Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande jointly addressed members of the European Union at a critical juncture in the EU's existence. It was almost 26 years earlier that France's François Mitterrand and Germany's Helmut Kohl had addressed EU lawmakers in a joint address.
"We need not less Europe but more Europe. Europe must affirm itself; otherwise we will see the end of Europe, our demise," Hollande said, discussing the refugee crisis, according to France 24.
Merkel sought a reworking of the EU's "obsolete" rules on asylum while asking other EU members to grant asylum to refugees. "In the refugee crisis, we must not succumb to the temptation of falling back into national action," said the German chancellor.
Speaking from the podium that the two leaders shared, Merkel said of the current crises facing the EU, "This is a test of historic proportions. The opportunities are greater than the risks," reported Reuters.
Hollande agreed, saying that every crisis "raises fears ... Nothing is more vain than trying to take cover alone. There is no alternative to a strong Europe to guarantee our sovereignty."
However, not all policy makers agreed. UKIP leader Nigel Farage criticized the pair on the refugee crisis, saying that the two leaders were seeking "more of the same failing." It "must count as perhaps the worst piece of public policy seen in modern Europe for half a century when you compounded the already failing and flawed EU common asylum policy by saying to the whole world 'please come to Europe,'" said Farage to Merkel, according to The Express.
You can watch Angela Merkel addressing the EU here.
