Speeches

The next item is the election of the Quaestors of the European Parliament. I have received the following candidatures: Marc Angel, Fabienne Keller, Andrey Kovatchev, Miriam Lexmann, Pál Szekeres, Kosma Złotowski. All these candidates have confirmed to me their consent for them to be candidates. We shall now proceed to the vote. As the number of candidates exceeds the number of seats to be filled, we shall have a secret ballot in accordance with Rule 15(1). I remind you that, in accordance with Rule 18, Parliament shall elect five quaestors by the same procedure as that used for the election of the vice-presidents. So we now hold the election by means of a secret electronic vote, so differently to yesterday. (Before the vote, a dry-run of the voting procedure took place)

I will give the floor now to any Member who would like to speak against. No? So we will put the request to the vote by roll call. The vote is open. The vote is closed. (Parliament rejected the request) The agenda remains unchanged. The agenda is adopted. (The order of business was thus established)

So I give the floor to any colleague who would like to speak against. Would anyone like to speak against? No. So we will put the request to a vote by roll call. You all need your voting cards. It’s the first time for a lot of you. The vote is open. The vote is closed. (Parliament rejected the request) The Patriots Group has requested that Parliament’s statement on the assassination attempt against former US President and presidential candidate Donald Trump, and the rise of political violence in Europe be added at 15.00 this afternoon. The debate would be wound up with a resolution to be voted at the next part-session. I give the floor to Kinga Gál to move the request on behalf of the Patriots Group.

Now we come to the order of business. The final draft agenda, as adopted by the Conference of Presidents on 12 July, pursuant to Rule 163, has been distributed. For Wednesday – so for today – The Left Group has requested that Parliament’s statement on defending humanitarian and international law in Gaza be added as a first point in the afternoon. I give the floor to Caterina Martins to move the request on behalf of The Left Group.

Good morning everybody. Can I please ask you to take your seats for the opening of this sitting. The sitting is opened. I’d just like to tell you that the announcements concerning the ninth term will be published in the minutes of this sitting. I would also like to inform the House that I have received requests for points of order, starting with Christine Anderson.

For the election of the Quaestors of the European Parliament, I propose to set the deadline for candidatures at 20:30 today. Candidatures should be lodged with the Deputy Secretary-General in the Presidency open-plan office in the Louise Weiss Building.

Those of you who haven’t voted, this is a last appeal for you to go. The vote is closed. I ask the tellers to proceed to the room where they were before for the count. The bell will ring when we resume and this will also be announced on the screen. (The sitting was suspended at 18:27 for the votes to be counted)

I will remind you of the list of candidates for the second round, with the names in the order in which they will appear on the ballot sheet: Klára Dostálová Fabrice Leggeri Younous Omarjee Antonella Sberna Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik Roberts Zīle We now proceed to the second ballot, so I would ask that the tellers take up their positions by the ballot boxes. While we are finding the tellers – because they are not all here – I would ask that the ballot papers and the envelopes start to be distributed now. As the ballot papers and envelopes are being distributed, and the tellers are finding their way to the boxes, I will give you the rules. Please mark the boxes corresponding to the candidates you wish to vote for. Since there are 3 seats that still need to be filled, in order for your vote to be valid you can only vote for a maximum of 3 candidates and for at least 2 candidates. And here, as before, if you want to change your vote, ask an usher for a new ballot paper and give the usher the old one, which will then be destroyed. If you mark your ballot paper in any other way, or vote for more than 3 candidates or less than 2, your ballot paper will be void. Fold the ballot paper into four and place it in the envelope. I see the tellers are here. (The vote was taken)

The results of the election of the Vice-Presidents are as follows: Members voting: 701 Blank or void ballot papers: 36 Votes cast: 665 Absolute majority: 333 The votes were cast as follows: Sabine Verheyen: 604 Ewa Kopacz: 572 Esteban González Pons: 478 Katarina Barley: 450 Pina Picierno: 405 Victor Negrescu: 394 Martin Hojsík: 393 Christel Schaldemose: 378 Javi López: 377 Sophie Wilmès: 371 Nicolae Ştefănuță: 347 Antonella Sberna: 323 Roberts Zīle: 306 Younous Omarjee: 272 Klára Dostálová: 214 Fabrice Leggeri: 209 Eva Zajączkowska-Hernik: 102 The following candidates have obtained an absolute majority of the votes cast: Sabine Verheyen, Ewa Kopacz, Esteban González Pons, Katarina Barley, Pina Picierno, Victor Negrescu, Martin Hojsík, Christel Schaldemose, Javi López, Sophie Wilmès, Nicolae Ştefănuță. I would like to congratulate them on their election. (Applause) We are not ready yet. Three seats remain to be filled in the election of the Vice-Presidents. The second ballot will be necessary. Unless there are any comments, I take it that the candidates in the first ballot are still standing. If there are no comments, the candidates in the first ballot will also stand in the second ballot. The second ballot will take place at 18:00. (The sitting was suspended at 17:36)

