State of the European Union — the big annual speech and MEPs debate

In this bumper episode, we bring you the main takeaways from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's annual State of the European Union address, as well as reactions from members of the European Parliament. 

The Commission president needed over an hour to highlight her key achievements and lay out plans for the coming months. Host Suzanne Lynch talks to POLITICO’s Chief Policy Correspondent Sarah Wheaton and together they break down the main points highlighted in the speech: the European Green Deal, the EU’s industrial plans, migration, enlargement and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They also look for hidden messages and potential clues regarding von der Leyen's political future — did she hint she wants a second term as Commission chief? 

Later, our colleague Eddy Wax, who covers the European Parliament for POLITICO, chairs a lively debate about the Commission president’s address with members of the European Parliament: Karen Melchior from Renew Europe, Eva Maydell representing the European People’s Party and Marc Botenga from the Left.  

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