What Heléne spoke about.

23 Oct

2024

SV Speech

Findings of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on Poland's abortion law (debate)

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Madam President, I would like to thank you for your We know that in Poland the right to abortion has been dismantled step by step, and today it is practically forbidden for girls and women to have a legal and safe abortion. We know that it also affects women where pregnancy is the result of rape. This is completely absurd. We Social Democrats have always defended the right to abortion and we will …

22 Oct

2024

SV Answer

Establishing the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism and providing exceptional macro-financial assistance to Ukraine (debate)

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Mr President, thank you very much. My response to Dick Erixon, who represents the Sweden Democrats from Sweden and the far-right party groups in this Parliament, is that I am more worried about your parties' contacts with Russia and proximity to Putin, and I want to follow closely that we stand united tomorrow around continued support for Ukraine, both financially, militarily and humanitarianly.…

22 Oct

2024

SV Speech

Establishing the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism and providing exceptional macro-financial assistance to Ukraine (debate)

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Mr President, thank you very much. The war in Ukraine is going on here and now. When we meet here today, bombs and rockets fall on innocent people – on women and children in their own homes. The Ukrainian people are suffering but fighting for their freedom and we, we must continue to do everything we can to increase support for Ukraine: economic, military and humanitarian. We also need to stop Rus…

10 Oct

2024

SV Speech

World Mental Health Day - need for a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health (debate)

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Mr President, I would like to thank you. There is increasing evidence that social media has a very negative impact on young people's well-being and health. Platforms are now a natural part of their everyday lives, and the negative consequences can no longer be ignored. Eternal scrolling and excessive screen time creates an addiction that affects young people's mental health. We also see how childr…

9 Oct

2024

SV Question

Presentation of the programme of activities of the Hungarian Presidency (debate)

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Madam President, I would like to thank you for your Hungary's presidency began with Viktor Orban shaking hands with Vladimir Putin. The same Orban then called on Ukraine to surrender. Mr. Orban, this is a betrayal of the whole of Europe and it is a betrayal of our common values. At a time when democracy is being challenged by authoritarian leaders and far-right forces, Europe must stand united. Uk…

7 Oct

2024

SV Speech

Need to fight the systemic problem of gender-based violence in Europe (debate)

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Mr President, I would like to thank you. Commissioner Dalli. In our Europe, thousands of women are killed by their partner or ex-partner. whereas one in three women in the EU has experienced violence, and half of all women have experienced sexual harassment since the age of 15; Behind each figure is a woman, a mother, a sister, a girl, a daughter. How many more women and girls will have to die bef…

19 Sep

2024

SV Speech

Droughts and extreme weather events as a threat to local communities and EU agriculture in times of climate change (debate)

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Mr President, I would like to thank you. Climate change is here. No one can deny it. People are affected by floods, water shortages and forest fires. For our farmers, also in my Sweden, the effects have been particularly noticeable in recent years. Droughts and floods have led to reduced crop yields. For many farmers, this means an uncertain future with reduced incomes and increased vulnerability.…

18 Sep

2024

SV Speech

The devastating floods in Central and Eastern Europe, the loss of lives and the EU’s preparedness to act on such disasters exacerbated by climate change (debate)

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Mr President, I would like to thank you. The extreme weather and floods in Central and Eastern Europe have caused a devastating loss of life and destroyed entire communities. Our thoughts are with those affected. This disaster shows once again that climate change is a fact and that its effects are undeniable. We know that climate change is driving extreme weather. In fact, it is not really wise th…

17 Sep

2024

SV Speech

Outcome of G20 ministerial meeting in Rio-de-Janeiro and fighting inequality (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner Dalli. We are facing a world where inequalities continue to grow, both within and between countries. The recent G20 Ministerial Declaration on Reducing Inequalities is therefore a very important step in reducing inequalities. I particularly welcome the fact that the G20 reaffirms its commitment to promoting gender equality. Recognising that this is crucial to achievin…

18 Jul

2024

SV Speech

Statement by the candidate for President of the Commission (debate)

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Madam President, I would like to thank you for your Mrs. von der Leyen. Putting an end to Putin's war and increasing support for Ukraine and increasing ambition in the fight against the climate threat is crucial if we are to come together in broad cooperation in the EU. But then we need to close the door on right-wing extremist and Russian-friendly parties. We welcome your pledge to achieve the EU…

24 Apr

2024

SV Speech

The attack on climate and nature: far right and conservative attempts to destroy the Green Deal and prevent investment in our future (topical debate)

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Mr President, thank you very much. In 2019, we Social Democrats went to the elections for a Green Deal in Europe; a Green Deal to reduce Europe’s emissions, strengthen our nature and make the transition just. During this mandate, together here in the EU, we have decided on the largest climate package in history. And we've done it. Despite a pandemic, a war in Europe and an energy crisis, we have d…

23 Apr

2024

SV Speech

The use of Russian frozen assets to support Ukraine’s victory and reconstruction (debate)

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Madam President, thank you very much. The Commission! The struggle in the Ukrainian trenches, it is about Ukraine's right to freedom and democracy, but also about our freedom in Europe, in my Sweden, about our safety and security and about defending our way of life. Because it's serious now. Putin is building a new iron curtain in Europe. Children and civilians are killed. And when Ukraine warns t…

10 Apr

2024

SV Speech

New allegations of Russian interference in the European Parliament, in the upcoming EU elections and the impact on the Union (debate)

