Speeches

Madam President, thank you very much. Imagine a Europe where everyone has the same opportunity to start and run a business, no matter who they are or where they live, because that is not the case today. Women are systematically disadvantaged, they start fewer businesses, earn less and receive less support. Not because they want less, but because the conditions are worse and the standards are old-fashioned. A young woman who starts working today may have to wait over 25 years before she meets an equal management team. If she lives outside the cities, there will be more barriers – poorer infrastructure, less access to capital and networks – and at the same time, and we know that, more responsibility for homework. These are all political choices. We always have a choice. Investing in women's entrepreneurship and investing in the future of Europe is an opportunity for women and female entrepreneurship. This is precisely why gender mainstreaming is needed.

Mr President, thank you very much. Now we're there again. The men of power start wars that cause an energy crisis and price shocks that affect ordinary people. We need measures here and now for households to be able to pay their bills, to protect jobs in Europe and to reduce dependence on fossil energy. Today, we buy oil and gas for more money than we give in support of Ukraine. This is nothing but hypocrisy. We will, of course, fight the right-wing extremists and complete the necessary climate transition, invest in more renewables, for jobs and for the future of our children. For even if there should be peace tomorrow, we will live with the effects for a long time. That’s why we need to do our homework – for our citizens and our businesses. The EU must act with leadership and greater ambition. A greener Europe is a stronger Europe.

Madam President, thank you very much. The far-right parties and the Sweden Democrats in particular are now waging a cultural war against the climate and the green transition. This anti-climate policy stifles both European and Swedish competitiveness, and it takes every chance to express its joy of harm when a green company has gone bankrupt. Now you do it again. This time it is reiterated in the report on the European Investment Bank's annual report. The rapporteur, Mr Erixon, and the Sweden Democrats, you have really made an effort to get so many and long critical statements about Northvolt and other green investments in Sweden. It's both frivolous and embarrassing. It's a culture war where you always take the chance. It just proves that you are not on the side of Swedish companies. It is time to understand that green investments are important for the future.

Madam President, I know who has lost his mind. This debate will focus on human rights and the right to peaceful protest. This debate has been opposed by the far right – and it is telling. There are shocking scenes that have taken place in Minneapolis and elsewhere in the United States. These are images that should not belong in a country that wants to call itself a democracy. People who have lived their lives as responsible citizens can now be arrested on the open street and taken away from their homes and workplaces. They arrest children. People who demonstrate peacefully against this, they have been arrested, beaten and even killed. We remember the mother of three, Renée Good, who was brutally murdered. And this is happening in a country based on ideals of freedom and respect for the individual. We can't be quiet. We will make our voice heard!

Mr President, thank you very much. Greenland is not for sale. This message is understood by everyone except the President of the United States. Trump believes that everything can be bought for money, but a sovereign, free country cannot be bought. Now we in Europe must stand together. It is about standing up for another EU country, but also about international law. The United States has in fact also broken our trade agreement, as Trump now threatens to impose tariffs. That is why it is required of us, of the European Union, that we freeze the agreement and that we move forward with strong countermeasures, precisely in the language that Trump understands. Let us show that we stand wholeheartedly behind Denmark and Greenland. Trump's madness shouldn't divide us. We will defend the values on which the EU is founded. I stand up for my neighbor with all my heart.

Madam President, thank you very much. If we do not increase the pace, it will take 60 years before we live in an equal Europe. Today, women earn less, own less and are more exposed to violence and abuse. One in three women in the EU does not have a job of her own, and every three weeks a woman is killed by a man with whom she has had a relationship. This is the reality that women in Europe live in every day. This new gender equality strategy must therefore be much more than beautiful words on paper. It has to become a reality. That is why it must be ambitious, concrete and accountable. Gender equality is not a symbolic issue, it is crucial for the future of Europe, for our democracy, for our well-being. Europe cannot wait any longer. Now is the time to act.

Madam President, thank you very much. The Commission. The Council. The green transition is under attack. The US has left the Paris Agreement, and countries that used to be leaders – like my country, Sweden – now have a right-wing conservative government that has abandoned the climate mission. And it is at a time when more than ever we need leadership and political courage, both locally, nationally and globally. Unfortunately, the EU does the exact opposite in many respects. We see the management of the EU's climate targets by 2040. Europe's right-wing governments are slowing down. The decision has been postponed. We see the same thing in Parliament, where negotiations are now at a standstill. The consequence is that the EU also fails to agree on the climate commitment ahead of the UN climate summit COP30 in Brazil. This is embarrassing, and it risks undermining our credibility. But it is not only the EU's climate action that is at stake. We risk so much more. No one else is going to solve the climate crisis for us. The cost of doing nothing is many times greater. We need green investments now. The clock is ticking. Time is running out. We need to act. I will go to Brazil and the climate summit, where I hope the EU will take the lead in the green transition.

