What Max spoke about.

Mr President, Commissioner, before I begin, I want to read you a testimony. “I am ordered to remove my skirt and then my panties. Everyone grabs a part of my body. I'm torn apart. The excisor takes an old knife and grabs my little bite. She cuts it alive in several times. I'm roaring in pain. I try to fight, but I am held by four adults shouting at me. The excisor takes a small bottle containing a

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, rape, kidnapping and starvation are the daily lives of Haitians, and these are the terrible torments used by gangs as a weapon of war, primarily targeting women and children. The United Nations reiterated last week that the food crisis in Haiti is one of the worst in the world, affecting 44% of the population. In the face of the collapse of the

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I want to respond to those who denounce a return to austerity. We are about to vote on the most social and green fiscal rules we have ever seen, as investing in people and investing in our planet are among the common priorities of our Union. Yes, this reform is also a reform of responsibilities. Who can assume here to leave an abysmal debt to our children and gr

Madam President, Commissioner, climate change affects the whole world. In Europe, we are seeing an increase in the number and intensity of natural disasters. The European Environment Agency’s report on climate risk assessment is alarming. In this regard, the EU’s outermost regions (ORs) are among the most vulnerable European territories to climate change. Whether it is rising water or cyclones, th

Mr President, Commissioner, Africa is home to the greatest number of inequalities. First, there are social inequalities, which prevent the emergence of a middle class. To combat this, we must accompany the deleveraging of African countries. Then we have regional inequalities and climatic hazards, which lead to migration. Migrating is not a choice. No one leaves his region at the risk of his life f

Madam President, Commissioner, the conflict in North Kivu in Congo is of particular concern. This is at odds with our European ideals and we have a duty to offer mediation. However, we are considered partisan by one of the belligerents. I therefore suggest that the European Union, the African Union and the Central African Economic Community join forces to bring all stakeholders back to the table.

Mr President, Commissioner, the fight against rising food prices is our priority. They are cents, extra euros that, put together, deteriorate the daily life of Europeans. How many families face a difficult choice between feeding properly and meeting other basic needs? We need to act with emergency measures: targeted aid for the most vulnerable, price suppression, anti-inflation basket. We must als

Mr President, Commissioner, EUR 300 billion: This is the unprecedented amount committed by the European Commission in the Global Gateway international cooperation programme. Declined in geographical areas, it is Europe’s contribution to reducing the global investment gap. In Africa, which will receive half of this amount, some projects that have already been launched are certainly successful, such

Mr President, Commissioner, Haiti is dying. It is no longer time for incantations. The situation on the ground is catastrophic. Gangs control almost the entire country, and violence reigns at an unprecedented level. The latest UN report is damning: it reports almost 2 700 civilian casualties in 2023 – the equivalent of 9/11 victims. The police and the government are totally overwhelmed in terms of

Madam President, Commissioner, the European Union is based on respect for fundamental rights and therefore on respect for the rule of law, freedoms and the independence of the judiciary. However, this report highlights the extent to which these rights are deteriorating. Let us defend ourselves against the illiberal leaders who threaten the European Union. Repeated attacks by the Hungarian governme

Mr President, Commissioner, our social market economy must be the embodiment of social justice. Let us therefore continue our efforts to find the balance between competitiveness and growth and, on the other hand, to combat social inequalities and promote well-being. This requires the creation of quality jobs for Europeans, i.e. well-paid jobs, with safe working conditions, career development prosp

Mr President, Commissioner, strengthening relations with national parliaments is strengthening European democracy. When the 350 million voters go to the polls on 9 June, it will be a great democratic moment. But European democracy is also achieved through cooperation between national and European parliamentarians. After the Conference on the Future of Europe, and at a time when Parliament has just

Mr President, Commissioner, three years ago this Parliament made a clear request: create a right to disconnect for all Europeans. Since then, the culture of ‘always available’ continues to affect workers’ health. In a digital world of work, the boundaries between private and professional life are increasingly permeable. It is our responsibility to redefine them. For their well-being, workers must

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, every European generates almost 189 kilograms of packaging waste per year, a figure that is constantly increasing. Their management affects the preservation of our planet. In this context, the Packaging Regulation is a significant step towards reducing waste. The revision of our standards will foster innovation in sustainable packaging materials, c

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, our children are our future. Let us use this International Day of the Rights of the Child to send a powerful message of unity. The Covid-19 pandemic has deprived these children of the education and social contacts they need for their development. Poverty and precariousness still unfairly deprive too many children in Europe. We owe them a lucid p

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the world of work is constantly changing. With automation, digitalisation and teleworking, we need to support European workers in this transition. Our social model ensures the protection of workers' health and safety. It protects the physical health of Europeans, and must now include mental health. Today, 50% of European workers believe that str

Mr President, Minister, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the UN estimates that at least 2 billion people are without access to water and sanitation. Some of our European territories are also affected: This is the case for most of our outermost regions. These European citizens are facing structural delays in infrastructure renewal, but also the consequences of climate change. In Mayotte, almost

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Mayotte is facing an unacceptable water crisis. This crisis is a gaping wound in our values, because it is our duty to ensure that every European has access to water. Wastewater treatment can provide a solution to Mayotte and all our territories, because this treatment allows a pollution-free environment and the prevention of major health risks. I

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, our social model is a promise to all Europeans. It is unacceptable in 2023 to see a rise in precariousness in the European Union. No European should be hungry or thirsty, no European should live in shame. Rising food prices, energy costs and the cost of living are affecting Europeans, and the poorest are the most affected. We need to take urgent me

Mr President, July 2023 was the hottest month on record. Forest fires have devastated many European countries, including Greece. Just 72 hours ago, Morocco experienced a devastating earthquake – Europe stands by its side. The Union Civil Protection Mechanism is the effective and useful tool to address these challenges. We must strengthen it with an ambition that is both human, material and financi

Mr President, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted our vulnerability and unpreparedness to a virus. The lessons to be learned are many and show that we need to move faster and further in building a Europe of health. Let's be honest, we will have to face new pandemics. In the outermost regions, we are used to treating new emerging diseases that seriously affect us: zika, chikungunya, dengue. The u

Madam President, Commissioner, I would like to congratulate the European Commission on the European Union’s first voluntary review of progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. We measure all the way accomplished. However, we can go further and we need to do better. Achieving the SDGs means improving the quality of soil, water and air, and preventing climate hazards. This means en

Unfortunately, I do not think that this calls for an answer. I have heard the colleague's question, but I am not, how would I say, I am not the one who will be able to make this request to a President of the Republic at the national level. We are here in the European Parliament.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, strong commitments to build a fairer Europe have been made in Porto. They put the European Union on a path of full employment and social progress. Strong action is all the more necessary today in a context of rising costs of living, skills shortages and energy poverty. Step by step, we are building social Europe with the directives on minimum wages and pay tra

Mr President, Commissioner, in 2019 our Parliament made Europe the first continent to declare a climate emergency. The urgency is there, as evidenced by the latest IPCC report. Every day in the Caribbean, I witness the impact of climate change, which is affecting African, Caribbean and Pacific countries even more. They are not the only ones. Today, more than half of the world’s population is vulne