What Hildegard spoke about.

19

Jun

2025

DE Answer

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Institutional and political implications of the EU enlargement process and global challenges (debate)

I realize that you don't give me anything at all (incomprehensible words) Speaking to Serbia. And I am not answering illusory questions that have nothing to do with the debate here. I am not going into this strategy.…

19

Jun

2025

DE Speech

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Institutional and political implications of the EU enlargement process and global challenges (debate)

Dear Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Enlargement of the European Union is not an end in itself, it is a strategic offer for peace, democracy, the rule of law and economic development. Accession negotiations begin with a first, welcoming political decision by the EU, but they are not a technocratic automatism; They are based on clear conditions and political will. When it comes to geopolitics, …

18

Jun

2025

DE Answer

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Electricity grids: the backbone of the EU energy system (debate)

Without knowing exactly how many skilled workers are still in the queue, so to speak, you also know the initiatives in the European Union regarding legal immigration. We have also set up a talent pool where employers can network with potential employees. I think this is a good initiative, and I am completely with you: We need legal immigration of skilled workers.…

18

Jun

2025

DE Speech

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Electricity grids: the backbone of the EU energy system (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Power outages – this is a scenario that, fortunately, is currently extremely rare in the EU thanks to stable electricity grids. However, the energy demand is increasing every day as grid expansion comes to a standstill, not only because of a lack of planning, but increasingly also because cables and transformers are missing. According to the Ene…

18

Jun

2025

EN Speech

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Stopping the genocide in Gaza: time for EU sanctions (topical debate)

Madam President, High Representative, dear colleagues, since 7 October, we have debated Gaza nearly every plenary. No one here denies the suffering, but despite massive media coverage – often based on Hamas-supplied sources and political theatre across Europe, including university occupations and unilateral recognitions of Palestine – has any of this eased the humanitarian crisis? No. And suspendi…

17

Jun

2025

EN Speech

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Situation in the Middle East (joint debate)

Mr President, High Representative, dear colleagues, let us speak plainly about who is truly escalating and destabilising the Middle East. Israel, a democratic state, has been fighting for its very existence since 1948. Its core policy objective has remained consistent – to survive, to defend its citizens fleeing from persecution globally, and to live in peace with its neighbours. Peace treaties wi…

21

May

2025

EN Speech

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The EU's response to the Israeli government's plan to seize the Gaza Strip, ensuring effective humanitarian support and the liberation of hostages (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, in the plenary of 1 April, I said that 'the moment for realpolitik has come'. And this is what happened. Israel is fighting a total war against Hamas, because it poses an existential threat to its bare existence. Make no mistake: defeating Hamas is not a crazy idea of a right-wing government; defeating Hamas is a goal widely supported by the Jewish people. And, co…

1

Apr

2025

EN Speech

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Dramatic situation in Gaza and the need for an immediate return to the full implementation of the ceasefire and hostage release agreement (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, the battle to drive Hamas out of Gaza is getting more and more intense. For the first time, Palestinians themselves have also taken to the streets against Hamas. I think we all hope that Hamas, this terrible oppressor of the Palestinian population and huge threat to innocent Israelis, will be defeated once and for all. That is still missing – living hostages will …

31

Mar

2025

EN Speech

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Guidelines for the 2026 budget - Section III (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, we urgently need new guidance in this budget on EU funding for UNRWA, the unique agency for Palestine, which now operates in Gaza without effective international oversight since Israel has cut off contact to UNRWA on the basis of a Parliament's decision end of January. Mr Germain, Madam Gómez López, there is a serious risk that EU-funded humanitarian aid is being div…

11

Feb

2025

DE Speech

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Escalation of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (debate)

Mr President! Dear colleagues! I would like to contribute to this discussion as rapporteur for the EU law on critical raw materials, which we adopted by a large majority here in Parliament last year. Particularly because the European Commission, led by Social Democratic Commissioner Urpilainen and Liberal Vice-President Séjourné, signed memoranda on the joint sustainable development of strategic r…

11

Feb

2025

DE Speech

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Wider comprehensive EU-Middle East Strategy (debate)

Madam President, Dear colleagues! The decisive political actor with real negotiating power in the Middle East is the US with its military strength. This is probably clear to everyone these days. But: We, too, as the EU, have strengths and basic convictions that we should bring to the Middle East. We are strong in providing humanitarian aid. We are experienced in building institutions. We are good …

20

Jan

2025

DE Speech

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Powering Europe’s future - advancing the fusion industry for energy independence and innovation (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I strongly believe in Europe's innovative power. That is why I am making policy in this Parliament and for our European Union. And that is why I have also advocated putting fusion energy on the agenda right at the beginning of this legislature – because we need to act. What is it about? We all know that we urgently need affordable, clean and sec…

20

Jan

2025

DE Speech

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Heat record year 2024 - the need for climate action to fight global warming (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, It is getting warmer and warmer and warmer on our planet, and now for ten years in a row. At the end of last year, we finally tore down the 1.5-degree target that we set for good reasons as a global community ten years ago in Paris, because from more than 1.5 degrees global warming irretrievable and uncontrollable changes will occur, because glacie…

20

Jan

2025

EN Answer

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Ceasefire in Gaza - the urgent need to release the hostages, to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to pave the way for a two-state solution (debate)

Do you want to say that you have doubts in the Israeli justice system? Is this what you want to say? I don't have these doubts. I don't have doubts like Ms Al-Sahlani in the Israeli justice system.