Madam President, thank you very much. The war in Ukraine is not over. Every day the Ukrainian people fight for their freedom, for democracy and for the security of Europe as a whole. In fact, their struggle is ours too. Children in Ukraine grow up with bombs and missiles. The war has been going on for over three and a half years – and it is a long time in a child’s life. We must continue to stand by Ukraine, humanitarianly, militarily and economically. And we Social Democrats, we demand that each Member State achieve at least half a percent of GDP in its support for Ukraine. Because today, in fact, we are buying Russian gas for more money than we are giving in support of Ukraine, and that only feeds Putin's war fund. The Commission must come forward with concrete proposals on how the frozen Russian assets can also be used to finance Ukraine’s reconstruction. To rebuild Ukraine, it's not just about buildings and roads. It is also about giving hope, future and dignity, about giving people the opportunity to actually live in peace. Here, the EU must show leadership and stand firm in its support for Ukraine. The next few weeks must not be a deal where Putin and Trump dictate the terms. This is actually about Ukraine. Slava Ukraini!

Mr President, thank you very much. whereas one in three women in the EU does not have a job of their own, and girls and women are subjected to violence and harassment every day; Every three weeks, a woman is killed by a man with whom she has had a relationship. whereas more than 20 million women in Europe do not have access to safe abortion and, according to the EU’s own gender equality agency, it takes at least 60 years for Europe to achieve gender equality; We do not have time to wait, nor do we have time to wait for the Commission to come forward with a proposal for a PFAS ban. For our children and our families, our citizens, have the right to live their lives in a non-toxic environment, and this is exactly how it goes: on gender equality, on the green transition and on economic growth. If we want a strong Europe that is close to the citizens, then we must act now. It is a mission for the Commission.

Mr President, thank you very much. The EU has the most ambitious chemicals legislation in the world, and we should be proud of that. It is good for the lives and health of citizens. This is good for the environment but also for innovation in the EU. But the legislation is not enough. It needs to be modernised and strengthened, and in the meantime we are taking important steps forward with this legislative package. We are putting an end to the duplication of work that is taking place in the EU today, and we are now making it possible for authorities to carry out a common risk assessment. We get a framework to identify risks with different chemicals, so that we can simply act faster. We are making information on chemicals more accessible through a new common data platform. We simply increase the knowledge of chemicals in our environment. It is good for those who are responsible for the issues, but it is also good for the citizens. While I am pleased with these changes, I am also concerned about the Commission's forthcoming proposals on REACH, the major chemicals legislation, and about PFAS that we face everywhere in society. We must not weaken protection against hazardous chemicals. We need to strengthen that protection if the EU is to continue to have the most ambitious chemicals legislation in the world.

Mr President, thank you very much. An equal society must not just become a vision, it must become a reality. Beautiful words do not change anything for girls and women who are subjected to violence and abuse, who do not have their own job or power over their own lives, or who have a salary that is much lower than that of men. So now the Commission must deliver a real gender equality strategy where we guarantee the right to legal and safe abortion in the EU Charter, where we get a consent law where only a yes means yes and where we simply ensure gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting. Finally, I also want a feminist foreign policy. It started once in Sweden. It has been extremely successful there and now it is time for the EU to do the same.

Madam President, thank you very much. Threats to Europe are increasing. We see drones over my neighboring country Denmark. We see Russian fighter jets over the Baltics. That is totally unacceptable. That is why, together with my Nordic colleagues, I initiated this debate. We must send a clear signal to Putin that we are united, that we stand up for our countries and our borders and that we do not accept any form of abuse. For Sweden, my country, the drone threat is also real. Gotland is only 300 km from Russian Kaliningrad, and our location in the Baltic Sea means that we are also a front state. Therefore, we and Sweden's Prime Minister must show leadership, just as Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Fredriksson does. We have to stand up for creating a European drone wall, and we have to do it now.

Mr President, thank you very much. We have to tell it like it is. Climate change is no longer a future threat. The effects of global warming are already here. Our new reality is what we have experienced this summer, with heat waves from north to south. People suffer and people die. Our societies are not designed to withstand this extreme heat. We need to act and we need to invest in our homes, in cities, in our infrastructure, to adapt to our new reality. It costs huge amounts of money to deal with the consequences. This is precisely why emissions must be reduced, and this is precisely why we must continue to invest in renewables. We simply cannot afford to listen to the climate deniers, the far-right, as they try to set the agenda. We can't afford to be passive either. It takes political courage and we will show that here in Europe. We're going to take leadership.

Madam President, thank you very much. President von der Leyen. During the last mandate, you led a successful Commission, which, in crises and wars, took Europe forward in democracy, security, climate and gender equality. Now we see how conservatives and right-wing extremists are jointly trying to dismantle not least our climate ambitions. We Social Democrats want to work together, and it is therefore good that the Commission continues to act clearly against the far-right forces. We also think it is important that we stay on course in the green transition and ban and phase out PFAS once and for all. Equally important, however, is the priority given by the Commission to women's rights. I want to see a law on consent and the right to safe and legal abortion. I am disappointed, because the word equality was not included at all in the speech today, and it is not good enough. I want my grandchildren to live in a green and equal Europe.

