Speeches

Madam President, I hope that we can agree that the latest dark months have taught us that there is never a time for silence when people are suffering. We need to end impunity regardless of where violence and violations of human rights and international law take place. Therefore, I also would like to propose a similar topic, but the topic would rather be ‘on the killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Aqla and the violent incident at her funeral’, with one round of speakers, after the debate on Moldova. I think it is important to show that we stand with journalists all around the world.

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, never in history have walls done anything other than separate. Never in history have walls done anything other than discriminate. The Polish Government managed to kill two birds with one stone when building yet another wall that fits best in a medieval society but has no place in our modern EU. Firstly, by environmental degradation through the construction of a wall on the Polish-Belarusian border running through protected areas, including one of Europe’s last primeval forests, which is causing a severe environmental impact on local wildlife. Secondly, by violating human rights and international law through the inhuman treatment of migrants at the border. I welcome the important support the Government is showing to the Ukrainian refugees, but that doesn’t give the national conservative government of Poland the right to discriminate others and totally disregard the common responsibility we have taken in the EU for our environment and climate. It must be costly for a Member State to violate human rights and cause environmental degradation in our Union. Those who do not respect our core values and our joint decision should not face impunity. There must be consequences, and the wall must be torn down.

Madam President, I want to start by thanking Commissioner Johansson for her leadership in defence of women and girls in Ukraine through the work presented at the beginning of this debate. Women’s and girls’ bodies have become a battlefield again in a war conducted by a man – Putin – again. With all the modern progresses worldwide, there is one crime we never have been able to consign to the dustbin of history: machismo. Rigorous investigation of the war crimes by Russian soldiers against women and children must be conducted to ensure justice for the survivors and end of impunity for the perpetrators. We know that survivors of sexual violence and trafficking are fleeing to countries in our own Union to seek shelter. I am, however, deeply concerned that some survivors are welcomed by restrictive anti—abortion laws, as in Poland. We know that criminalising abortion does not stop abortion, it just makes abortion less safe. Therefore, I want to emphasise that access to safe abortion services is a human right and must be respected by all our Member States. These human rights must be ensured for those women fleeing the war in Ukraine. Colleagues, let’s beat dictators, not women.

Mr President, Putin has thrown the world and Europe back to a time we had hoped never to experience again. A crisis of such dignity shows our true colours – if we are on the right side of history or choose the path of destruction. When I visited the Republic of Moldova last month with a delegation from Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence, it became very clear to me the enormous responsibility the government is taking. Despite the many challenges in the country, they show their call of solidarity through receiving the largest number of Ukrainian refugees per capita. We tend to very often in this Parliament talk about European fundamental values. This is actually European fundamental values in practice, in contrast to our own Member State, Hungary, which asks ‘How high?’ when Putin says ‘Jump’. I therefore welcome the decision by the Government of the Republic of Moldova to apply for EU membership. At the European Union we must support the people and government of the country, to defend their sovereignty and security, to support democratic economic and social development, and assist them to ensure they one day can also join us here in this Parliament.

Mr President, my friends in Burkina Faso recently saw their democratically elected president, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, toppled in a military coup – one example of the many recent coups. The urgent security situation needs to be addressed with full power because the people are suffering, killed, and young people are being deprived of their future. Lack of economic development and opportunities makes it easy for terrorist organisations to recruit and radicalise the young unemployed. Where possible, we must reach out to governments in the region to intensify our support for economic and democratic development and to combat terrorist organisations and military juntas through pulling the rug from under their feet. Terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram and al—Qaeda, have committed horrendous crimes against the population of the region, at the same time as military units have deprived the people of their freedom. In our struggle in defence of the people falling victims of the horrific situation in Western and Sahelian Africa, it is of the utmost importance that UN Security Council Resolutions 2250 and 1325 on including youth and women in peace and security is implemented, and that we step up our efforts to reach the UN Agenda 2030.

