- giraudjeanbaptiste0
- 14 mai
- 3 min de lecture
Créé à l’initiative du Parlement européen, l’Ordre du Mérite Européen vient de révéler les noms des lauréats de sa première promotion de 20 personnalités.
Parmi les 13 « distinguished and honorable members » figurent 10 anciens Présidents et Premiers Ministres des États membres .
(Parmi les 7 membres ordinaires, figurent un responsable de NGO (« World Central Kitchen »), un joueur de basket, un responsable de groupe de rock.)
Nous laissons les lecteurs découvrir cette liste ci-dessous - ainsi que le contexte de la création de ce nouvel Ordre (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/at-your-service/en/be-heard/european-order-of-merit)
On voit que cette première liste a surtout pour objectif de constituer une sorte de socle permanent de hautes personnalités destiné à patronner ce nouvel Ordre.
On peut tout de même s’étonner qu’il soit très majoritairement composé d’anciens hauts responsables des États membres et que seuls deux d’entre eux (MM. Solana et Trichet) aient effectivement exercé des fonctions au sein des Institutions européennes.
Et que, parmi la liste plutôt hétérogène des membres ordinaires, ne figurent qu’une seule personnalité européenne (Mme Reding).
L’objectif louable de ce nouvel « Ordre » - constitué en parallèle avec des ordres nationaux du même type - est d’honorer « the achievements of individuals who have made a significant contribution to European integration or to the promotion and defence of the values enshrined in the Treaties. »
On peut souhaiter que, pour les prochaines promotions, le jury s’attachera à rechercher et honorer des personnes de tous niveaux ayant plus directement et plus activement contribué au projet européen lui-même - y compris (pourquoi pas ?) parmi les meilleurs éléments de la fonction publique européenne.
Jean-Guy Giraud
13 - 05 - 2026
2025 LAUREATES OF THE EUROPEAN ORDER OF MERIT
The following laureates were selected by the Selection Committee of the Order composed of President Metsola, EP Vice-Presidents Sophie Wilmès and Ewa Kopacz, and Michel Barnier, José Manuel Barroso, Josep Borrell and Enrico Letta. Proposals for appointment originated from Heads of State of government, speakers of national parliaments and Presidents of the EU Institutions.
The laureates were announced by the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola on 10 March 2026. An official conferral ceremony will take place during the Parliaments session in May 2026.
Angela Merkel, Former Federal Chancellor of Germany
Lech Wałęsa, Leader of Solidarnosc and former President of the Republic of Poland
Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine
have been appointed Distinguished Member of the European Order of Merit.
Valdas Adamkus, Former President of Lithuania
Jerzy Buzek, Former Prime Minister of Poland and former President of the European Parliament
Aníbal Cavaco Silva, Former President and Prime Minister of Portugal
Sauli Niinistö, Former President of Finland and former Speaker of the Parliament of Finland
Pietro Parolin, Cardinale and Secretary of State of the Holy See
Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland
Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova
Wolfgang Schüssel, Former Federal Chancellor of Austria
Javier Solana, former EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy
Jean Claude Trichet, Former President of the European Central Bank
have been appointed Honourable Member of the European Order of Merit.
José Andrés, Chef and founder of the NGO “World Central Kitchen”
Giánnis Antetokoúnmpo, Basketball player
Marc Gjidara, Lawyer and scholar
Sandra Lejniece, Physician, scientist and academic leader
Oleksandra Matviichuk, Human Rights Lawyer
Viviane Reding, Former Vice-President of the European Commission, former Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg, former Member of the European Parliament
Bono, together with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr, known collectively as U2
have been appointed Member of the European Order of Merit.