Madam President, thank you very much. The world order is rocking and Europe is facing its most difficult test in decades. Ukraine is fighting not only for its country but for our entire continent. In recent days, Ukraine has been hit by new major drone attacks, including the hitting of a government building in Kiev. A mother and her baby were killed and many more were injured. Yet we see that several EU countries are still not living up to their responsibilities in supporting Ukraine. The Nordic and Baltic countries are leading the way, but several Member States are far behind. We now demand a new handshake from the Social Democrats: by the end of the year, each Member State will provide at least half a percent of its GDP in support of Ukraine, for our common security, for the peace of Europe and for the freedom of the Ukrainian people. Slava Ukraini.

Madam President, thank you very much. Dear Mette, I welcome the Danish Presidency. Mine dating Neighbouring country. Welcome to us! At a time when the world is shaking, Europe needs leadership that stands firm for our security, for the climate and for our democracy. Mette, you're a strong leader. You are a prime minister who is on the side of the citizens, and we in Europe need that today. Denmark's priorities are very clear. The EU will continue to take the lead with an ambitious climate policy. A green transition with green investments driving Europe’s competitiveness and growth – yes, that is the way forward. But that also requires a clear target for 2040. I say at least 90%, with target 95, because science says that. This is about the future of our children and grandchildren, so I wish you every success with the presidency. Good luck!

Madam President, thank you very much. Behind every abuse, every image, every click is a child. A child who has been betrayed, a child whose life has changed forever. Children, not least girls, have the right to grow up free from violence, abuse and exploitation, including online. What is illegal offline should also be illegal online. As rapporteur for the opinion of the Committee on Gender Equality, I have worked to strengthen the rights of the child, make gender-based violence visible and ensure that we get consent for older children. I would like to thank our rapporteur and my colleagues for their very good cooperation. This Directive is essential for the protection of children across the EU. It is our duty and our responsibility and now it is time to move from words to action, for the sake of our children.

Madam President, thank you very much. The war in Ukraine is not just a battle for territory. It is a struggle for freedom, peace and democracy. Every day, civilian homes are bombed, children grow up in shelters and people are imprisoned and tortured. According to UNICEF, children on the front line have spent over six months in shelters, and one in three young people feel hopeless, especially girls. Right now when we are debating here, civilians and prisoners of war are being illegally detained and bombed over the homes in Ukraine. We must never, ever get used to this reality, and we can make a difference. Our support for Ukraine must be clear and strong. We must do everything we can to increase support for Ukraine economically, militarily and humanitarianly. I therefore want all EU countries to reach, already this year, at least half a percent of their GDP in support of Ukraine. It looks very different and I want all EU Member States to stop buying Russian gas. It feeds Putin's war treasury. We can make a difference, we can act here and now. Slava Ukraini.

Mr President, thank you very much. Since Russia started its invasion of Ukraine, the EU has shown strength together. We acted quickly and we did so with severe sanctions. But we are now at a critical juncture. Europe is buying Russian oil and gas for more money than we are providing in support of Ukraine. Europe should not fertilize Putin's war fund and we should not buy fossil energy. We have to live up to our own climate law. It is therefore good that the Commission has now presented a plan – a plan to phase out Russian energy imports by 2027. It should have been done already. But it is also clear that more countries need to do more to support Ukraine. I would therefore like to see a handshake in which all EU countries already this year reach at least half a percent of their own GDP in support of Ukraine. Ukraine's security is also our security. Slava Ukraini!

Madam President, thank you very much. Clean water is a right, not a privilege, but today it is threatened by climate change, pollution and a lack of political courage. In our Europe, every child and every family should be able to trust that the water in the tap is actually clean and safe – thank you to our rapporteur, Bajada, who has worked hard for this. That is why we need to invest in modern water systems and make climate adaptations and protect our natural resources. I've been saying this for years: We also need to stop and phase out PFAS, a perpetual chemical found in our drinking water and in our bodies, PFAS that stays in nature for generations. In the European Water Strategy, it is our duty to ensure access to clean and safe water for today's children and future generations.

Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner Lahbib. Yes, when crises hit us, it is always the most vulnerable who are hit first. Women and children are the victims of brutal violence. We see it, for example, in Ukraine, where thousands, tens of thousands of children have been kidnapped. And behind every number is a child with a name and a story. A child whose hopes and dreams have been shattered. A resilient Union must therefore be prepared for more than cyber threats and sabotage. Our preparation is also about protecting lives. To ensure that those most at risk are not left alone. This is why we need to strengthen preparedness at all levels, from the EU to local communities and civil society. For a real security, it is only built together by everyone and for everyone.