Speeches

Madam President, Commissioner Kubilius! Two trillion euros – we could make up to two trillion euros of unnecessary debt if we do not finally manage to get a single market for defence. This is an opinion from the Commission. Because we have to pay up to 30 percent more in debt, we have to pay more in interest if we can't finally build a competitive single market. We need defense, we need the best defense to protect our people. And we do not need people here in the Commission, in Parliament and also in the Member States - who are not represented again today - who are trying to make these two trillion euros disappear into some silos in the Member States. No, we don't need that, Mr. Kubilius! That is why we need courage, we need you as our man in the Commission - also to this Council - who says with all his might: We need defense, now and for sure. And Mr. Kubilius, that's not something. Two trillion euros means 2,000 billion euros, one billion is 1,000 million – an incredible number that needs to be protected now. Please stand up for it.

Madam President, Commissioner Kubilius! Learning from mistakes means being able to defend yourself. We see that Member States have at least realised that we need to invest more in defence – around 750 billion in 2024 and 2025. But what we see: The necessary reforms are lacking, and I am very, very grateful to you for addressing this as well. It cannot be that we have Member States of the European Union – Mr Reuten is absolutely right – which simply prevent the European single market. This means that with the money we have to pay up to 30% more for the armaments. What we also learn is that warfare has completely changed as a result of Russia's attack on Ukraine. And this means that we also have to modernize our defence and ultimately also need the partners in NATO, because we can learn from everything together. Mr. Kubilius, I wish you a lot of strength. Please go to the informal Council on Thursday and explain to the Member States that this cannot continue. You are the pioneer of this Parliament. We have a strong alliance between the Commission and Parliament, and the Member States must finally understand that we must become modernly defence-ready.

Madam President, Commissioner Dombrovskis, Madam President Lagarde! Mrs Lagarde, during your term in office, we have unfortunately had to experience that inflation has been higher than ever before. We have talked about this very much and very often here in this House. At the end of the day, I'll stick with it: I think there were mistakes made by the ECB. It's okay to make mistakes. You have to correct the mistakes. I want to be very clear, Mrs Lagarde, in recent years you have gained confidence in me. We see that bond purchases are being stopped. We see that Article 123 of the Treaty is respected, which clearly prohibits the co-financing of states. That's the way to go. Create trust by taking the right path again. I am incredibly pleased that you are also giving cautionary words to the Commission here – Mr Dombrovskis, have you listened? She said very clearly: We need to talk about the banking union, but not to the detriment of the top performers. A banking union that ensures that not all deposits are thrown into one pot, but those of the righteous. But she also said very clearly: We need a simplification agenda. Mr Dombrovskis, be brave, we need a deregulation agenda. I know it is not always easy with your Commission President, but join the other Commissioners in your field. We need deregulation to make the economy work. Then Mrs Lagarde also has an easier time with the stable euro. And I think that's the right direction. We don't need new barrels to open.

Madam President, Madam Executive Vice-President of the Commission! Today, not because we want to, but because we need to, we have to talk again about a case in Hong Kong where, tragically, one person, Jimmy Lai, represents a very large number of people. Jimmy Lai campaigned for freedom of expression in Hong Kong, and he did so rightly, because the 1984 Treaty clearly gave Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy until 2047. Unfortunately, China has not adhered to this agreement. Now Jimmy Lai was certainly arrested as a symbol that he not only said what he thought, but also as a publisher, as a journalist, wrote what the people of Hong Kong said. If, as a British citizen, you are arrested for saying what you think, then, of course, as a European Union, we must react to that. This is a serious breach of trust that we cannot tolerate. He was then held in solitary confinement for over 1,800 days, and now there is a verdict that could lead to his death in prison at the end of the day. Commissioner, tomorrow you will see that we will vote in favour of this resolution by a large majority. The Commission is very self-confident on all matters we have relating to China. I would ask you to take the outcome of the European Parliament to the Commission tomorrow and to actually call on the Council to act now not only with words, but also with sanctions, with actions - as Mrs Lexmann has said with regard to the WTO special zone. But also, one thing is clear, tell the Member States that we can no longer deport people to China because we do not know whether they can still express their opinion there.

