Von der Leyen argued that the EU has never been stronger — yet never more precarious. The contradiction, she said, reflects “exceptional times.”

Europe is charting its own course:

• securing its prosperity,
• ending its “toxic dependence” on Russian fossil fuels,
• becoming the world’s largest trading power,
• reshaping industrial policy while preserving its social model.

The EU is also more capable of defending itself than ever, having radically revised its security posture and increased defense spending by nearly 80% in five years.

She highlighted Europe’s solidarity: standing with Ukraine, supporting Greenland when threatened, and responding to hybrid attacks, drones and disinformation campaigns targeting EU democracies.

Clean, home‑grown energy as the path to independence

Europe must now double down on clean, affordable, home‑grown energy, von der Leyen said — whether renewables, nuclear, biogas or other technologies — as long as they ensure independence.

“The EU cannot remain an industrial power if its energy prices are structurally too high.”

After Russia cut gas supplies, Europe diversified its imports and invested heavily in domestic clean energy. But the closure of the Strait of Hormuz exposed another vulnerability: dependence on imported fossil fuels. Since the conflict began, that dependency has cost Europe €90 billion in additional spending “without a single extra molecule of energy.”

To strengthen independence, the EU must electrify the continent, doubling electricity’s share by 2040. That shift could reduce fossil‑fuel import costs by €260 billion per year.

But Europe must also ensure that the electricity it generates can actually reach consumers. In 2025, more than 80 gigawatts of renewable capacity were installed — yet six times that amount is still waiting to be connected to the grid.

Von der Leyen urged rapid implementation of the EU Grid Package: “We must invest faster. Accelerate grid connections. Expand storage. In short, let’s make Europe’s future electric.”

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