What Marc spoke about.

21

Nov

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Proposals of the European Parliament for the amendment of the Treaties (debate)

Mr President, frankly, people are fed up with the fact that the European Union comes with dictates every time, saying ‘you have to cut the budget of your schools, your nurseries, your hospitals, you have to work longer, for less money’. Frankly, neither can people have this Europe without transparency, without democracy, without being listened to. And in this context, what does a coalition of Green Socialist Liberals propose here? This means more power for the European Union and less democracy within it. Frankly, aren’t you ashamed to even propose a commissioner, ha no pardon, a secretary for austerity? This means that this austerity, these budget cuts, you want to institutionalize them even more. People can’t do it anymore, it won’t pass. And you propose, what? No more war? You want to take away the right, for example from Belgium, to say no when it comes to sending Belgian soldiers abroad. Because that is the shift from unanimity to majority voting. You don’t admit it, you don’t assume it, well people won’t accept it.

20

Nov

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology products manufacturing ecosystem (Net Zero Industry Act) (debate)

Madam President, when it comes to industry, people are basically interested in two things. First, a quality job, and second, a healthy living environment. And what do you propose to us today in this text? First, to give full support to businesses in the name of competitiveness, without strategic priorities and without strong conditions, especially without strong social conditions. And we know this strategy in Belgium, companies pocket gifts, thank, and then, when they receive a better deal Elsewhere, they relocate anyway, we know the little song. Then deregulate. Deregulation means flexibilizing, e.g. obtaining environmental permits. But where are we going to stop. Will we end up cutting down forests to install wind turbines? Perhaps you have heard of the PFAS scandal? In Belgium now, in some regions, people are sometimes afraid to drink drinking water because of pollution. And we want to make it easier? I know we have two former CEOs here presenting the new technological industrial strategy, but still... the state must not be at the service of the private sector, employers and profit, but at the service of the people.

8

Nov

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

State of the Energy Union (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, your self-satisfaction is truly unbearable. Frankly, you are talking about a success of European politics, while Belgians, for example, still pay twice as much for their energy as they paid before the crisis. Is that success, bleeding people, raising their bills? You dare call it a success? Please start by breaking the power of multinationals, by breaking this market. Bloquons les prix et taxons les surprofits des multinationales. Qu’est-ce que vous attendez? Then you will come back to talk to us about success if you manage to do the minimum of the base. Let's talk a little bit about the morality of your policy, too, because you have decided not to import Russian gas via pipeline. All right, all right. This obviously increased prices, but you said it was moral because we do not want to finance Russian war crimes in Ukraine. All right, all right. And then, what are you doing? You're going to make a gas deal with Israel. So not only are we paying more now, but we are also funding Israeli war crimes in Gaza. Congratulations! Clearly, a Palestinian child is not as valuable to you as a Ukrainian child.

16

Oct

2023

Speeches EN

Watch

Order of business

Madam President, the Parliament has rightly scheduled a debate to condemn the attack – the 7 October attack of Hamas on Israel. Since then, however, the Israeli attack on Gaza has killed 725 children. Water, food, electricity has been cut off to Palestinian homes and hospitals and over 1 million Palestinians have been ordered to leave their homes. The UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Territories has said that in the name of self-defence, Israel might seek to justify what would amount to ethnic cleansing – and we have indeed seen Israeli government officials speak in that direction. Yet Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has not even asked Israel the very basics: to, for example, respect international humanitarian law. The Parliament needs to send a clear message that all war crimes are unacceptable – be they on behalf of Israel, be they on behalf of Hamas. You know, a Palestinian life is not worth less than a Ukrainian life and therefore we propose to change the title into ‘The despicable terrorist attacks of Hamas against Israel, Israel’s threat of expulsion of 1.1 million Palestinians and allegations of Israeli war crimes against and in Gaza.’

3

Oct

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Medicine shortages and strategic healthcare autonomy in the EU (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, thousands of medicines are lacking in the European Union, country by country, life-saving medicines, and the medicines available are often too expensive. States are paying absolutely crazy prices. But we must also dare to say why this is the case. The explanation, the reason is clear: You have decided to leave all the power to the big multinational pharmaceutical companies. They decide what to produce, when to produce, how much to produce and at what price to sell. Some of them even have the personal number of Ms von der Leyen. So if you are serious about the need for accessible, affordable medicines, there are two things you need to do. First of all, stop giving unconditional free money to these multinationals. Let's set clear conditions. Let's ask that the drug is actually accessible, actually affordable. Secondly, let us develop an infrastructure, a public company for research and development and for the production of medicines. You know, it exists in Canada, in the United States and even in Cuba, a small blockaded country that has managed to develop vaccines.

