European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has laid out four key areas she wants addressed in today’s State of the European Union debate, putting competitiveness, security, climate preparedness and the cost of living firmly on the agenda.Speaking ahead of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s annual address in Strasbourg, Metsola described the event as a major moment for both the European Parliament and the European Union, during which MEPs can scrutinise the Commission, ask questions and “demand answers”. The debate began at 9am on Wednesday.“From the European Parliament perspective, our demands are pretty clear,” the Maltese politician said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lovin Malta (@lovinmalta)First on her list was competitiveness, with Metsola calling for measures that keep costs down while ensuring Europe can increasingly “stand on our own two feet”.She then turned to security, saying the EU must ensure its external borders are secure and that people living across the bloc feel safe.Climate preparedness was her third priority, with Metsola pointing towards recent extreme weather and arguing that Europe needs to be better prepared for such events.Finally, she highlighted the social agenda and affordability.“How can we make life more affordable for our citizens?” Metsola asked. “That’s what our citizens want. They want their life to be safer. They want it to be more affordable, and they want it to be fair.”This year’s State of the Union debate also has a high-profile international guest, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attending as guest of honour. He was welcomed to the European Parliament by Metsola and von der Leyen on Wednesday morning.Metsola said Carney’s presence sends a strong message about Europe’s role as a geopolitical actor and its desire to deepen relationships with democratic partners around the world, including through trade.Carney is due to address the European Parliament on Thursday, with his European visit coming as Canada seeks closer economic and strategic ties with the EU amid worsening trade tensions with the United States.For Metsola, the State of the Union now represents an opportunity for Europe’s elected representatives to push for answers on issues directly affecting citizens, from household costs and security to jobs and climate resilience.What do you make of these demands?•