Europe: I Struggle, I Overcome
Wilfried Martens - Europe: I Struggle, I Overcome Foreword by Angela Merkel Wilfried Martens has devoted his entire life to politics: as student leader, youth activist, President of the Flemish Christian Democrats, Prime Minister of Belgium, Pr
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Europe: I Struggle, I Overcome • Wilfried Martens
Europe: I Struggle, I Overcome Wilfried Martens
Foreword by Angela Merkel
Wilfried Martens
Handelstraat/Rue du Commerce 10 B-1000 Brussels Belgium [email protected] www.thinkingeurope.eu
This is a publication of the Centre for European Studies, the official think-tank of the European People’s Party (EPP). This publication receives funding from the Community and the European Parliament. The Centre for European Studies and the European Parliament assume no responsibility for facts or opinions expressed in this publication or their subsequent use.
Original Dutch edition published by Lannoo, Tielt, 2006 ISBN 978-3-540-89288-5 e-ISBN 978-3-540-89289-2 DOI 10.1007/978-3-540-89289-2 Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York Library of Congress Control Number: 2009929707 © Centre for European Studies 2008 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from the Centre for European Studies. Violations are liable to prosecution under the German Copyright Law. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The processing of the manuscript was concluded in 2008. Cover design: WMXDesign GmbH Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
O Lord support us all the day long Until the evening comes, The shadows lengthen and the busy world is hushed, The fever of life is over and our work is done. Then Lord in your Mercy, Give us a safe lodging, A Holy rest and peace at the last. Amen. John Henry Cardinal Newman (The Oxford Book of Prayer, 1988, p. 101)
Foreword
Wilfried Martens is one of the most distinguished politicians to come from Belgium in the last fifty years. In his long political career, he has always fought for the implementation of his goals with passion and deep conviction. What has to be mentioned first in this context is his successful advocacy of federalism in his home country, Belgium. Already in his time as chair of the CVP youth league from 1967 to 1972, groundbreaking manifestos on Belgium’s federalisation were written under his auspices. Later on, as President of the CVP, he succeeded in negotiating the Egmont Pact, whose essential elements form part of today’s federal Belgian Constitution. He served as Prime Minister for more than a decade, and in this role he convinced the regions a