Just a quick reminder for those of you who haven’t voted yet to go to the ballot box. We will close it in a couple of minutes. Also, I need to remind the tellers to vote. I now declare the vote is closed. I would ask the tellers to proceed to room R01.101 for the count. You will hear the bell ringing to indicate when the sitting is resumed. This will also be announced on the screens. (The sitting was suspended at 15:38 for the votes to be counted)

The tellers are the same as they were for the election of the President, and I would therefore ask them to take up position already by the ballot boxes, and they themselves will vote only at the end of the ballot. Can I confirm that all the tellers are in the Chamber? Not yet? As we wait for them, I will explain to you the modalities of the election, and I would ask already for the distribution of the ballot papers and envelopes to start. As the number of candidates exceeds the number of seats to be filled, we shall hold a secret ballot in accordance with Rule 15(1). Let me also remind Members of the provisions of Rule 17(1): ‘The Vice-President shall then be elected on a single ballot. Those who on the first ballot, up to the number of 14, secure an absolute majority of the votes cast shall be declared to have been elected in order of the number of votes obtained. If the number of candidates is elected is less than the number of seats to be filled, a second ballot shall be held under the same conditions to fill the remaining seats. If a third ballot is necessary, a relative majority shall suffice for election to the remaining seats. In the event of a tie, the oldest candidates shall be declared to have been elected.’ Now this is important. When you vote, you tick the box beside the name of the candidate you wish to vote for. Do not touch the name. If you cross on the name, it is invalid. There are 14 Vice-Presidents to be elected, so each member has a maximum of 14 votes. If a ballot paper has more than 14 votes, it will be declared void. I remind you that, in accordance with Rule 15(1), in the event of a single ballot for more than one officer, the ballot paper shall only be valid if more than half of the available votes have been cast. Therefore, since there are 14 seats for Vice-Presidents to be filled, you must vote for at least 8 candidates. If you vote for less, your ballot paper will be considered null and void. If you need to change your vote, don’t worry. Ask an usher for a new ballot paper and give the usher the old one, which will then be destroyed. If you mark your ballot paper in any other way other than necessary to cast your vote, or you vote for more than 14 candidates or less than eight, your ballot paper will be void. Fold the ballot paper into four and place it into the envelope. And I remind you that if you wish to use one, there are voting booths that are situated at the entrance to the Chamber. I confirm that all the tellers are present. (The vote was taken)

Dear colleagues, the sitting is resumed. I have received the following candidatures: Katarina Barley Klára Dostálová Esteban González Pons Martin Hojsík Ewa Kopacz Fabrice Leggeri Javi López Victor Negrescu Younous Omarjee Pina Picierno Antonella Sberna Christel Schaldemose Nicolae Ştefănuță Sabine Verheyen Sophie Wilmès Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik Roberts Zīle All the candidates have confirmed to me their consent to their candidatures and we shall now proceed to the vote.

The following political groups have been formed: – Group of the European People’s Party: 188 members – Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament: 136 members – Patriots for Europe Group: 84 members – European Conservatives and Reformists Group: 78 members – Renew Europe Group: 77 members – Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance: 53 members – The Left Group: 46 members – Europe of Sovereign Nations Group: 25 members There are also 32 non-attached Members of Parliament. The statements concerning the establishment of political groups referred to in Rule 33(5) will be annexed to the minutes of this part-session.

"The tendency to be united is one of the constants of history," said Alcide de Gasperi seventy years ago. “We talk, we write, we insist, we don’t leave a moment’s breath; Let Europe remain the topic of the day." I echo his words, which we must remember in this legislature.

Our Europe must be a Europe that honours them, that honours our common history. There is no better place than here, in Strasbourg, at the seat of the European Parliament, in this living symbol of reconciliation, to remember the past and build the future.

