I find it surprising, however, that many German politicians generally oppose referendums, but then when it's an EU matter, they immediately scream for a plebiscite.

Referendums have always posed a threat when it comes to EU policy, because EU policy is complicated. They're an opportunity for those from all political camps who like to oversimplify things.

The EU is an unique project that replaced war with peace, hate with solidarity. Overwhelming emotion for awarding of Nobel prize to EU

For many people, politics in Brussels and Strasbourg might as well be happening on another planet.

But if you constantly insist only on your own interpretation, it isn't long before it seems patronizing.

I'm not a populist. But I try to present complicated issues in such a way that people know where I stand.

Before we talk about further accessions, we have to consolidate the European Union internally. People are increasingly losing faith in the EU's effectiveness.

I am a man of parliament, a man of the people. I am not a representative of the executives.

A joint European army is a very far-reaching proposal and it would be difficult to implement. Such initiatives are nevertheless needed.

The problem with us EU politicians is that we approach everything with cool rationality, and then wonder why we don't win people over emotionally.

I believe that the majority of people in Europe want to demonstrate solidarity with the refugees.

It is easier to define whether or not you can afford something than whether you need it in the first place.

The beauty of life is not a lack of darkness, but it is in the presence of light.

In classical times, it was a capital offense to speculate upon the hour of a king's death or upon the identity of his successor.

The important thing about outsourcing or global sourcing is that it becomes a very powerful tool to leverage talent, improve productivity and reduce work cycles.

There was one moment when J. Edgar Hoover and us had the same distorted lens about who we were - "a real threat," you know? He thought so and we thought so and we were buddies in that regard.

In journalism, there has always been a tension between getting it first and getting it right.

I always thought of myself as a good old South Dakota boy who grew up here on the prairie.

If we ... capitalize on the very real strengths of older people, then added years of life can dramatically improve quality of life at all ages.

To expect alien technology to be just a few decades ahead of ours is too incredible to be taken seriously.

It's been very quiet, quite frankly. Nothing good, nothing bad.