2

Oct

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Rising precariousness in Europe including the need for aid to the most deprived (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, you are drowning the fish a bit. You're drowning the fish. There is a terrible social emergency in Europe today. Terrible. In Belgium, a quarter of parents are unable to feed their children enough. Three quarters of teachers have already faced starving children in school. Students can no longer find a kot, a student accommodation payable. And if today, as a worker, you have to take public transport, you know that: accumulated delays, stations and trains removed. Do not get sick because hospitals are understaffed, they do not have enough equipment. If you happen to reach retirement age, you know that your statutory pension is unlikely to be sufficient to cover or guarantee the costs of a nursing home. But what you are not saying is that this is also the consequence of European policies: the liberalisation of the energy market, the austerity you have imposed, and worse. And here too, it is necessary to be honest – a bit of intellectual honesty, in the face of the worker who is working – that today the European Commission is proposing a return to the fiscal pact, with cuts, therefore, in public services. And this is unacceptable. We're going to fight him.

14

Sep

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Improving firefighters’ working conditions (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, as you have heard, these workers and firefighters who save us in difficult situations are 300% more likely to develop cancer. So let's recognize this work as painful and carcinogenic. Why does it take so long? Don’t we want to save them? Why can't it go faster? But let's not pretend that this will solve everything. Because a big problem is obviously the fact that these workers are understaffed. This further complicates already extremely difficult working conditions. So you have to hire professional firefighters and firefighters. But you, the European Commission, want to reactivate austerity, the fiscal pact, which is pushing for cuts in public services. This is contradictory. You can't cut public services and pretend you want to help firefighters. This is hypocrisy. So, give up this austerity. Second, the European Commission is still pushing for an increase in the pension age. A firefighter who has to work up to 64-67 is just not feasible. Do you know that a firefighter has a life expectancy seven years below the average? They cannot be made to work until they are 64 or 67, it is not feasible.

13

Sep

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

State of the Union (debate)

Madam President, Madam President of the European Commission, you have expressed with great eloquence all your contempt for the working class in Europe today. I know you earn 30,000 Euros a month, but do you know that today in Europe 30% of people have to skip a meal because they do not have the money for three meals a day? Do you know that 46% of Europeans are afraid to turn on heating, and therefore do not do so and stay in the cold? That 100 million Europeans are at risk of poverty? And what is your balance sheet, your own balance sheet? Have you blocked energy bills? No, no. Did you tax millionaires? No, no. Have you tapped the overprofits of multinational energy, pharmaceutical, military companies? No, no. So what are you doing today? Today, you are flooding, you are guaranteeing billions of euros to the military sector, to the multinational arms companies, while the workers are proposing the return of the fiscal pact, the return of austerity. Von der Leyen, this Europe – your Europe – will never be ours, we will fight you and your coalition.

12

Sep

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Question Time (VPC/HR) - Situation in West and Central Africa in the light of the recent coups d’état

Minister, I am surprised that you do not see the plundering of African resources – which is still widespread in Africa, whether it is fish in Senegal, gold in Mali or, indeed, uranium in Niger – as one of the causes of the anger of African populations against Europe and European policies. But I want to ask you a question. Your Special Representative for the Sahel, Emmanuela Del Re, said in the newspaper La Repubblica whereas "European sanctions are beginning to have an impact: lack of medicines, food and electricity, even more than before. We must maintain these sanctions. Do you agree? Is it the European line to starve a population, to deny them access to medicines, or do you dissociate yourself from your special diplomat for the Sahel?

