The North Rhine-Westphalian Prime Minister and CDU leader Armin Laschet has called for reforms in the European Union.
Laschet gave his last speech as Prime Minister in the Federal Council on Friday.
He is moving to the Bundestag and wants to remain head of the NRW government until its constituent session on October 26th.
State Minister of Transport Hendrik Wüst (CDU) is to be his successor as Prime Minister in Düsseldorf.
Berlin - "I thank everyone for the good cooperation," said Laschet at the end of his speech.
He did not comment on the situation in the CDU.
On Thursday, after the Union's election debacle, he made it clear that he did not want to stand in the way of a personnel reorganization.
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In his speech in the Federal Council, Laschet said that a European foreign climate policy and an affordable and stable energy supply were necessary in the EU.
This could be done better in Europe.
A Europe that is capable of acting is necessary, one needs the courage to make majority decisions, especially in foreign policy.
Laschet also promoted more efficient structures.
The reason for Laschet's speech was a conference on the future of Europe.
dpa