Madam President, dear Minister, dear Commissioner! We obviously do not have a problem of knowledge in this House, because 99% of the speakers say one thing: The European Union has badly burned its hand. Very badly, the European Union has put its hand on the hearth by allowing a monopolist to have the rare earths we need in all sectors, from health to security and defence. However, we already suspected this in this Parliament in 2023, and that is why we took the first decisions in 2023, which can lead the Commission, but also the Council, to take the right decisions. And what do I see? Members of the European Union travel the world, distributing millions and billions at any conference. The Commission under Ms von der Leyen is spending EUR 4.8 billion on NGOs that do not generate one euro in the European Union, instead of taking these millions and investing in promoting rare earth mining in the European Union. This money belongs in the Mining factory in Europe. And if we succeed in destroying this monopoly, then we will again be able to operate reasonably in the European Union. Since 1958, there has been an antitrust office in Germany, which knows that monopolies are bad, and here it is allowed.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, The fine of almost three billion euros against Google is right and important, because it sends a clear signal: No one, but really no one, is above European law. And it's important that we cement it now. Another sign, however, is that the European single market needs fairness. And when we talk about the need for fairness in the internal market, we also need deregulation in the internal market, because we have excellent entrepreneurs in Europe. The problem is: Especially in the digital sector, we are crushing them into bureaucracy. We have no capital for these companies, and they migrate to the U.S. and are then scaled there. Therefore: Have the courage! Take these 2,950 million euros and give 2,950 start-ups in Europe one million euros each. And have the courage: Give us back the right of initiative in the European Parliament – and I tell you: We will complete the Digital Single Market in Europe within six months. Have that courage, you hear the speeches. We are ready in the European Parliament. The Commission and the Council need the courage to give us power.

Mr President, Commissioner! We want climate protection with reason and innovation and not with the ban on combustion engines. By 2019, we had a functioning car industry in the European Union. Then the CDU and CSU managed to make Mrs von der Leyen President of the Commission. In 2020, Ms von der Leyen, with her majority in the European Parliament, decided to put an end to this incinerator and destroyed billions in value in the European Union. Commissioner, you are standing here and defending Mrs von der Leyen and her majority here. With these billions that have been destroyed in our economy, we could have done very, very much climate protection in the European Union, could have planted very, very, very many trees that CO2 bind. This is the serious problem: We need innovation and less ideology that Mrs von der Leyen has brought to this Parliament. I believe that we can do this without prohibitions, but with reasonable ideas and with science. And we have to work on that.

Mr Sieper, thank you very much for your question. The China issue is a very important issue. We have seen that at the BRICS meeting, sincere hugs have taken place. We have to be careful here, too. In the end, I think – as I said clearly in my speech – we have made the mistake of not treating India properly in recent years. That is why I say very clearly: We need to work more closely with a country like India, which has values similar to ours – I would not say the same values. We need this free trade agreement, but we must not lose our credibility. If we lose our credibility, we lose our democracy at the end of the day. This must also be defended in India and also in China.

Mr President, Commissioner Lahbib! Thank you very much for your speech. It's all about what you said. Here, as the European Commission, as the European Parliament, we want to take relations with India to the next level. This is the step we want to take now. From Parliament's point of view, it is clear that: The step is too late. We, including the Member States, should have worked better with India much, much earlier. We have failed to do so here in the European Parliament, but also in the Member States. But now it is also clear: We must not be blind, we must not lose our credibility. Yes, we want to work more with India here in the house. We want to develop India, so to speak, as a great democracy, as the greatest democracy with us in a win-win situation. But we must not lose our credibility either. By this I mean quite clearly: If we impose sanctions on corporations from all over the world for supporting Russia's war, we must do the same in India if a free trade agreement is to be reached. I say very clearly: We want a free trade agreement with India. But clearly: We must not lose our credibility as Democrats. Please do your best to conclude a reasonable agreement with India. We in Parliament will support you in this.