Madam President, thank you very much. I also want to start off with thanking my colleagues for a very productive negotiation, especially the rapporteur. ‘We continue to need your support.’ This was what the Cambodian opposition leader, Sam Rainsy, told me when we met recently to discuss the enormous crackdowns on democracy in Cambodia. Mr Rainsy has been sentenced in his absence to 25 years in jail. This is one of the many examples of how opposition leaders are systematically targeted by Hun Sen’s government. Only in March 2022, 19 opposition members were convicted and sentenced to up to ten years in jail. The situation for democracy in Cambodia is deteriorating fast and the democratic forces in the country continue to need our support. On 5 June this year, Cambodia will be holding communal elections. The communal elections will also be decisive for what to expect at next year’s national elections. It is unacceptable that over 100 candidates from the opposition Candlelight Party have been removed from the list by Cambodia’s National Election Committee to prevent them from running in the local elections. What is happening right now is a repeat of the national elections of 2008: the crackdown on the opposition through jailing them and with the aim of closing down the Candlelight Party, as they did with the Cambodia National Rescue Party and their members. The EU and the EEAS must closely monitor the situation and put pressure on the Cambodian Government to ensure free and fair elections, and the Government must immediately release all political prisoners. It is enough; we can’t just stand aside and watch while political opposition, trade unionists and many others are killed at the hands of the Hun Sen regime.

Mr President, Erdoğan is currently using Putin’s barbarian war in Ukraine as a smokescreen to silence Turkish critical human rights activists and the opposition – and even invading other countries. Whilst the world is looking in a different direction, Erdoğan sentenced the human rights activist Osman Kavala to life in prison, despite repeated calls from the EU and the Council of Europe for his immediate release. Regretfully, it does not stop there. Opposition leaders such as Selahattin Demirtaş and Aysel Tuğluk remain in prison as well on highly doubtful grounds. By silencing, jailing and censoring criticism against his own regime, Erdoğan is making it very clear to the world that he does not intend to respect fundamental European values. Instead, he has repeatedly shown a leadership style that resembles that of Putin. As Swedish, with Kurdish roots from the Turkish parts, I sadly know too well the consequences of his dictatorship. Enough is enough. We can’t continue acting as ‘business as usual’ with him. Let us all stand up against his authoritarianism through voting in favour of the resolution tomorrow.

Mr President, thank you very much. Despite the amazing technological successes that we have seen in recent decades and that have led to developments in our Union, there are a lot of risks and dangers that risk undermining our fundamental rights and freedoms. Innovation and inventions are currently being used by some to curtail our freedom, our democracy. Amnesty International has revealed that the Israeli spyware Pegasus has been used to hack up to 50,000 mobile phones worldwide. It has been revealed that 65 people from Catalonia, French President Emmanuel Macron, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, colleagues in our Parliament, journalists and NGOs, have been subjected to the spyware. Pegasus has become a toy. Every authoritarian wants a weapon against human rights activists around the world. The Commission must make this an immediate priority in order to be aware of the extent to which spyware has been used, against which, against how many and of which – not to throw responsibility on the Member States on an important issue such as this, where, moreover, there is a risk that states themselves have used the programme against innocents, as in Hungary and Poland. At a time when our common security is at stake, we need to combat all authoritarian and oppressive tendencies.

Mr President, thank you very much. Organised crime and terrorism risk breaking up our societies. It kills our children and young people. My heart hurts and I am filled with anger every time I read that a young person has been murdered or women have been trafficked. We must therefore do everything we can to crack down on serious crime. 70% of organised gangs are active in more than three countries. When crime sees no national borders, policy must ensure that we fight them together. Anything else would be naive. Cooperation is the key. However, when fighting crime, we must ensure that we do not risk undermining our fundamental rights and freedoms and violating the principles of the rule of law. It is crucial that we have safeguards in place to prevent abuse and protect the privacy of innocent people. I welcome this proposal to strengthen Europol's mandate, but I am disappointed, I must say, precisely by the lack of sufficiently strong safeguards. The collection of large amounts of personal data also creates a high risk of abuse. I would also have liked stronger protection to ensure that the new mandate does not risk exposing people to racism and discrimination, as is already happening today. Serious crime must be fought and must be fought with full force. At the same time, however, I am fully convinced that we could have done so with an even better proposal with even stronger safeguards.

Mr President, thank you very much. I'm embarrassed to be in a parliament with a bunch of racists. They are the reason why we stand here today and the hatred and threat against Roma continues. You are a disgrace in our democratic Europe. Racism against Roma is a disgrace. It doesn't seem to matter how many frameworks or strategies we adopt. The lack of political will to change and to crush the injustices they face every day and in their conversation with society – school, care, social services, job search or housing search – can be seen from afar. All our citizens deserve to be respected for who they are and given the opportunity to realise their dreams, not to be subjected to hatred and intimidation even by elected representatives. Even when the war arrives, discrimination does not stop. We are receiving alarming reports that Roma fleeing today's Ukraine face serious discrimination when trying to reach neighbouring countries. Finally, we have a system in place in the EU where we can cut off financial support to Member States that violate the rule of law and human rights. However, it is clear that many Member States are completely disregarding their commitments towards Roma as discrimination continues. Commissioner, how do you ensure that no Member State will escape its responsibility for the human rights and freedoms of the Roma? Romani children, women, men, young and old... (The President took the floor.)

