Hockey jersey, selfies and applause: Carney mobbed by fans at EU speech as one member chanted ‘USA’

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s highly anticipated address to the European Parliament on Thursday was frequently interrupted by applause from the lawmakers in the room, and ended to a hearty standing ovation followed by expressions of support on social media from politicians across Europe.

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Carney, who has welcomed the European Union’s invitation to become its first-ever “associate member,” pitched Canada as a natural ally for the bloc of 27 European countries in the face of increasing trade violence and volatility by U.S. President Donald Trump.

And the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) appear to have thrown their support behind him following the speech in the European Parliament’s hemicycle in Strasbourg, France, on Thursday morning.

Carney’s popularity with European lawmakers became evident before his speech even began, with the MEPs already present in the hemicycle breaking into applause as the PM walked in.

In fact, Carney’s address to the European Parliament was delayed by roughly ten minutes as dozens of European lawmakers huddled around to shake his hand, exchange some words and, occasionally, take a selfie.

Video footage from the minutes before his address showed Carney surrounded by photographers as he made his way around the room and interacted with the other politicians.

Among the MEPs showing their support for Carney was Terry Reintke, a German politician and co-president of the Greens–European Free Alliance Group.

She wore a Sidney Crosby Team Canada jersey and was all smiles as she posed for a picture with Carney before he spoke, while MEPs cheered in the background.

Sharing a picture of them on social media shortly after, Reintke wrote: “Welcome bienvenue Canada,” accompanied by emojis depicting the Canada flag, the European flag and a red heart.

As Carney took the stand, Siegbert Droese — one of the few MEPs from the populist right-wing Europe of Sovereign Nations Group attending the speech — chanted “USA! USA!” earning himself groans from other lawmakers and a laugh from the prime minister.

Though members of the most right-wing political groups in the room appeared to remain silent for the rest of Carney’s speech, the PM was frequently interrupted by applause from other MEPs in the room.

In a press conference after his speech, Carney argued that the U.S. would benefit from Canada deepening its ties to Europe, saying: “It will make Europe stronger. It will make Canada stronger. It will make… Canada a better partner with the United States.”

Concluding his speech with a symbolic reference to the Vimy oaks that grow in both Canada and France, Carney said: “Let us now deepen these roots, widen this canopy, and grow a transatlantic forest under which our citizens can flourish as free people on free ground. Every single day.”

His address ended to a hearty standing ovation, hoots and hollers from nearly all MEPs present. The applause lasted over a minute, only dying down when Carney left the hemicycle.

Reintke is not the only European politician who welcomed Carney to the hemicycle with a social media post.

The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, showed his support for Canada becoming an associate member of the EU shortly after the PM’s speech in Strasbourg wrapped up.

In a post on X, Sánchez shared an image of the EU flag that depicted a small, red maple leaf next to the recognizable 12 stars. Though he didn’t write a caption to accompany the image, the sentiment of welcoming Canada to the EU was clear.

Meanwhile, Polish MEP Robert Biedroń shared a similar image, captioning it: “Welcome Canada!”

In a press conference following Carney’s speech, President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola expressed enthusiasm for closer ties between Europe and Canada.

“Dear friends in Canada, today marks a new exciting chapter in our shared journey. The world is changing, and together we will shape that change, tackle what comes next and build a future that is fairer, that is better, that is brighter for Canadians and Europeans alike.”

She later added: “We should not…be scared of something new.”

Echoing this sentiment in a post shared to her Instagram after the press conference ended, Metsola wrote: “Allies and friends. Prime Minister Mark Carney, thank you for your leadership as we strengthen the bond between Europe and Canada and open a new chapter in our shared journey.”

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