Before giving her official speech before the Spanish Senate on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Spain’s entry into the European Union, the president of the European Parliament had a bath of fresh ideas, in a meeting with hundreds of young people from Madrid. “I have not seen pessimism in them, quite the opposite,” he said. Roberta Metsola in the Upper House. They worry about house prices, something the European Union can do more about, Maltese politicians have said.
The context is gloomy, with a war on European soil, natural disasters y dizzying technological changesyes, he has acknowledged, but he gives a recipe: “Together we are strong; we are economic and values superpower in the world… In the turbulent world in which we live, when we are together, we are unbeatable.
Metsola began his speech in the Senate with a message of condolences for the Adamuz train accident, in which 46 people died. “I was deeply moved by the story of the six-year-old girl who had come to Madrid to celebrate the Three Kings and who is the only survivor of the family. It is a story that I still carry in my heart,” he confessed.
The president of the Senate, Pedro Rollán, and the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, upon arrival at the Solemn Session on the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of Spain’s accession to the European Economic Community (current European Union), in the Senate, on February 3, 2026, in Madrid (Spain). FEBRUARY 03, 2026;SENATE;ROLLÁN;METSOLA;EUROPEAN UNION;EUROPA;PARLIAMENT Eduardo Parra / Europa Press 02/03/2026. Pedro Rollán; Roberta Metsola; Eduardo Parra; / Eduardo Parra / Europa Press
Spain adhered to those then called European Communities on January 1, 1986along with Portugal. That was a turning point for democracy and prosperity, he says. Europe transformed Spain, but Spain has also contributed to making Europe: “You have contributed to making a Union closer to the citizens,” he told the senators present.
Geopolitical uncertainty and inflation
At the political core of the speech, Metsola has painted a more aggressive world, with war and geopolitical competition. This uncertainty is transferred to the shopping basket, energy or housing prices. “The rapid change around us exceeds the speed of our decisions,” he said. Proposes “think big” and move forward with “realistic pragmatism”, removing internal market barriers and increasing economic integration, investment and innovation.
The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso (l), and the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola (d), during a meeting, at the Real Casa de Correos, on February 3, 2026, in Madrid (Spain). Metsola is on an official trip to Madrid today to attend an event in the Senate on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Spain’s entry into the EU and to participate in a meeting with young people to talk about the future of the European Union. FEBRUARY 03, 2026 Carlos Luján / Europa Press 02/03/2026. Isabel Díaz Ayuso; Roberta Metsola; Carlos Luján; / Carlos Luján / Europa Press
Specifically, it calls for remaining united in supporting Ukraine, deepening defense investment with NATO allies and reactivating alliances and agreements with the United States, but with “mutual respect”and with partners such as Canada, Mexico, Mercosur, Japan or India. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the president of the European Council, António Costa, have signed two major trade agreements in recent weeks: one with India, and another with the Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay).
In addition to the speech in the Senate, Roberta Metsola met with the president of the Community of MadridIsabel Díaz Ayusowith which it shares a group in the European Parliament, the Popular Party. He has also met with the Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albaresand with the president of the Senate, Pedro Rollan.
He ended his speech in the Spanish Upper House with a “Long live Spain! Long live Europe!”
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