What Günther spoke about.

Madam President, dear Commissioner! When it comes to energy, Europe has been in the role of spectator for far too long. We have made ourselves comfortable and simply accepted the dependencies on fossil fuels. The consequences of this policy have become painfully felt by all following the Russian attack on Ukraine and, most recently, the war in Iran. It is high time that Europe finally breaks away

Dear Mr President, We live in a world in which international law is increasingly being replaced by the law of the strongest, in a world in which weapons are increasingly used instead of politics and diplomacy, and in which 239 million people are now dependent on humanitarian aid. The European Union must not look the other way, on the contrary: The EU, as the largest peace project in history, has a

Mr President! The EU ‑ Parliament can also show this week that it is an important engine for environmental protection when we talk about adaptations in environmental criminal law and issues such as water resilience. At the same time, however, we must never lose sight of the foundations for a healthy environment and an intact water cycle, namely healthy soils and waters and their exposure to pestic

Madam President, Commissioner! It is high time for Europe to make real progress in electrification. After all, electricity is the only central form of energy that we do not have to rely on others to produce. We've relied on fossil energy imports long enough and have now seen enough of what can happen if you're dependent here. The European Union must draw the right lessons from this and focus on th

Madam President, Nursing and care are issues that concern all of us and are looked away from far too often. And when that happens, nursing and care become women's issues in the vast majority of cases. Because where there are no suitable support services, women, daughters or daughters-in-law usually have to step in unpaid and provide for the family members in need of care. This is about activities

Madam President, The Baltic Sea is a prime example of how nature needs more than well-intentioned declarations of intent. We are talking here about a valuable ecosystem that is about to collapse, although the problems have long been known and the means to achieve improvements would also be available. We must not allow the rescue of the Baltic Sea to fail due to unclear responsibilities or the lega

I might as well ask a counter-question: Is this picture only given outside the European Union or is it not also given within the European Union? And I think that's exactly what it is – first of all, this European Parliament is unique, unique in the world. And I believe that the essential point is also that we create more understanding also in the nation states for the work that must be done here,

I believe that Parliament is always a place of dialogue, including compromise. I think that's our strength. Here, too, we are, so to speak, a place of compromise between the various groups, which, of course, also result from the logic of a Parliament. It's not always easy, but we accept majorities. I believe that this is exactly the point that is very, very essential for this House, that we can al

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, As a member of the EURO‑NEST delegation, I find it extremely regrettable that Azerbaijan has declared its withdrawal from the Assembly. EURO‑NEST aims to create a parliamentary dimension in the neighbourhood policy of this region. The military conflicts between Azerbaijan and Armenia have shown how urgent this is. Especially in such a situation, I can only in

Madam President, PFAS or eternity chemicals are a ticking time bomb. They poison our soils, pollute our groundwater and thus pose a threat to the health of people in Europe. This is exactly what the EU Chemicals Agency confirmed a month ago and recommended far-reaching bans on eternal chemicals. This must now be taken into account in all policy areas. Of course, this also includes projects such as

Madam President, The regime in Iran has long since passed its expiration date. The protests of recent weeks clearly show that people have had enough of oppression and disenfranchisement. The only means left to the regime to maintain power is brutal violence. And that is precisely where the European Union cannot and must not simply watch. The European Union is not only a peace project, it is also a

Madam President, There is really more important work to be done in the European Union at the moment than voting on a motion of censure against the von der Leyen Commission at almost every plenary session. But there are still these games, and there are two reasons for that. The first is that while the right-wing factions would have the strength to shape politics, as always they would rather go in s

Dear Madam President, We live here on the blue planet and yet in the past we have managed to overlook the problems in our oceans. But if we are really serious about preserving our biodiversity and really want to take care of it, there must be no more blind spots. Even when it comes to areas that are outside national spheres of influence. This is precisely why the directive is an important step in

Dear Madam President, It is right and important that today we have re-enshrined the planned climate neutrality by 2050 and at the same time agreed on an interim target for 2040. But overall, we are faced with a compromise that makes it clear that not everyone has yet understood the importance of climate protection. This is about much more than limiting global warming and stopping natural disasters

Madam President, If you close your eyes to the still flourishing illegal wildlife trade, you will accept the decline in our biodiversity as well as avoidable animal suffering. Against this background, there can only be one position for the EU, namely as a clear advocate of strong and effective species protection, which puts a stop to illegal trade both here in our country and in the countries of o

Madam President, Climate protection can only work if we really take all people with us and ensure that we firmly anchor climate protection in their everyday lives. This is precisely why we finally need a counter-model to the daily traffic avalanches in the metropolitan areas and to the deliveries of goods that circle half the world. With regional funding, the EU has the power to create such a coun