Frieden warns extremist election victories threaten Europe’s political centre
Luxembourg’s prime minister says centrists must deliver peace and prosperity while Europe supports Ukraine and maintains ties with the United States.
Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden has warned that election victories by parties he describes as extremist pose a serious challenge to Europe, while defending democratic elections and the institutions of European integration.
In an interview with France 24 during a visit to Paris, Frieden said voters in European Union countries had the right to choose their leaders. But he urged Europeans to remember the consequences of nationalism and minority discrimination, which he linked to the Second World War.
Frieden said political centrists must show that Europe can deliver on its promises. Those promises, he said, include peace as well as prosperity through a single market in which products made in one country can be sold in another.
He also defended European support for Ukraine, saying the issue extended beyond territory and concerned the principle that borders should not be changed by force. Europe, he said, supports US efforts to find a solution but wants Washington to take a stronger multilateral approach.
Addressing European strategic autonomy in space policy, Frieden defined it as the freedom to make independent decisions without isolating Europe or excluding partners. He pointed to European capabilities in universities, research, rocket and satellite companies, while saying the United States remained a friend whose technology was needed on some occasions.
Frieden also said Europe should preserve its economic and technological links with the United States. His comments came during the International Space Summit hosted by the French government on 9 and 10 September, where major US aerospace companies were reportedly absent.