Mr President, the further a regime drifts from truth, the more it will punish those who speak it. Since Russia’s illegal war, war crimes and unspeakable horror in Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of Russian people have been taking to the streets for peaceful protests. As a response, the Russian regime is deploying indiscriminate and illegal force against those protesters. On 22 March, opposition politician Aleksei Navalny was sentenced to an additional nine years in prison. Russia is not only pursuing an illegal war against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people; it is also continuing to pursue a war against the truth in Russia and beyond. But colleagues, Putin cannot silence truth with criminalisation and prison. The truth will prevail. And with tomorrow’s vote, the European Parliament can show that we will always stand with those who speak it.

Madam President, thank you very much. Colleagues! The far-right parties are like a cancer in our Union. Not only do they want to divide from within through hatred and intimidation, they are not afraid to seek help from outside too – from tyrants like Putin. In fact, the far-right parties and their friends are the greatest threat to our modern and democratic Europe. The Swedish Sweden Democrats, the French National Assembly, the German AfD and the Hungarian Fidesz are some of those who have been caught with links to the Putin regime, and some of them have even received financial support from the same Kremlin that today carries out war crimes in Ukraine. A few weeks ago they were Putin's biggest supporters, but today they are trying to hide it. In conclusion, I would like to address my colleagues in the Conservative EPP Group and the Liberal Renew Group, in particular the Swedish parties Moderaterna, Kristdemokraterna and Liberalerna: We may not agree with you on much, but even you can do better than to become a doormat to the far-right party Sweden Democrats by entering into cooperation with them only to gain government power. Don't be the right-wing extremists' useful idiots! Instead, let's knock right-wing extremism and their friend Putin out of influence!

Madam President, the recent situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is a systematic attempt by Azerbaijan to erase Armenia’s history and its rich culture. The Armenian cultural heritage dates back to ancient times and needs to be treated with the respect that it deserves. Azerbaijan’s attack on the Armenian cultural heritage is an attack on its people, a country and most importantly, it is an attack on its future generations. It is also an attack on international commitments. In its attempt to rewrite history, to assert dominance, Azerbaijan has resorted to the destruction of cultural treasures that future generations now never get to enjoy. This is something that I, with my own Kurdish roots, have seen happening to my people and our identity for decades by Turkey. It has consequences beyond possibility of explanation. In December 2021, the International Court urged Azerbaijan to cease all destruction of Armenian cultural heritage. The resolution that we will vote on today provides us with an opportunity to send a clear message to Azerbaijan. The world is watching and we will not stay quiet if this silence and threat of violence doesn’t stop. The European Parliament must stand firm against the unacceptable action of Azerbaijan. International agreements must be followed. We therefore call upon Azerbaijan to comply with its obligation, especially with regard to its membership in UNESCO, which clearly opposed the destruction of all cultural heritage. Enough is enough.

Madam President, I want to start with thanking my colleagues from the different Groups represented yesterday at the meeting for very fruitful and constructive negotiations, and I hope that we will be able to send a clear message to the horrific military junta in Myanmar today. Over one year has passed now since the bloody military coup in Myanmar. The military junta has erased years of progress and the people are suffering. It is with a heavy heart that we observe the deteriorating situation, but we can’t continue just observing. We need to strengthen the sanctions and demand change. That includes EU companies taking their share of responsibilities also. We can’t just observe while violations of international law are taking place because it is about real people’s lives we are talking. There has been an increasing number of reports of violent attacks and killings against civilians, labour unions, journalists, religious representatives and peaceful democratic protests. According to the UN, over 14.4 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Of the affected, the most vulnerable are women, girls and children. The international community has to drastically increase demand of an immediate end of the military junta’s violence towards the civilian population, including religious and minorities such as the Rohingya. We cannot stand by while the people of Myanmar are suffering. The latest two weeks have shown that actions can be taken if the will is there. Let us create the will today before it is beyond even more of our control.