12

Sep

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Question Time (VPC/HR) - Situation in West and Central Africa in the light of the recent coups d’état

Minister for Foreign Affairs, when more and more states in Africa are asking for the departure of European troops – first of all French, then other countries – there is a whole series of potential explanations that are provided, with varying degrees of relevance. Afterwards, when you listen to Emmanuel Macron’s party representative, you get the impression that France in Africa is almost an NPO – it is a charity association that is only there to do good. You gave a little bit of the same impression about the European Union. But what is not raised here is the social and economic issue that many Africans, especially young people, are facing today. As for Niger, there are 10 million people, 43% of the population, who live in abject poverty, despite the fact that Niger still supplies the European continent with uranium – and is underpaid for this uranium – which obviously creates rage, anger against European policies. My question is: In your opinion, what European, economic and trade policies do we need to change to stop this dynamic of destroying Europe's image in Africa?

12

Sep

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Single market emergency instrument (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, at the time of the Covid pandemic, indeed, many states closed their borders to keep certain goods and services at home. There was a reason for this: This is because these states often lacked medical equipment, for example in hospitals, due to years of austerity imposed on these hospitals. Another reason was that often there was insufficient productive capacity in different states, inequalities within Europe due to the liberalisation imposed. So today, rather than tackling the fundamental causes of the internal market and competition, you are coming up with a repressive, let’s say, approach that simply pretends to prevent states from doing so. It's not gonna pass. And what worries me a lot, Commissioner, is that in your cabinet you seem to have become accustomed to attacking workers’ rights. In your military production law, you tried to blow up the limit of 48 hours of work per week. In this text, you tried to weaken the recognition of the right to strike, which ended up in a non-binding part of the text. Fortunately, twice, thanks to the mobilization of the unions, we managed to get you back. If you try to get back into your future production defense law with a new attack on workers' rights, I promise you, Commissioner, we will push you back again.

11

Sep

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

European Defence Industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Act (EDIRPA) (debate)

Doesn't the war in Ukraine affect workers in Europe? Of course I do. And that is why I have thrown you a little in the face of the complete absence of diplomatic proposals. For the past year and a half, you have refused to take any diplomatic initiative to stop this war, so that Ukrainians no longer die under the bombs, so that we European citizens no longer face a war on our borders. You do not, and that is where your hypocrisy lies. You only want to invest in weapons; the diplomatic route, either you do not know it, and you have to go back to school, or you have to change your policy.

11

Sep

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

European Defence Industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Act (EDIRPA) (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, we live in a paradoxical situation in Europe: today, on the one hand, states are investing massively in so-called militarisation, i.e. research, production and purchase of weapons, worth billions – 100 billion, 200 billion – and on the other hand, we are experiencing an incredible social emergency. We lack crèches, our schools lack teachers, our hospitals lack equipment and staff, and our public transport is disintegrating across the European Union. In this context, what is the priority, the urgency for the European Union? It is about boosting the demand for weapons, funding and helping states to buy more weapons. Do you realize that this is totally crazy and absurd? Instead, let's choose another alternative, a different policy: First, let’s work on peace, diplomacy – a word that most of you have forgotten, and then let’s invest in public services, in people’s needs. (The speaker agreed to answer a blue card question)

12

Jul

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Tax the rich (topical debate)

Madam President, what always strikes me here is that when we talk about taxing billionaires, it is as if they have an army of Members at their service, ready to defend them. We obviously have the macronists crying out: No, no, no, let's not tax the rich! You don't know? Let's work on tax evasion. You who are in government in France, you could perhaps start there. Maar ook het Vlaams Belang. Als wij yesterday zeggen: “Belast de miljardairs”, die 1 %, die 37 miljardairs die we in België hebben, staat het Vlaams Belang op z’n achterste poteen. Waarom? We kunnen daarmee eleven financial scholen. We kunnen daarmee investeringen doen. We kunnen daarmee eleven ziekenhuizen herfinancieren. And then there is a myth maintained by people who say that billionaires are useful, it’s important. Seriously? It is not the billionaires, it is not the rich who create wealth. It is the workers. It is the workers who produce, it is the workers who create the added value. You need to review your economics courses! Let us also ensure a democratic dimension. Because these people who concentrate all this wealth have an obvious influence on the political world. And it is an unhealthy influence that needs to be broken.