Madam President, Madam Commissioner! We are talking today about Mr Draghi and his report, and I am really not a friend of Mr Draghi and his policies; at the latest after ‘Whatever it takes“and the crisis he brought the eurozone to – questionable. But here you have to be very clear: Commissioner, you are right. Mr Draghi's report shows the impasse that Mrs von der Leyen has brought to the European Union; And you have to imagine that! International markets are exploding; consumption increases simply because the population continues to rise; More and more people are being born; You can sell everything, you can produce, you can grow. And we manage to bring the European Union into an economic crisis in this environment of international growth! And the answer - and I was a little scared, Commissioner - is that you said that we would then direct the savers of the European Union to where it is right. It is not our job as a policy to steer capital flows; This is a planned economy, not a market economy. Mrs Lalucq, your statement that we do not want to deregulate shows the direction in which it is going. But, Commissioner, one more clear statement: This report clearly states that there will be a European deposit guarantee scheme. This is not the case with German savers. I hope that the Council and Germany will continue to block this report. It cannot be that German savers have to pay deposit insurance twice and then have to be liable twice. (The speaker rejected questions about the ‘blue card’ procedure by Bogdan Rzońca and Lukas Sieper.)

Madam President, Commissioner, Madam President of the Commission von der Leyen - welcome to our House! We are discussing today – very importantly – the Summit we have at the end of this month. Mrs von der Leyen, I would like to give you three points that you might be able to put forward from the point of view of the European Parliament. economy. In business, in the last mandate, Mrs von der Leyen, we fought passionately to ensure that we could actually extract rare earths and raw materials in the European Union. If you ask me, the Commission may indeed have been a bit deluded in its implementation after the decision we have taken here in the European Parliament. Hence the clear mandate: Please, we need more extraction of rare earths, but also of all other raw materials in the European Union. Why? In fact, 98% of the rare earths we need in the European Union come from China – 98%! We are almost completely dependent on China. The only way to get us into a better negotiating position is to dismantle ourselves and not to build up dependencies with other third countries. Hence the appeal: We need dismantling. We need a European mine program, a task force mine. The other is security policy. I was frightened by what Foreign Minister Yi said when he visited Ms Kallas last week in relation to China. I think you have to address that, you have to address that. This is a key issue for us here in the European Parliament – security. And a third point, that is human rights, Mrs von der Leyen. If you travel to China now, the Chinese are in a better negotiating position because we have made mistakes in the European Union. Please, if you give anything, not a millimeter in human rights! These are the lessons of World War II. As the European Parliament, we are very clear about this and there will be no deviation from us here. Mrs. von der Leyen, I wish you every success over there.

Mr President, Honourable High Representative! We are discussing the NATO summit, and it is a really important discussion. I am pleased that the European Union is finally realizing that security does not exist in vain and that we must also work for our security and also pay for our security. The teachings of human history also show that a world that would be possible without defence, without security, does not exist. That is why it is very important that we now assume this responsibility within NATO and also become a strong voice as the European Union. That means we need a voice. Dear Ms Kallas, I trust you – you are a strong woman: Be the voice of European security, be the voice of European defence! This means not only telling the other ten non-EU member states in NATO where we are in the European Union, but also driving reforms within the European Union. Because one thing is right: We have heard today that we are spending over 300 billion euros on defence and are not able to defend ourselves as a European Union. It really can't be. We have also heard colleagues who have said very clearly: We also need to rethink our defense, we need to have a serious air defense. When I hear the left here in the house spending a lot of money on education and defense, on hospitals, I want to call on them: Then what are our hospitals worth if rockets fall on them afterwards? We need a European air defense. But we also need a cyber defense, where we are constantly being attacked. That's very, very clear. But it is also very clear: We need to move away from heavy weapons systems. We need drones in all areas, at sea, in the air and on the ground, so that we can ultimately protect so many lives on European soil even in a defensive case. Mrs Kallas, support this reform within the European Union; then we are very, very strong on the outside and can also tell NATO where it is going – and we have to do that!

