Macron and Merkel appeal to "EU Citizens"/"Europeans" for a "Crucial" Year 2018+

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- From Both sides of the Rhine river, French and German Leaders, Emmanuel Macron and Angie Merkel, (the Youngest and the most Experienced), joined their forces by launching parallel Vibrant Appeals, for the 1st Time directly addressed to "EU Citizens", speaking as "We, Europeans", etc., on the occasion of their Wishes for the New Year 2018, which point at an Horizon of forthcoming Crucial Public Debates and Moves for Europe's foreseable Future.

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 - "My dear fellow European Citizens : 2018 is a very Particular Year", because "it will be of Decisive importance on a European level", stressed from the outset French President Macron.

 - "As you know, I am fully Committed to this Fight, since I'm very deeply convinced that Europe is Good for France", and "that France can't succeed withOut a Stronger Europe" he reminded.

 >>> -  In fact, "I will Need You (EU Citizens), this Year". Because "I wish, indeed, that you'd be able to Express yourshelf, through (EU) Citizens' Consultations, (and) Say What you Want for Europe, some Months Before our European Elections" of May 2019, in order "to allow for your (EU Member Countries') Governments to Design a Great Project", he highlighted.

- Because "We Need to Find anew the European Ambition, to find a Europe with more Sovereignity, more Unity, more Democratic, because it's Good for our People".

- Indeed, "I profoundly Believe that Europe can Become that Economic, Social, Ecological and Scientific Power, which will be Able to Face China, (and) the USA, by supporting those Values which shaped our lives and are our Joint History", Macron vowed.

- "For that European UpSurge, I Need Your Determination, so that, Together, we don't yield anything, neither to (narrow-minded) nationalists, nor to euro-Sceptics"

- "As far as I'm concerned, I'll continue to Work with Each one of our European Partners, and particularly with Germany", he promised in this regard.

- Because "such an Intimate Colloquium with our German Friends is the Necessary Condition for any European Advance ; it doesn't exclude Dialogue with All our other (EU) Partners, but it's by this, that Everything Starts", he observed, (speaking just one year before UK's 2019 BREXIT).

- And "it's Necessary to Advance much Further, on that area too, Breaking up with the Habits of the Past", in order "to Find anew that shared Taste of a Future that We Decide for ourselves".

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- Making an indirect but crystal-clear Hint to a Method strikingly Similar to "Eurofora"'s 1997-2017 Project (for Public Debates between Citizens and EU Institutions Before they take Important Decisions affecting their lives or Society at large), Macron, characteristically promised, as far as the Decision-Making Process is concerned, to "Respect, and Always Listen" to "Many among you (Citizens) who don't share such a Policy Today". And "I'll make sure that All Debates take place, and All Voices - even Dissident - are Heard. But ... I won't stop Acting : I'll Always Listen, I'll Explain our situation and its Realities, i'll Respect (People's Views), and, at the End (of that Process), I'll Do, because that's what is Needed, and that's what you Expect", he described earlier, mutatis-mutandis.

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+ Almost at the Same Time, from the Other Side of Rhine river, German Chancellor Angie Merkel, stressed that "the Crucial Issue of the Coming Years" , "will be" the fact that "the 27 EU Countries (after UK's BREXIT) must be Motivated, more Strongly than ever, to Hold Together, as 1 Community".

- Indeed, regarding the "Challenges of the Future" and "the Needs of All our Citizens", "Germany's Future is InSeparable from the Future of Europe", "because the World will Not Wait for us", accross "All" main points, she observed :

- "We must Act Today to Create the Conditions ... to Thrive 10 - 15 Years from now. And (we'll) truly Thrive, when, .. Success Benefits Everyone, improving and Enhancing our Lives", the German Chancellor Highlighted :
- F.ex., "In this pursuit, the Key principle of the social market economy – that Economic Success and Social Cohesion are two sides of the same coin – can also be the Compass guiding us through this era of Digital progress".

=> "This means, on one hand: - securing existing jobs while also creating entirely new jobs for the future, - supporting companies even more when it comes to researching and developing innovative technologies, - making the state a digital pioneer,- and especially preparing ourselves and our children for digital progress through the best education and further training".

+ "And, on the other hand, it means: - focusing on Families, relieving the Financial burden on them, so that they can find an even better balance between the demands of professional and family life, - making good and dignified Care possible by strengthening the care professions and providing even better support to people who care for family members at home, - and – not least – providing for Equal living conditions in every region ..., whether in cities or in the countryside. And we will have to invest even more in a Strong state that Defends the Rules of our society, and provides for your Security – for all of our security"

>>> But the overall Main point "will be a matter of whether, WE : EUROPEANS, represent our Values in a Globalised and Digital World", Merkel characteristically underlined.

=> - "Germany and France want to work Together to make this a success, and in doing so help make Europe fit for the Future", she vowed.

- This must be done "assertively and in a spirit of Solidarity, both Internally and Externally, thus also working for an Economically Successful and Equitable Europe".

+ "As well as consistently standing up for the Protection of our External (EU) Borders, and the Security of our (EU) Citizens".

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 - In this regard, French President Macron vowed to "Win the Battle" "against the Islamist Terrorism", both in the Middle-East and at SubSaharian Africa, as well as inside Europe, but Also to "Win the Peace" at an "International" area, by "guaranteing the Stability of States, and the Respect of All Minorities".

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+ As Macron (Comp. Supra), mutatis-mutandis, Angie Merkel also pointed at "a Vibrant Democracy", "part" of which is "the Struggle to Find the right Answers", in "a Society with Many Voices, in the best sense", (i.e. via Public Debates too).

- However, "at the same time, we are United by the Values of ... Respect for the inviolable Dignity of every Individual, and of every individual's Liberties", the German Chancellor concluded.

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>>> But a Crystal-clear Common overall Concern, shared by Both Franco-German Leaders, is, for "2018," to Ensure the Social Cohesion" of EU Countries' People, as they described in extenso, (on a key point deserving a specific publication for itself).

    While "Social" measures, "Work", and "Education", etc. were cited, in this regard, from Both, Macron also added the "Need for a Cultural Imaginary of a Future, where Everyone can find his/her place".