Speeches

I have received two motions for resolutions (B10‑0400/2025 and B10‑0402/2025) to wind up this debate, and the vote will be held on Thursday. The debate is closed. ⁂

The next item is the joint debate on two motions of censure on the Commission (2025/2174(INS) – B10‑0400/2025; 2025/2173(INS) – B10‑0402/2025). For this debate, there will only be one round of political group speakers. There will be no catch‑the‑eye, and no blue cards will be accepted.

Your time is up. I will now put the request of the Greens Group to the vote by roll call. (Parliament rejected the request) I now put the request of The Left Group to the vote by roll call. (Parliament rejected the request) So the agenda remains unchanged. The agenda is adopted. The order of business is thus established.

Thank you, your time is up. I have also received a proposal from The Left Group that a Commission statement on 'Interception, seizure and illegal arrest of the crew of the Global Sumud Flotilla on its mission to break the humanitarian blockade of Gaza' be added as a second item in the afternoon. I give the floor to Charlie Weimers to speak against.

The AFET and TRAN committees have transmitted three corrigenda to texts adopted by Parliament. Pursuant to Rule 251, those corrigenda will be deemed approved unless, no later than 24 hours after their announcement, a request is made by a political group or members reaching at least the low threshold that they be put to the vote. The corrigenda are available on the plenary web page. Their titles will be published in the minutes of this sitting.

The PfE, ECR, Renew and The Left groups have notified me of decisions relating to changes to appointments within committees and delegations. Those decisions will be set out in the minutes of today's sitting and take effect on the date of this announcement.

The Committee on Legal Affairs has concluded that the assignment of Rasmus Andresen as a member of the Executive Board of the European Centre for Minority Issues, proposed by the Danish Minister of Higher Education and Science, is compatible with the Act of 20 September 1976.

The competent authorities of Poland have addressed requests to me for the parliamentary immunity of Grzegorz Braun and Tomasz Buczek to be waived. The competent authorities of Greece have addressed a request to me for the parliamentary immunity of Nikos Pappas to be waived. These requests are referred to the Committee on Legal Affairs.

The minutes and the texts adopted of the sitting of 11 September are available. Are there any comments? As that is not the case, the minutes are approved.

First of all, as we mark 35 years since German reunification, we are joined today by the President of the German Bundestag, Julia Klöckner, who is with us in the diplomatic gallery. Thank you for being with us. (Applause) The reunification of Germany was a defining moment in European history that symbolised hope, transformation and the enduring power of freedom. It showed what people determined to live in democracy can achieve, and what politics, diplomacy and courage can deliver. That moment paved the way for a stronger, more united Europe, and it is that spirit of 1990 that we need to recapture as we face the challenges of today. Dear Julia, Madam President, welcome! Dear colleagues, over the last weeks, the world marked three years since the killing of 22‐year‐old Jina Mahsa Amini at the hands of the Iranian police. Her death sparked the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement honoured by this Parliament with the 2023 Sakharov Prize. Jina Mahsa Amini's life and legacy live on in the spirit of all those who stood up over the last years, and in all those who are still pushing for liberty in Iran. I am proud that this House has stood on the right side of history, and that the brave women and men standing up to repression know that they are not alone. Dear colleagues, last month we all witnessed the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk during an event on an American University campus. He was 31 years old and was known to anyone with a social media account. This senseless act of murder should be treated with dignity, and I would urge everyone to avoid political theatre or cheap point-scoring. Let me also say that this assassination underscores the need for all of us in public life to do what we can to dial down the divisive rhetoric and demonisation aimed at political opponents. We can all do better. Violence has no place in our society. Words and ideas, not weapons, and not hate, must shape our dialogue. We have seen it time and again across the world with horrific consequences. We saw it in Utah last month. We saw it in Minnesota in June with Melissa and Mark Hortman. We are not immune to it in Europe either. That's not the way. Political violence can have no room in our societies and communities. Dear ones, we were reminded only last week of how violence and hatred can reach into our own communities, with the deadly attack on a synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. I know that our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims and the wider community impacted in Manchester. This House stands proudly against anti-Semitism, against all forms of hatred and extremism, and in solidarity with the people of the United Kingdom. Tomorrow marks two years since the horrific 7 October terrorist attacks in Israel by Hamas that saw 1 200 people killed and 251 people taken hostage, many of whom remain in the tunnels of Gaza. It is a day that will live forever in infamy in the history of our time. The attack ignited a cycle of war and violence that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands, with the situation on the ground remaining critical. So much has been destroyed. So many now know hunger and war. For all those mothers waiting for 730 days for any news of the fate of their children, the concept of time has become another burden for them to carry. There is a real and comprehensive peace plan now on the table that provides a framework towards peace, stability and reconstruction in Gaza, that could finally see the return home of all those hostages still in Hamas tunnels, that keeps a two-state solution alive, and that eases the suffering we see. I know that we will debate this later this session, but it is a pivotal moment that can finally bring about the end to the intergenerational cycle of bloodshed, terror and violence. There is a clear alternative to perpetual war, and that alternative must be seized. So, dear disciples, as we remember all those lost, I invite you to join me in observing a moment of silence.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office has addressed a request to me for the parliamentary immunity of Angelika Niebler to be waived. This request is referred to the Committee on Legal Affairs.

(In response to comments from Christine Schneider) Ms Schneider, please! We have been very fair and understanding, but this is your last warning. Shout again and you will leave the Chamber!