Mr President, Commissioner Séjourné! Thank you for being with us today. Eighty years after the end of the Second World War, we remember and commemorate a very important thing here in Parliament. Millions of people, millions of innocent people were brutally murdered because of ideologies. They were invaded. Everything was taken away from them, including life in the end. And this remembrance must be a reminder to us – a reminder of what ideologies do. And many, including in this House, seem not to have properly perceived this commemoration, as they are once again travelling in their Member States with hatred, ideologies and simple solutions, dividing the European Union and betraying their own people by saying: We have the simple solution. I appeal to you: We must together seek the commonalities of the European Union, especially at this time when the threat at the borders of the European Union is once again greater than ever, and stop the warning we have heard here in this House today. We must work together to find a solution without ideologies.

Madam President, Commissioner! We are deeply concerned about the death of Tibetan cleric Tulku Hungkar Dorje in Vietnam and demand a transparent explanation of his death. It cannot be and it is absolutely incomprehensible that, according to reports, his body was cremated without the consent of his family, and many more questions arise. Commissioner, you in particular know how important freedom of religion is. They come from a Member State where this is also an intensive issue. We must not take away from people their hope, their faith and their religion. That is why I ask you to actually talk about it with the Commissioner and with the whole Commission. It cannot be that a peaceful Buddhist religion is to be systematically eradicated here and the world is watching. That is why, Commissioner, take this one message with you here and take it seriously.

Mr President, Commissioner! I agree with your assessment. It is simply the case that people are most concerned about inflation in the European Union because they realize that housing is becoming more expensive, shopping is becoming more expensive and life is becoming more unaffordable. But it is the Commission with its proposals and the parliamentary majority that is to blame, Commissioner, and no one else. If you want to solve the problem, Commissioner, you have to start reforming. The Commission, Mrs von der Leyen, has tried with 750 billion yes – more debt and nothing has helped. Now, if you say you want to invest more money in housing, I'll tell you: This also backfires, Commissioner. If you want more housing to be built in the European Union, Commissioner, you must ensure that people who have saved money are ready to invest money in housing again. Renting out must pay off again and must not be crushed by bureaucracy. We need deregulation in housing. The standards are far too high. Then the prices will go down, and companies will build again. So, Commissioner, do the right thing and do not do the wrong thing again.

Mr President, Commissioner! What are we talking about today? 40 people have been deported from Thailand to China. And the really tragic thing is that we are discussing it today, because we already know about the deportation for several weeks. And we had already demanded with a group of MEPs in the last plenary week in Strasbourg that we have this debate before people are deported from Thailand to China. 40 people, who - and this is the tragedy of it - should also be welcomed by other states, non-European states. We have seen credible reports that other countries have said: We accept these 40 people, don't push them back to China. And we are postponing this debate because a delegation from the European Parliament, Mr Vice-President, which has approved the Bureau in which you are sitting, is going to Thailand. So if this isn't a tragedy and if we don't have to be ashamed of it, then I don't know what we're doing right and wrong. And that's why, please, when this comes back: That mustn't happen again. And the other is: These are 40 people who belong to a minority, the Uyghurs, and believe me, they do not arrive there in the best way, but they will probably have to experience very bad reprisals there as well as the other Uyghurs, and that must not be the case.

Dear President Metsola, dear Commissioner! Let's find out where we stand: By 2019, the European Union had a healthy and functioning automotive industry. Then Mrs von der Leyen came into office and we managed to push our automotive industry into crisis with her agenda and her Commission – that is the reality. So we have made political mistakes in the Commission, and unfortunately Parliament has confirmed these mistakes by a majority. Now we have sunk billions and financed other car companies with the European mistakes. Now, let's not go on with the mistakes! Commissioner, have the courage to give our car companies the opportunity to sell their cars! At the end of the day, it's like a smartphone: People google the smartphone with the longest runtime and buy it whether they need it or not. And so it is with the car, Commissioner: Unless there is a battery that can make 1000 kilometers, people will not trust the cars, the electric cars; Whether you need it or not is upset. But we need to push the technology forward, not any bans. Release all technologies, let the market decide! I believe in our automotive companies and not in Mrs von der Leyen's ideas.