Madam President, democracy is in danger all over the world. Journalists are being killed even on open streets and a dangerous culture of impunity is growing. The spike in the murder of journalists in Mexico is a part of the deteriorating situation of journalists in the whole world. 2020 has proved to be a very deadly year for journalists in Mexico, and it is the worst place on this planet in which to exercise their profession. Between 2012 and 2022, 78 journalists were killed in the country; 33 of them were killings linked to their professions. Violence against journalists, human rights defenders, indigenous women and LGBTI people are rarely investigated or prosecuted. Dear colleagues, it is a matter of deep concern and a mockery that a country with these kinds of growing violations continues to call itself a democracy. Inhuman acts of killing and violence against journalists and human rights defenders in Mexico must be condemned. The Mexican authorities must uphold commitments to investigate and resolve these crimes and prosecute perpetrators to the full extent of the law. That is how it should be in a rule—based country. The Mexican Government must strengthen protections for journalists and human rights defenders, and the authorities must implement their international commitments on human rights and the rule of law. The EU can’t continue with business as usual. We need to toughen up and step up our support for the journalists and human rights defenders and all those who are suffering right now at the hands of the Mexican Government.

Mr President, at the heart of democracy lies transparency, because without transparency, there is no accountability. Let me quote the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, herself, back in 2019: ‘If Europeans are to have faith in our Union, its institutions should be open and beyond reproach on ethics, transparency and integrity’. Yet in 2020, the words seem to still be just words, because if the true will would have been there, we wouldn’t have needed to call for a debate to demand access to what should have been an obvious thing to do. Be open with the Commission President’s conversation with Pfizer’s Chief Executive, regardless of if they are done via text message, email, letter or even pigeons. The Commission President could have transformed her words from 2019 into actions in 2020 in order to pave the way for all our Union’s institutions and constituted a role model for the Member States, but instead, she chose the opposite. Being an advocate for rule of law and democracy means understanding the importance of public access to documents. This is because in a functioning democracy, the public power requires the trust of the people. Public access enables the citizens to exercise control over the administration. Public access allows for civil society and journalists to exercise their fully-fledged scrutiny over society and its functions. By allowing transparency, we build citizens’ trust and confidence, and we combat undemocratic ideas and powers. There is a clear link between a high degree of transparency and a low level of corruption. This is because transparency allows us to detect corrupt practices and prevent it. Public access to information means preventing corruption and creating trust. To achieve trust is truly a challenge for a Union with approximately 450 million citizens in 27 Member States. This is important and something we must be mindful of because transparency is only resisted when governments see it as a threat and transparency is only a threat when we have something to hide. The Lisbon Treaty clearly demands more transparency in the EU, and especially so in legislative procedures. Transparency is what citizens have the right to demand and what the EU has a duty to deliver. The time is now to update the Union’s legislation on access to documents. The current legislation is two decades old and needs a thorough makeover to provide our citizens with their fundamental rights.

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues, Commissioner! There is not a single woman anywhere at any time who has never fallen victim to the patriarchal structures that exist in our Union and beyond. Democracy and human rights cannot and must not remain mere words. whereas women’s and girls’ rights are human rights and are essential to the freedom of all peoples; Our fight for gender equality must therefore be pursued in our Union and globally. Our new action plan for the EU's global gender equality agenda is the third of its kind and represents the direction we want to take and equip ourselves with tools. It both commits and leads the way by proposing measures that should, can and must be taken. Furthermore, our report on the action plan makes it clear that GAP III also needs to be further strengthened. It is both symbolic and practical that on this day, 8 March, International Women’s Day – as on any other day – we make clear our solidarity with women and girls around the world by discussing how we can further strengthen this work. However, solidarity must also be embodied through actions. Silence is not an option when half the world's population is murdered, oppressed, threatened, hated and burdened by inequality in our societies, when patriarchal structures systematically erase women's voices and when sexual violence is used as a weapon of war. One of the most recent examples, where the vile phenomenon of sexual violence is used, is in the aggression of the dictator Putin against Ukraine. Feminism is the science that women and men, girls and boys, are of equal worth and that inequality must be crushed. I am therefore pleased that in our report we are clear about following Swedish feminist foreign policy. I assume that this requirement will be taken into account by the Commission in its further work. This includes women's participation in peace processes and political decisions. Reports from 2015 show that 80% of parliamentarians around the world – listen and be amazed – were men. 50% of the population has only 20% of the power. We women as a group therefore have neither the right to our fundamental rights nor the opportunity to change our situation when we are pushed away from having access to the tools to change. As a social democrat and feminist, I am also pleased that we clearly underline in the report the importance of access to sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide, including the rights of LGBTQ people. The 2030 Agenda targets, or as I would call it, the toolbox that can save humanity, are important for achieving our goals. We can end inequalities and all the violence women and girls are exposed to on a daily basis. The recipe is political will. Colleagues, Don’t forget what the society should do. It's to beat dictators, and not women.