Grazie, onorevole Picierno, dear colleagues, it is hard to put into words just what it means for a woman who grew up on an island in our Mediterranean Sea to stand before you here today. To me, Europe was worth fighting for. It was never perfect, but we looked to the European Parliament, to this Strasbourg Hemicycle, as a symbol of standards, of opportunity, of reconciliation. It was our guarantee of the rule of law, of equality, of democracy, of liberty, of prosperity. It gave us all the chance to dream of a future where our potential is not limited. That is what Europe meant to millions of us. That is what Europe means to me and millions of others still. My passion for our project has not dimmed. I want to help build it better. I want to help bridge the remaining gaps between what people expect from Europe and what we can deliver. And so I am here to ask for your trust and your vote to allow us to continue together for the next two and a half years, and prove to every girl and boy watching today that in our Europe even these unlikely journeys are indeed possible. The challenges coming our way will require strong leadership: whether that is pushing forward legislation that people need from us, negotiating with other institutions, representing Parliament in Member States, or standing up in Kiev, Chisinau and beyond, we need to stand tall and ready. This last mandate we have learned that the future is anything but predictable. But come what may, I will keep working with all of you to face the tests when they do come. Friends, two and a half years ago, I stood here after my predecessor, David Sassoli, had just passed away. He was a President who put dignity of people above all. I promised then that I would honour his legacy. I renew that now. And with your support, I will continue to work tirelessly to bring people together. Concretely, this must be a House that cannot be afraid to lead and to change. We have started, but we are not yet finished. We need to strengthen and streamline our operations to ensure that this Parliament can be the legislative and political powerhouse we want it to be. This means that we must keep up the pressure to ensure a right of initiative, that we are able to improve our scrutiny and inquiry powers, hold other institutions to account, and address the remaining institutional imbalances. This must be a strong Parliament in a strong Union. That is what the Treaties intend us to be, and that is what the people need us to be. We cannot accept that our role as parliamentarians is diluted. Parliamentarism must be strengthened. Members need to be empowered and supported. We must be the ones to be able to say when proposals go too far or when they don’t go far enough, when they are too expensive or when they are simply impossible to implement. We must be the ones who push the legislation that our people want and need, and we will do what is necessary to achieve that. This must be a Parliament of debate, a Parliament of respect, a House where we can discuss and argue our corner in lively and active sessions that capture people’s attention and their imagination. A Parliament where red tape and unnecessary bureaucracy is cut. Where simplification means that we are less about ticking boxes and more about common sense. Where any abuse is fought and where it is easier to do our job. Where every Member and all staff feel safe, respected, protected and proud to come into work. We can do that in a Parliament of integrity where we are accountable and we are open. People will look to us for direction: whether it is standing up for our values and the rule of law, remaining the strong advocate that Ukraine needs, amplifying the voice of humanity in the Middle East as we search for a sustainable peace, or the necessity we have to stick to our commitments and keep our Union as a global leader of rights, of equality, of security, of climate, of opportunity, of competitive, free but fair markets, with a strong social pillar that allows everyone to be whoever they wish to be and where no one is left behind. Dear colleagues, let me conclude by saying that I will never shy away from taking the difficult decisions. My door will always remain open. Members will be treated fairly and with dignity. As President, you know that I am able to both stand up for Parliament, our Parliament, and build bridges. I am proud to stand here today, and if you choose to lend me your trust, I will not let you down.

I would remind you that, in accordance with Rule 14(2) of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, no business shall be transacted while a Member is provisionally in the chair unless it concerns the election of the President or the verification of credentials. All the official documents which form the basis for the election of Members will be transmitted to the committee responsible for the verification of credentials, which shall be set up in accordance with Rule 212 of the Rules of Procedure. Pursuant to Rule 3(2), until such time as Members’ credentials have been verified or a ruling has been given on any dispute, and provided that they have previously signed the written declaration of non-incompatibility, they shall take their seat in Parliament and on its bodies and shall enjoy all the rights attaching thereto. Members who are holding an office which is incompatible with the office of Member of the European Parliament, pursuant to Article 7 of the Act of 20 September 1976 concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, may not take their seats. The eight missing Members who have not yet signed the declaration of non—incompatibility are therefore invited to do so immediately at the stands which are located at the entrance of the Chamber, in order to be able to enjoy all their rights. Otherwise, those eight Members will not be allowed to vote today. I will now hand over to Vice-President Picierno to preside over the election of the President of the European Parliament.

The next item is the vote*. I remind colleagues that explanations of vote for today may be submitted in writing. _________________ * For the results and other details concerning the vote: see minutes.

Dear colleagues, today marks the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution in Portugal – a moment in the timeline of European history that reverberates and inspires still. A date where democracy, freedom and dignity took back their rightful place in Portugal, and it serves as a reminder to us to never take these cornerstone European values for granted. So the symbolism of today is all the more significant as we meet for the last voting session of this 9th legislature of the European Parliament. Let me say very quickly how immensely proud I am of all the work that we have done, of all the laws that we have passed, of all the debates that we have had and of all the challenges that we have overcome together. I think we can look back at this mandate with satisfaction in knowing that we have played our part in writing the story of Europe. Before we go, I want to wish all of you who will not stand for elections well. Please know that there is a stone in this House that will always be yours. To all of you who are running again and will soon be campaigning, I wish you strength, patience and success. Please keep doing what you can to bring Europe closer to the people. This is the last voting session for many of you, including some of our committee chairs, group leaders and vice-presidents of Parliament. It is impossible to name each of the colleagues whom I would like to thank personally from here. But allow me to make one exception: Jerzy Buzek, our President, has decided not to run again. (Applause) President Buzek, I really want to use this opportunity to salute you and all you have done for this House and for all of us. Dziękuję. I also want to thank all the services and the staff of this great institution. Thank you for making everything that we do possible. Thank you for making us proud to serve this Parliament. (Applause) And finally, one more exception: today – after 33 years of service – marks the final plenary session for Steven Wicker, who has patiently, calmly and brilliantly dealt with the preparation and conduct of the voting sessions in plenary. Dear Steven, on behalf of myself and all the former Presidents and Vice-Presidents, and on behalf of all Members whom you served so loyally, I thank you. (Applause) We are not done yet. Our mandate continues until 16 July 2024. We will keep on working until the last minute. We will keep delivering and we will do everything in our power to return this House stronger, more effective, more independent and better able to be the voice of all Europeans for the 10th legislature. I will see you all in July, and now we vote. (Applause)