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Merkel to European Parliament: "Europe's Soul is Tolerance"
In a speech to the EU parliament in Strasbourg, Angela Merkel spelled out her goals for Germany's presidency. She stressed the need for progress on an EU constitution but also the fight against religious extremism.
Ahead of the address, EU watchers were most curious about what the German chancellor would propose to end the stalemate over the bloc's proposed constitution, which failed to pass national referenda in France and the Netherlands last year. But Merkel began her speech by stressing diversity as a core European value, saying the EU had to be vigorous in defending its freedoms.
"Tolerance," Merkel said in one of the speech's central lines, "is the soul of Europe." Among the liberties in need of protection, she cited freedom to voice opinions that upset others, freedom to believe or not to believe in religion and freedom of artistic expression.
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