20
May
2026
Watch
Recent proposals to fight poverty in the EU (debate)
Madam President! Poverty destroys people. Poverty destroys society. That is why the fight against poverty is so important, and unfortunately it is going the wrong way at the moment. One reason is the way migrant workers are treated in a number of countries where they work in wage and other conditions that are significantly lower than those working in an organised labour market. Therefore, the fight for an organised labour market is one of the most important struggles. The second important battle is the traditional fight against poverty. My personal story is that the redistributive welfare state gave me and a number of other opportunities for education, even though we were born under austere circumstances. Therefore: no child should grow up in poverty, everyone should be able to take an education, get a good job, have a good life. And at a time when there is a lot of competition, my final point is: Countries with strong welfare systems, with organised labour markets and good working conditions are the best performers. And therefore it is quite strange to hear the extreme right-wing talk about the fact that these are obstacles to growth. It's the exact opposite! It costs to fight poverty, but it is even more expensive not to. Thank you.