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Charlemagne Prize 2026: Draghi honored as a hero of European unification!
Mario Draghi will receive the Charlemagne Prize 2026 for services to European unification. Award ceremony on May 14th in Aachen.
Charlemagne Prize 2026: Draghi honored as a hero of European unification!
On January 17, 2026, a remarkable announcement was made: Mario Draghi, former President of the European Central Bank (ECB), will be awarded the 2026 Charlemagne Prize. This honor is awarded for his outstanding contributions to European unification. The Charlemagne Prize Directorate highlights Draghi as a figure with “unwavering determination for Europe,” underscoring his crucial role in European politics. The Charlemagne Prize is the most important award for services to European unification and is traditionally awarded on Ascension Day, this year on May 14th, as radioherford.de reports.
Draghi, also known as the former Prime Minister of Italy, published a significant report on EU competitiveness in 2024. In this document he warns that the EU must become more innovative in order not to fall behind in competition with the USA and China. The Board of Directors sees the award ceremony as a signal to decision-makers in Brussels to take the Draghi report seriously, otherwise Europe runs the risk of becoming a pawn of other powers. High competitiveness is seen as a cornerstone of Europe's ability to act, which orf.at makes clear.
Content of the report
In the strategic report on competitiveness published in 2024, Draghi calls for a fundamental overhaul of bureaucratic structures and a deepening of the European internal market. Massive investments are necessary to strengthen the European economy. He also criticizes the fact that, despite a strong education and health system in the EU, these resources are not converted into competitive companies. Draghi identifies three main areas that are crucial to revitalizing sustainable growth:
- Schließung der Innovationslücke mit den USA und China, insbesondere im Bereich Spitzentechnologien.
- Entwicklung eines gemeinsamen Plans für Dekarbonisierung und Wettbewerbsfähigkeit.
- Erhöhung der Sicherheit und Verringerung der Abhängigkeiten in einer zunehmend unsicheren geopolitischen Lage.
He also warns that a lack of political coordination could seriously jeopardize competitiveness and growth, as zenit.de summarizes.
The history of the Charlemagne Prize
The Charlemagne Prize was founded by citizens of Aachen shortly after the Second World War and bears the name of the important Emperor Charlemagne. It honors not only individuals, but also organizations that have made a contribution to European unification. The prize money now amounts to one million euros and is intended to go to pro-European projects. Previous winners include greats such as Konrad Adenauer and Winston Churchill. Last year, Ursula von der Leyen was awarded, and the last Italian to receive the award was Andrea Riccardi in 2009. The award to Draghi once again sends a strong signal of the need for a united European response.