TALK AT COLEGIO MAYOR DE DEUSTO

On Thursday, May 15, MEP Javier Zarzalejos met with a group of students at the Colegio Mayor de Deusto in Bilbao, where he held an open discussion on the current challenges facing the European Union and the role young people must play in shaping its future. During the talk, Zarzalejos addressed key issues such as the war in Ukraine, digital transformation, the green transition, migration policy, and the democratic challenges confronting the European project.

Before an engaged and critical audience, Zarzalejos emphasized the need to strengthen the EU’s unity and ambition. “Of course there’s a better Europe to be built, but there is no alternative Europe,” he stated, referring to those who question the foundations of the EU from populist or nationalist positions. He encouraged young people to actively participate in democratic processes and not to take the achievements of European integration for granted.

The discussion also touched on topics such as EU-level migration management, the strategic relationship with the United States in a shifting global context, and the internal challenges facing the Basque Country. Zarzalejos linked this reflection to his analysis shared at the following day’s press conference, warning that the Basque Country cannot afford to ignore the risks of economic decline or to waste the institutional and fiscal tools at its disposal for progress.