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Mr President ! Yes, the upcoming European elections will not resemble any previous elections. In the aftermath of the revelations, the links between Putin and far-right and right-wing populist parties are now being unravelled in the face of an open curtain. The intentions are obvious, to undermine support for Ukraine, to weaken our democracy and to divide our continent. The security of Europe as a…

10 Apr

2024

SV Speech

Union code relating to medicinal products for human use - Union procedures for the authorisation and supervision of medicinal products for human use and rules governing the European Medicines Agency (joint debate - Pharmaceutical package)

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Madam President, thank you very much. The Commission! In recent decades, large parts of the welfare society have been privatised and deregulated, and this has led to poorer welfare and increased inequality. This became particularly clear during the pandemic. The shortage of medicines and import bans showed that the pharmaceutical market did not work when we so needed it, not least for our elderly …

13 Mar

2024

SV Answer

This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo (debate)

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Madam President, thank you very much. Thanks for the question. We are sitting in the European Parliament at a time of crisis and war in Europe. The actions of each Member State make an important difference to the way our cooperation works. Therefore, it is very relevant to point out that when cooperation is strengthened in our Member States where we bring the far-right into government work, then w…

13 Mar

2024

SV Speech

This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo (debate)

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Madam President, thank you very much. The Prime Minister! Finland and Sweden have so much in common, not least our Nordic labour market model. The Nordic model is based on dialogue and negotiation between strong and equal partners. It has been a source of pride, strength and prosperity for our countries. But what I see now is going on in Finland makes me worried. Attacks on the right of associatio…

13 Mar

2024

SV Speech

Need to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia (debate)

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Madam President, thank you very much. In war and conflict, it is always the children who suffer the most. Children are killed, injured, affected by lack of food, water and safe places. Children are forced to leave school or be separated from their parents. whereas the forcible displacement of children to Russia is totally unacceptable in this Russia’s illegal, brutal and ruthless aggression agains…

12 Mar

2024

SV Speech

EU climate risk assessment, taking urgent action to improve security and resilience in Europe (debate)

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Madam President, thank you very much. Climate change is becoming increasingly evident in our daily lives. In Sweden, harvests have decreased in recent years due to floods and droughts. Fires ravage our forests more often and floods and landslides often lead to flooded basements, sewers and ruined roads. Adapting our societies to climate change is therefore crucial to strengthen our preparedness an…

29 Feb

2024

SV Speech

Next steps towards greater patient safety by swiftly ensuring the availability of medical devices through a targeted transitional period (debate)

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Mr President, thank you very much. The Commission! The COVID-19 pandemic may already feel far away from the challenges we are facing now. But there are lessons from the pandemic on how to strengthen our preparedness, which of course we need to take advantage of today. Equivalent access to care is crucial for our preparedness. It is a matter of life and death, of the equal value of all human beings…

28 Feb

2024

SV Speech

Strengthening European Defence in a volatile geopolitical landscape - Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2023 - Implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2023 (joint debate - European security and defence)

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Madam President, thank you very much. I would like to thank you for all the support we have received for Sweden's application to become a member of NATO. Russia’s invasion is a threat to the security of Europe as a whole, and the EU must continue its support financially, humanitarianly and militarily. Now we are being reached by reports that Ukrainian forces are rationing and running out of ammuni…

26 Feb

2024

EN Speech

Statements by the President

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Madam President, dear colleagues, we miss Erik. He was a member of the Swedish delegation and Erik was well known, both as a politician and as a researcher. We will miss his guidance, his wisdom and his humour, and we will miss his genuine commitment for Europe. During this difficult time, let us honour Erik’s memory by continuing the work he has done for the European growth, for the industry, for…

7 Feb

2024

SV Speech

The EU priorities for the 68th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (debate)

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Mr President, thank you very much. Last year I was part of the European Parliament delegation to the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York. It would be reasonable to assume that this year, ahead of the 68th meeting, we are building on a series of advances in women's rights that have taken place over the past year. But we all know that the crude truth is that progress is small. Instead, …

7 Feb

2024

SV Speech

The fight against hate speech and disinformation: responsibility of social platforms within the Digital Services Act (topical debate)

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Mr President, thank you very much. Magic armies and fake accounts – behind these foreign agents and extreme ideologies. Words that didn't exist when I first got the right to vote are a grim reality for today's first-time voters. I mean what I say when I say that this year's European elections will not resemble any previous elections. Disinformation is a real threat to our security, both in Europe …

6 Feb

2024

SV Speech

EU2040 climate target (debate)

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Mr President, thank you very much. Russia’s war against Ukraine has made it clear that we need to take greater climate responsibility and make Europe fossil-free as quickly as possible. We must put an end to Putin's grip on Europe. For despite great efforts, Europe continues to finance Russia's war fund by pushing up the price of oil and gas. It is Ukraine and ordinary people who have to pay. I, a…

6 Feb

2024

SV Speech

Conclusions of the European Council meetings, in particular the special European Council meeting of 1 February 2024 (debate)

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Madam President, thank you very much. Unified we stand, divided we fall. It's a well-known expression from a Greek writer, and it's telling. Now, despite Hungary and Orban, 27 countries have agreed to support Ukraine. That's good, but it's not enough. This is about Ukrainian lives, but it is also about our security and Putin knows that. That's why he and his friends are doing everything in their p…