From thought-provoking speeches to dynamic discussions, Day 2 of the Prague European Summit 2024 kept the momentum going. Here’s a look back at today’s highlights!

Czech Minister for European Affairs, Martin Dvořák, delivered the Opening & Welcome Notes with a speech on the security situation in Europe and the recent European Parliament elections. “The election results are not as dramatic as we expected. We don’t yet know what consequences we will face. We live in a time that divides people, and people are worried. As politicians, we need to provide space for dialogue,” he said, later warning about the rise of populist parties in Europe.

The topic of elections overflowed into the following discussion on the EU’s Enlargement Policy. Anna Lührmann agreed, “People like myself try to focus on topics like enlargement, but citizens care more about their national problems. We need European elections that address European issues.” She later added, “Enlargement is the premise for stability; however, for it to work, there needs to be consensus among member states.”

As the future of the European Union and its direction over the next five years were among the key topics of this year’s summit, the question of Defence and Security couldn’t be omitted. “In the European Union, we tend to focus on quality. Now we also need to look at quantity. That is the challenge as we are not only lacking in the industry but also in the budget,” expressed Vilém Kolín, a panellist in our second discussion of the day, titled ‚A General without an Army? Putting the EU’s Defence and Security in the Political Spotlight.‘

Last but not least, on our star-studded programme, we welcomed representatives from the Future European Leaders Forum, joined by Danuše Nerudová, one of the future MEPs for the Czech Republic. “Every second person in the European Union is over 50 years old. The younger generation should be able to take part in shaping their future. But at this point, that isn’t happening,” she remarked.

Martin Vokálek, the Executive Director of EUROPEUM, Institute for European Policy, reflected on the event: “We have welcomed more than 400 unique guests and participants and several dozens more within the delegations of our panellists or our dear colleagues from the MFA.” “If we look down at the last ten years, we should expect the unexpected. That is why we need to discuss and examine the position of the European Union,” concluded Mats Braun, the Director of the Institute of International Relations. 

And that’s a wrap for the 10th edition of the Prague European Summit! Thank you for joining us, and see you next year!

Check the best captured moments from Day Two here.