Model European Council (MEC) 2025

    Day 1

    The 2025 session of the Model European Council (MEC) commenced with an opening speech by the Deputy Director of the European School of Luxembourg II, Mr. Aibhistín O'Coimín.

    Her Royal Highness, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Maria Teresa, then addressed all participants, emphasizing that great privileges come with great responsibilities.

    Her personal experience and career reflect a profound and unwavering commitment to democratic values and principles. Her tireless efforts to combat social and judicial inequalities, particularly those affecting women, serve as both an example and an inspiration.

    Her Royal Highness has collaborated with Dr. Muhammad Yunus to promote access to microcredit for the most disadvantaged, recognizing it as a key driver of economic empowerment at the family level and an essential tool for advancing women's independence. She has also supported Dr. Denis Mukwege, widely known as "the man who mends women." The Congolese gynecologist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate has dedicated years to treating women and girls who have suffered sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

    In her address, she urged the younger generation to remain steadfast in their commitments, to persevere in the face of challenges, and to not be discouraged by initial setbacks.

    Our students, representing Slovenia and Sweden, serve as spokespersons for all key stakeholders of the European Union—Member States, ministries, and citizens alike. They engage in debates on crucial issues such as security, women's rights, the fight against global warming, economic and social prosperity, and migration.

    Through these discussions, they confront the challenges of negotiation and compromise, recognizing that coexistence requires effort from all. As Mr. Aibhistín O'Coimín emphasized in his opening speech, national interests must be actively defended, but always with the overarching goal of building and strengthening the shared European project. Given current global events, this project remains, more than ever, the safeguard of our freedoms in the face of international uncertainty.

    Each proposal, each debate, and each speech by the representatives of the 27 Member States deepens their understanding of Europe, of plurality, and of otherness. In doing so, they embody the essence of the European Union’s motto: United in Diversity.

    Day 2

    Under the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, debates continue today as part of the democratic process that ensures a balance between the European Parliament—representing the interests of EU citizens—and the Council of the European Union, which safeguards the national interests of Member States. These discussions take place under the oversight of the European Commission, now led by Mr. António Costa, which defends the collective interests of the European Union.

    Our representatives engaged with their counterparts on pressing issues at the heart of contemporary challenges and European integration. Among them, the expansion of the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), spurred by French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal to extend France’s nuclear umbrella to all EU Member States, was a key topic of discussion. Other subjects sparked at times intense but ultimately productive debates, including the transition of the EU’s energy resources to green hydrogen, migration and asylum procedures, and the strengthening of women's rights.

    A particularly urgent debat arose on the question: "Faced with the United States’ attempts to establish economic dominance over Europe, should the EU pursue greater autonomy through the development of its own space infrastructure?" This strategic concern led to a focused debate on the necessity of strengthening the IRIS system (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity, and Security), with the aim of reducing Europe's dependence on the American Starlink network—particularly in the event of a potential blockade by the U.S. administration.

     

     

     

     

    The 2025 MEC concluded with a speech by Mr. Glenn Micallef, Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture, and Sport. His mission is to empower young people by granting them greater freedom, voice, and responsibility within society, drawing on the unifying forces of cultural heritage and sport at all levels.

    Thus, the 2025 edition of the MEC came to a close in a spirit of unity, as all participants stood together to listen to and sing Ode to Joy, the anthem of the European Union.