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues! All of a sudden, Olof Palme’s words ‘those satanic murderers’ become highly topical again in Europe, when Putin’s fascism is embodied by the invasion of Ukraine. Putin's place is neither in the Kremlin nor on the streets of Russia. He is a member of the International War Tribunal. As in many other conflicts, including in Ukraine, women and girls are subjected to sexual violence by Russian soldiers. Women refugees and child refugees are currently in the grip of hallicos and traffickers. Putin's barbarism sees no limits. Millions of people from Ukraine are currently fleeing. We must act together to support them. Humanitarian corridors must be established immediately. The situation is alarming, but I am proud of the shared responsibility shown by all our Member States to Ukrainian women, children and others in urgent need of assistance, through the immediate activation of the Mass Exodus Directive. The EU and all Member States must also continue to increase humanitarian aid. Wherever you come from, live or are, know that our solidarity knows no bounds. Slava Ukraini.

Mr President, civil society organisations are under attack and democracy is in danger. We see it globally when the dictator Putin is challenging our multilateral structures and international law, and we see it in our own Union, where governments – in Poland, Hungary, Slovenia – are severely undermining our fundamental rights and attacking organisations promoting those rights: women’s rights, LGBTI rights, migrant and refugee rights. And these governments are fuelling hatred and racism. We also see it through the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation. A free and vivid society is a civil society, is the ultimate sign of a society where freedom is both a goal but also a means to reach the democratic values the EU is built on. Civil society organisations have all through history taken the leadership for more democracy and constituted a counter force against those wanting to dismantle our core values. We also see the importance of civil society organisations during the current humanitarian crisis in Ukraine with providing humanitarian aid to people in need. Almost a decade ago, we went from progress to backlash in our Union. The Fundamental Rights Agency points out in its annual report that the COVID—19 pandemic has further accentuated many of the already existing challenges faced by the European civil society. These challenges include limitations on the freedom of association, thought and expression, and not to forget to mention constant cutting of funding for the civil society organisations for them not to be able to survive. Colleagues, democracy is in danger right now, and it is crucial that we strengthen civil society organisations and turn around the negative spiral and to ensure that we defend democracy in our Union and beyond.

Madam President, almost eight years after the democratic revolution in Burkina Faso, we see today an unfortunate backlash with a military junta that forcefully grabbed power and imprisoned the democratically elected president Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. In late spring 2014, I was in Burkina Faso as Secretary—General of the International Union of Socialist Youth to support the newly emerged party MPP, with its leader Kaboré, who today is the elected and legitimate leader of Burkina Faso. I remember the hope and joy that a better future can actually be possible after decades of dictatorship. I am glad that my proposal for a resolution reached all the way to this session because the people of Burkina Faso cannot afford a silent world, and I have been in contact with many friends in Burkina Faso who are very thankful for us having the debate of today. During the past two years, we have seen four military coups in West Africa, and the European Union must immediately act forcefully. And the first step is to never, ever legitimatise the military junta and demand that they immediately give power back to the people and release President Kaboré and all other political prisoners. Any upcoming government should and must understand that the universal rights are not for few to enjoy, they are the rights of all people. As long as a fully—fledged democratic Burkina Faso is not ensured, long lasting peace will not be possible. And the struggle for democracy is crucial for and must go hand in hand with the struggle against terrorists and anti—democratic forces. We need to act. The Commission and the EEAS must put the need of the people, protection and safety of civilians in the centre of actions. Democracy, rule of law and human rights, along with social rights must be respected and upheld by any government. The actions of the EU Commission, unfortunately, and the Member States have been far from sufficient until now. Today and tomorrow, the EU and African Union Summit should be used as a platform to address the people of West Africa’s right to their fundamental rights and together ensuring democracy and rule of law in the region. If any time, now is the time to also use our global human rights sanctions regime towards the coup makers because condemning is important, but actions are even more important.