20

Jan

2025

DE Answer

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Ceasefire in Gaza - the urgent need to release the hostages, to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to pave the way for a two-state solution (debate)

I can't see a question, but if you mean: I talked about balance, about innocent Israeli hostages being released for convicted mass murderers who have helped kill hundreds, thousands of Israeli civilians. And I have pointed out this imbalance and the resulting insecurity resulting from the release of Hamas fighters, who will of course regroup, to this danger to the security of Israel.…

20

Jan

2025

EN Speech

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Ceasefire in Gaza - the urgent need to release the hostages, to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to pave the way for a two-state solution (debate)

Mr President, dear fellow Europeans, dear colleagues, whoever has met with the families of the hostages, whoever has a heart beating in their chest, could feel nothing but immense joy and relief yesterday evening, when the first three Israeli girls were released after 471 days in captivity. I would like to wholeheartedly thank all those who have worked tirelessly to make this agreement between Isr…

17

Dec

2024

EN Speech

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Toppling of the Syrian regime, its geopolitical implications and the humanitarian situation in the region (debate)

Mr President, dear Vice-President Kallas, many important and true things have already been said by my colleagues, and I would like, therefore, to concentrate on a topic which was maybe not yet highlighted that much in the debate. I was very pleased to hear that you proposed to the Council to convene an Association Council meeting with Israel. This shows that you are focusing rather on dialogue wit…

16

Dec

2024

DE Speech

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A European Innovation Act: lowering the cost of innovating in Europe (debate)

Dear Commissioner, Dear President, Ladies and Gentlemen! Innovation is at the heart of our competitiveness in Europe. But what good are the best ideas if their implementation gets stuck in bureaucracy, high costs and a fragmented single market? With one European Innovation Act we have the opportunity to reduce these barriers by facilitating access to finance, fostering cross-border cooperation and…

16

Dec

2024

DE Speech

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Right to clean drinking water in the EU (debate)

Madam President, Dear colleagues! We need clean drinking water like the air to breathe. The fact that we in Europe generally have very good access to clean drinking water is a civilisational achievement of which we can be proud, but which must also be maintained again and again. One of the most important tasks of the state is to monitor the cleanliness of drinking water. It is therefore very impor…

27

Nov

2024

DE Speech

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Topical debate (Rule 169) - Budapest Declaration on the New European Competitiveness Deal - A future for the farming and manufacturing sectors in the EU (topical debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen! Today is a very important day. Just one hour ago, we launched the new EU Commission, an EU Commission – as President Ursula von der Leyen put it very clearly – that puts Europe’s industry and economy at the forefront of competitiveness. We as the EPP have made a massive commitment to this, and I am very pleased that we…

26

Nov

2024

EN Speech

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Continued escalation in the Middle East: the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, UNRWA’s essential role in the region, the need to release all hostages and the recent ICC arrest warrants (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, there is one single action that could decisively change the situation in Gaza: the release of the hostages by Hamas, unlike an ICC arrest warrant that oversteps its competences. It's been 417 days! The State of Israel has had to fight repeatedly for its survival. The attack of 7 October was not spontaneous: it was backed by extensive military preparations and si…

8

Oct

2024

DE Speech

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Outcome of the Summit of the Future: transforming global governance for building peace, promoting human rights and achieving the sustainable development goals (debate)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen! The United Nations has reached its 75th anniversary. On the occasion of his 100th birthday, he set out to develop a future agenda that has now been presented: better involve young people, understand digitalisation as a new reality, improve the representation of all regions of the world in the Security Council. These are all very legitimate concerns. However, …

17

Sep

2024

DE Speech

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War in the Gaza Strip and the situation in the Middle-East (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner! Today marks a new beginning – both in terms of staff and programme. Time to reflect on what role the European Union should play in the Middle East conflict in the future. We should examine and, above all, control what EU funds are used for, as the EU is currently the strongest in development and humanitarian aid in the Middle East. They must not flow into educational…

17

Sep

2024

DE Speech

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State of the Energy union (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! We are at a turning point. The energy transition must be completed in this legislature. This urgently requires the European Energy Union, i.e. a coordinated European energy policy and pan-European networks. Only with a genuine Energy Union will we increase our competitiveness, reduce energy prices and improve our energy self-sufficiency. Hydrogen s…

16

Sep

2024

DE Speech

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Persistent problems of anti-Semitism in Europe and of other forms of hate speech and hate crimes (debate)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen! Our 2021 strategy has failed. Anti-Semitism in Europe has not diminished – it is stronger than ever before. Jews must feel safe in Europe: This goal was clearly missed. On the contrary: Anti-Semitic attacks have increased massively. People of Jewish faith are afraid to wear their religious symbols publicly. Anti-Semitic smears calling for the annihilation of the…