The Rest Is Politics: Leading 54. Guy Verhofstadt: Is there a case for a European army?
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Jan 8, 2024 Former Belgium prime minister and advocate of a federal Europe, Guy Verhofstadt, discusses running Belgium, belief in 'ever-closer union', pros and cons of being a career politician, linguistic and political dynamics in Belgium, early influences in politics, Rwanda genocide and Belgium's role, outsourcing asylum and migration to Africa, perception of the European Union and the need for collaboration, controversies surrounding Britain and Brexit, and the importance of defending Europe's interests.
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Rwanda's Impact
- Guy Verhofstadt's political views changed after investigating the Rwandan genocide.
- Witnessing the aftermath firsthand shifted his focus from economic figures to human values.
Brexit and Migration
- Verhofstadt finds the UK's plan to send immigrants to Rwanda appalling.
- He links the UK's migration issues to Brexit, citing increased illegal immigration since.
Reforming Asylum
- Verhofstadt suggests creating legal migration routes to tackle illegal immigration.
- He also proposes organizing asylum at Europe's external borders, questioning why physical presence in Europe is necessary to seek asylum.