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues! The right to life is the most basic form of right. Depriving a man of his life is the gravest form of violation of human rights. In Iran, this irreversible punishment is being imposed, even on children. From 2009 to September 2020, at least 67 executions of juveniles have been reported. In January this year, 85 young people awaited the execution of the death penalty. The death penalty is also used to suppress minorities. It applies disproportionately to Baluches, Arabs, Bahá'ís and especially to the ethnic group to which I myself belong, Kurds, simply because they demand the right to their own language, culture and identity. Women's right to their own bodies and the rights of LGBTQ people are also the worst enemy of dictatorships and oppressive regimes because they symbolize freedom to be who you are, love who you want and have total bodily autonomy. In Iran, this is the basis for the death penalty. In 2017, Swedish Iranian scientist Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali was sentenced to death on baseless charges of being a spy. The oppressive regime in Tehran must release all, all, prisoners of conscience and abolish the heinous death penalty immediately. We must continue to use all the tools at our disposal in the European Union and increase sanctions, rather than withdraw them as some in this Parliament want, in order to force the Iranian regime to introduce democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The suffering of the people of Iran must end. The Iranian people's cause is our cause.

Mr President, since 2016, the Philippines has been experiencing a democratic crackdown. The government, led by President Duterte, has constantly intensified its attacks on the human rights of its people. The people are suffering today in a way almost unimaginable half a decade ago. Civilians are being subjected to extrajudicial killings justified by the government’s despicable war-on-drugs policy. Civil society organisations, human rights activists and aid workers are blacklisted and labelled as terrorists. Freedom of expression is continuously violated and journalists cannot do their work without fear, at the same time as the opposition is continuously being targeted. Not even foreigners, who are throwing light on the government and its policies are able to move freely in the country, or even enter. I visited the Philippines in 2018, together with my friend, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Party of European Socialists but, to my surprise, he was deported back to Belgium just because of a statement made a couple of months before. The Duterte regime must constantly be reminded that the world is watching, and we must never let ourselves be silenced, because what is going on right now is impunity of the worst kind. I hope that we will get rid of the horrific Duterte era in the upcoming elections, but for that to be possible, free and fair elections must be ensured. The International Criminal Court, at the same time, must continue its work on the investigations of crimes against humanity in the context of the killings during the war on crimes.

Madam President, thank you very much. We are in the worst security situation in decades. Russian soldiers, tanks and missiles have surrounded Ukraine. The country is in urgent need of help. whereas Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is a matter of our right to self-determination – young people, children and peoples of Europe and the world as a whole; The EU must therefore act together to push back the oppressive regime in Moscow. whereas the failure to vote in favour of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine is an act that poses a threat to peace and security in Europe and worldwide; Sustainable peace and security also require the involvement of all sections of the population. My question to you, High Representative and Vice-President, is therefore: How do we ensure that we live up to our commitments to include both young people and women in the peace processes, as set out in UN resolutions 1325 and 2250? The only thing I've seen so far are men, men and more men.

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues! History must not repeat itself. Democratic and human rights must never be the privilege of the few again. However, the report on human rights and democracy in the world speaks for itself. Something bad is happening right now. We see a regression. The decline is as present in our Union as it is globally, and the antidote is leadership and political will. Leadership by repressing negative developments in our own Union by cutting off financial support for rogue governments. Otherwise, we will not be credible globally. Political will by increasing the toolbox globally. The EU's new global sanctions mechanism is certainly a good thing, but there is still a lot to be done. All our Member States must meet the UN's global target of at least 0.7% of GNI for aid. Work to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda must be intensified and qualified majority must apply in the European Council on issues of human rights and freedoms violations.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, My body, my choice. These four words should suffice, but in today's Europe we must once again fight for and defend the rights for which generations of progressive women and girls before us risked their lives. In recent years, we have seen how countries with conservative and nationalist governments, such as Hungary and Poland, are trying to restrict the right to information, sexuality education and health care in the form of abortion. In my own country, Sweden, right-wing conservatives dress their opposition to abortion in terms of freedom of conscience, as if there is any conscience in denying any healthcare and the right to their own body. SRHR hatred has a devastating effect on young people, as knowledge and education have a decisive effect on sexuality, relationships and norm-making. One might think that these conservatives with medieval ideas should have been confronted with the reality of women and girls with the powerful stories of the me too movement, but the reality seems difficult for them to understand. As far as the right to abortion is concerned, extreme abortion laws in Poland have already claimed lives. Let us never forget Izabela, who lost her life in the hands of the right-wing conservatives in Poland. Let us introduce Lex Izabela in the EU to ensure that not a single woman or girl has to pay the ultimate price: his life. Today it is Poland, but tomorrow it may be Sweden. No one is safe when right-wing conservatives and nationalists spread their tentacles. Colleagues, let’s step up the struggle against conservatism and nationalism and defend women’s rights and freedom.