12

Jul

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 29-30 June 2023, in particular the recent developments in the war against Ukraine and in Russia (debate)

Mr President, cluster bombs are terrible weapons. They are weapons that do not differentiate between civilian and military populations. They are bombs that disintegrate and remain in the environment, that hide, that do not all explode, until a child sets foot on it and is killed. This is why the majority of European countries have banned these weapons and more than 100 countries worldwide have banned them. So what I do not understand is the silence, the lack of reaction from the European Union and almost all colleagues here when the Americans, the United States, decide to supply these weapons to Ukraine. Because this is a war crime perpetrated by the United States. It has been said, and you always repeat it, Mr Verhofstadt, that when the Russians do, it is a war crime. But when the US does, it’s a war crime too! You don’t like your allies being attacked. But the Russians are committing war crimes, and that is not acceptable. And when the US does, it is not acceptable either!

11

Jul

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Relations with the Palestinian Authority (debate)

Madam President, listening to some of you, I wonder what planet you live on. You saw the images in Jenin of Palestinian families, Palestinian refugees, with their hands in the air, leaving their homes, leaving the refugee camp for fear of being brutally shot by Israeli occupying forces. Have you seen these images where you don’t care? Imagine for a moment that it was Ukrainians in these images, leaving their homes for fear of Russian troops wanting to kill them. You would have called for sanctions. You would have called for more support and more weapons for Ukraine. Why is the life of a Palestinian worth less to you than the life of a Ukrainian? I do not understand that and I find that unacceptable. This also applies to the European Commission. You have not lifted a finger in the face of these violations of international law and in the face of these war crimes. All war crimes must be punished. Let’s not make an exception for Israel.

11

Jul

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Question Time (Commission) – EU-Africa Strategy

Commissioner, historically, the African debt does not originate in China. It has its origins in colonization and in the role of European countries after decolonization. We must therefore acknowledge our responsibility in this. So are you at least prepared to say that we are going to abolish the debt these African countries have to European countries? That is a first question. Second question, very quickly. You did not really say what you would change compared to the past. Before, Europe, the Member States, you had policies of looting. What is fundamentally changing? Have you drawn up a picture of the situation: We used to do that, now we're going to do the opposite? Because if not, I have the impression that we remain in good intentions, without realising them.

11

Jul

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Question Time (Commission) – EU-Africa Strategy

Mr President, Commissioner, I would like to return to the issue of critical raw materials, because I think it is essential and I think that in Africa this issue is very sensitive. You know that the colonial and neo-colonial plunder of Africa was essentially the stealing of raw materials. You are also aware that, even after independence, these practices continued, often under the guise of recommendations, for example from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, supported by Europe, calling for a reduction in state intervention, particularly in Mali. As a result, at some point, the Malian government was no longer able to know the quantities of gold leaving its territory, for example. I am afraid that the alternatives, the new policies that you have presented, will not break with the old practices. You use the same language when you talk about "facilitating the business climate", "strengthening European investments"... I would like you to give me a list of what has changed between the old practices and what you are proposing. What is the big difference between European policy as it was before you and what you are proposing today?

11

Jul

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future (debate)

Mr President, the European Parliament is discussing the lessons to be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. I note that Mrs von der Leyen is absent. She was also, or refused to come, when we invited her to the Special Committee. She makes it a habit. Commissioner, do you have his phone number? Because when the CEO, the boss of Pfizer, sends WhatsApp, she responds. So maybe now is the time to text her. Perhaps it would come to respond democratically to this assembly. You remember at the time that every SMS, every WhatsApp that she sent, the price of the vaccine seemed to go up. So collusion, conflict of interest? The question arises. But what is clear is that we can no longer leave our health, our medicines in the hands of Big Pharma and the big multinationals. Our health is too important. We have to break the patents. We must indeed create a public infrastructure for research, development and production of medicines and vaccines in Europe that serves only the public interest. This is how we will build not only autonomy, production, production capacity, but also citizens’ trust in pharmaceutical policy.

11

Jul

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

European Chips Act (debate)

Madam President, Mr Breton, the United States today, with which you want a stronger partnership, is also hindering the future of European industry. They forced a leading Dutch company to limit its exports to China. German companies are hit and pressure is put on universities and companies to prevent them from inviting foreign researchers or students, who bring know-how to us. At a Belgian university, buildings supposed to host partnerships with Chinese counterparts remain completely empty. And behind that, there are threats, pressures, intimidation from the United States of America, which also enters into alliances without including the European Union. So, who are you going to ride for? You offer billions, among other things, to American companies. But where is your defense of our sovereign right to choose, to develop our commercial and scientific relations with all the countries of the world? Let us not submit, Commissioner, to the Americans.

