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Brussels, Feb. 13, 2017 (dpa/NAN) The new Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said on Monday that EU countries need leaders who are “convinced” that the European project makes their countries stronger.
He said the leaders need to rise stronger if they are to fight back the rise of nationalism and anti-EU sentiments.
The former Green Party Chief, who defeated Norbert Hofer of Freedom Party in a run-off election in December, said that his country proved that it was possible to win against right-wing populism.
Van der Bellen, said there was no “general recipe” for defeating nationalism, but said it was essential that leaders running for office believed in the EU.
He chose to visit Brussels on his first official trip abroad.
“You need a personality that is convinced that Europe makes sense.
“Also, you must be crazy to believe that the old-fashioned national sovereignty of the 1930’s gives you more power for your own country than being a member of the union.
“You don’t have to be particularly intelligent, I think, to understand that but obviously, you have to put some energy and time in that, in our case, it worked,” he said.
Van der Bellen said that Brexit which he called a “tragic mistake of the majority of the British people” had the “paradoxical outcome”.
He said that it made Austrians to be more aware of the importance of being a member of the EU.
(dpa/NAN)
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=====Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole