MEP Rareș Bogdan marked Europe Day with an unusually direct and reflective message on the state of the European project. Moving beyond ceremonial language, he described Europe as a “lioness” — calm, complex and often slow to react, but capable of strategic force when its vital interests are threatened. His message highlights Europe’s historical legacy, its moral and regulatory power, but also its economic and geopolitical vulnerabilities in a world shaped by competition, risk and hard power. Bogdan argues that the EU is ending its “geopolitical holiday” after decades of relying on the United States for security and Russia for energy, and that Romania is becoming increasingly relevant in the European chorus.