14

Jun

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Lessons learnt from the Pandora Papers and other revelations (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, hiding your money on a paradise island, let us be clear: It’s theft, it’s theft from the community, what these billionaires and millionaires do. They avoid that this money is used to finally invest in nurseries. They are responsible if there are not enough crèches; it is they who are responsible, if in the morning you wait for the bus, but you do not see it arrive, when you see "5 minutes", then "4 minutes", "3 minutes" and the bus disappears; they are responsible when trains are late; They are always responsible when there are not enough doctors and nurses in our hospitals. How come they don’t end up in jail? Because, obviously, there are politicians who are at their service, because we have laws that have been written tailor-made for the rich, for the millionaires. Today, everyone comes to cry: “Ah, they avoid tax! They don’t pay taxes, the rich, the multibillionaires!" Well, let’s do the right thing! Let us lift bank secrecy, impose a tax on millionaires – there is always a majority here to vote against – and stop economic transactions with tax havens, because otherwise it is hypocrisy with crocodile tears.

12

Jun

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Marking the World Day against Child Labour (debate)

Commissioner, Mr President, I hear the Greens talking about Madagascar, the Liberals talking about Congo, but it is obviously easy to talk about other countries. We should start with Europe first. You know that in Italy today 340 000 children between the ages of 7 and 15 already have experience in the labour market? In Belgium, children were found working in the sheds of PostNL and its subcontractors for sending parcels. In the Netherlands, retailer Albert Heijn actively recruits children from the age of 13 to work in its supermarkets. That is Europe today. And why do you talk so little about it? Because, of course, the promotion and use of child labour by these companies is a consequence of liberal labour market policies (precarious contracts, lack of fixed contracts and decent wages, etc.). Of course, this leads to this kind of practice, to outsourcing. So if we really want – and we must – to end child labour in the European Union, it is a question of stopping this liberalisation of the labour market and imposing decent contracts and decent wages.

9

May

2023

Questions NL

Watch

Discharge 2021 (continuation of debate)

Colleague De Man of the ID/Flemish Interest faction, you will cycle past the issue. So for years you have been saying that Europe is too expensive, spending too much money and that you are going to ensure that savings are made. And then a list of people who have benefited from grazing pensions at taxpayers' expense leaks out, and your former president is on that list. How do you explain that? Is that pure demagoguery, just for the theatre, while when you come here you fill your pockets yourself? Is that the intention? Could you please answer that?

9

May

2023

Speeches NL

Watch

Discharge 2021 (continuation of debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, a pension of EUR 13 700 per month, EUR 13 700 per month in the pocket. After only 20 years of career. That is what a special pension fund here guarantees to around 900 European parliamentarians. About ten times more than what an ordinary European worker gets after about forty years of career, pure grazing pensions and, of course, paid by the taxpayer. And with those grabbers, those pension grabbers, just about all the political groups, including the far-right, hey, Mr De Man of the ID Group, Vlaams Belang. Your former President Frank Vanhecke: Apparently one of the pensioners. I can't believe it. Always against Europe, except if it is to fill your own pockets apparently. And what's the matter now? The issue now is that that pension fund is bankrupt, a gap of EUR 313 million. And then there is serious debate here about whether the ordinary taxpayer should supplement that. No, taxpayers don't have to. That fund should be abolished. Stop grabbing.

9

May

2023

Speeches FR

Watch

Revision of the Stability and Growth Pact (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, you are therefore coming back with austerity, with the Stability Pact. It is austerity 2.0, more power for the European Commission, easier sanctions and permanent bargaining between neoliberal reforms and budget cuts. I am also surprised that there are Socialist colleagues who applaud you, because you come back with your ridiculous criteria of 3% and 60% – that the budget deficit cannot exceed 3% of GDP and that the public debt cannot exceed 60%. You yourself don't know why. You don't know that. Why 60%, and not 40 or not 80? Japan is 250%, I think. You invent anything because it serves only one purpose, to privatize and break our public services, to force countries to privatize, to sell our schools, our pensions, our railways to the highest bidder. Our healthcare, by the way, let's talk about it: austerity has been a disaster. We will resist this austerity 2.0.