Mr President, Commissioner Kubilius! We actually have a very important and historical discussion today, and I wish you a lot of strength. I believe that you are the right Commissioner at the right time, and yes, we also need a strong Commissioner in the field of defence, because we German Members in particular have not had good experiences with Mrs von der Leyen in the field of defence. In this sense, we strengthen your back, and please do not disappoint us. When I hear the speeches here from the extreme right and the extreme left, as they suggest to us that we as Europeans want war, then I really feel bad. If you look at how historically forgetful these colleagues are, from the left and right, then these colleagues should look less TikTok, so that their knowledge is not limited to 30 or 60 seconds, but should just read a bit more in the history books. Vladimir Putin attacked the Chechens immediately after his first election as President of Russia, in 1999. This man has been killing people on this continent and on the borders of his continent since 1999, for 25 years, and also indirectly in Africa with his Wagner group and also on behalf of Syria and everywhere else. We need to be able to defend ourselves in order to finally stop this man so that he knows: It doesn't go on like this! All his followers, when he is with God, we must also set a sign.

Mr President! Dear President Lagarde, Dear Commissioner, Thank you very much, Mrs. Lagarde, for staying with us again. I am very happy to be able to discuss with you here or in committee again and again. Because I think the exchange in such difficult times is really important and important. Ms Lagarde, I would like to comment on the current report – but this is related to an interview you gave me on 31 January in the Financial Times. Congratulations on this great interview! You wrote or gave it together with Mrs. von der Leyen. There is precisely the problem, Mrs Lagarde, you hear it here from many colleagues: market neutrality and price stability. Many of our colleagues in the House, who are real experts in finance, feel that somewhere the neutrality of our ECB has been lost – and that you are dangerously close to the Commission and to heads of state. That is why I think it is really difficult to read a joint interview, although you, and I would like to commend you, Mrs Lagarde – the points you mentioned in the interview are just right. You said we need to reduce overregulation in the banking sector. The answer is very simple. Here in this house the big mistake: Taxonomy and ESG – a complete overregulation of the banking system. Then you have rightly criticised the fact that companies do not provide sufficient funding to finance our companies. Yes, down hard equity ratio, that's the answer. Then another point: energy prices. Of course, energy prices are far too high. The answer to that: We need more fossil gas from as many suppliers as possible. Mrs. Lagarde, my sincere request: Come back to neutrality and do not listen to the left part of this house. To question market neutrality is to destroy the euro and thus drive our democracy to the wall.

Dear Vice-President, Dear Commissioner! Dear Commissioner, I would like to speak to you today in particular. In the European Union, we are responsible for many things, above all for the health, physical health and also for the mental health of people. In terms of physical health, we are completely over-regulated. When we look at what regulations we have with us when a piece of cheese is made, from the cow, what she gets to eat in the barn, to what comes out of the cow in the back, to the product with a list of ingredients in the supermarket – again and again checks, checks. And once there is some plastic in a piece of cheese, we pull back tons of cheese and destroy it so that there is no physical damage. As far as mental health is concerned, we are looking away, Commissioner. And you have it in your hand. They have in their hands what the mental health of future generations is like. If we don't get the ingredients list, the algorithm of TikTok, then I urge you to ban TikTok! We do this for every food, but not for the algorithm – and that is your responsibility.

Mr President, Madam Vice-President and Commissioner for Foreign Affairs of the European Union! Good news for the European Union is that Syria has been liberated by a murderous dictator and probably the largest drug producer and drug trafficker the region down there has ever seen. But we need to continue the good news. This morning we heard that the militias should be disbanded and transferred to the Syrian army. A real and important sign from the militia leaders that they show that they want to do what they say. In our language, however, we should not move in these left-right coordinates, but should clearly determine what we want in Europe. We Europeans must now help Syrians – clearly – rebuild medical care on the ground, rebuild local schools, rebuild local agriculture, but also help Syria rebuild its own army so that they can defend their own borders. Then we can send our police officers down to build a rule of law. That must be our language, and we must stop this black and white painting that we have heard in Parliament today.