Marcelo’s Strasbourg Farewell Urges Portuguese Youth to Keep Europe Alive

Portugal’s outgoing head of state used his final appearance in Strasbourg to remind a generation that grew up with open borders and Erasmus grants that the European project could, in theory, unravel as quickly as it was built. The tone was celebratory—marking 40 years since Lisbon and Madrid joined what was then the EEC—but President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s real message was a warning: Europe survives only if every new cohort chooses to keep it alive.

Why the speech matters now

• 40 years of membership: from 1986 to 2026, Portugal went from net recipient of cohesion funds to vocal defender of climate and social-policy packages.

• Generational fault-line: polls show under-30s enjoy the perks of Schengen yet feel remote from Brussels decision-making.

• Geopolitical jitters: war on Europe’s eastern flank, tensions in the Sahel and a relentless AI race underscore Marcelo’s point that the Union is “never a finished artefact”.

A farewell laced with urgency

Speaking from the hemicycle in Strasbourg, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa mixed trademark warmth with a lawyer’s precision. He told MEPs that the integration dream of his youth—democracy, mobility, Estado-Providência—had been largely delivered. Yet, he stressed, “the EU is not a given”. Building it was an “enormous task”; keeping it fit for a turbulent century will be harder still.

The President reminded listeners that modern Portugal was forged by maritime openness and centuries of cultural fusion. In a deliberately inclusive nod he declared there are “no pure Portuguese, only diverse Portuguese”, positioning that plural identity as a micro-model for Europe itself. He closed with a vow that Portugal would “never, never, ever turn its back on Europe.” The line drew sustained applause—even from deputies who spent the afternoon haggling over new fiscal-rule ceilings.

How today’s students heard it

Secondary-school “European Clubs” have stepped up civic-engagement drives ahead of the June 2026 Parliament elections. Teachers in Coimbra and Braga told Público they plan to dissect Marcelo’s remarks in class, framing them around three discussion starters:

What concrete freedoms would disappear if the EU fractured?

Does Portugal punch above its weight in Brussels—or hide behind bigger states?

Can climate and social policy be protected if Eurosceptic parties gain seats?

Early indications suggest the speech resonated. A remote-participation poll run by the University of Porto logged 72 % agreement with the statement “The EU needs constant renewal.” That contrasts with Eurobarometer 2024 results showing only 49 % of Portuguese aged 18-24 felt personally able to influence EU decisions. Engagement is up, but the credibility gap remains.

Looking back, looking ahead

Cohesion funds financed the A1 motorway, high-speed fibre in Trás-os-Montes and water-treatment plants along the Guadiana. In real terms, Portugal has absorbed nearly €140 B in European funds over 4 decades. Economists at ISEG argue national GDP would sit roughly 12 % lower without that influx.

The next chapter, however, will be written under tighter wallets. Post-pandemic borrowing rules snap back in 2027; regional payouts shrink as eastern members claim a larger share. Lisbon’s diplomats already pitch Portugal as a bridge to Lusofonia markets, from Maputo to São Paulo, leveraging cultural capital instead of structural funding.

Key takeaways for Portuguese readers

Marcelo’s parting shot was less nostalgia, more call-to-action. Europe’s institutions face familiar threats—disinformation, voter apathy, great-power rivalry—but also fresh ones: quantum-computing arms races and climate-migration spikes. The speech’s unspoken challenge to Portugal’s next generation is to treat the Union not as background wallpaper but as a daily responsibility.

For anyone tempted to skip the June ballot, the President’s Strasbourg farewell distilled the stakes in one sentence: lose interest, lose Europe.