Speeches

Mr President! The Gender ‑Pay ‑Gap is not an abstract number. It is very concrete in everyday life – on the payroll, on the pension, on the question of whether the money is enough at the end of the month. Women-dominated professions – care, education, retail or social work – are particularly affected. Indispensable work, which is still very poorly paid. Many women also do most of the care work after wage work. This work is still unevenly distributed. That's why women work more part-time. A strong infrastructure would help here, but the Conservatives and the German chancellor seem to think of nothing better than now bragging about longer working hours, dragging on lifestyle ‑ topics and also demanding a higher retirement age. Workers should continue to tighten their belts, while the super-rich continue to celebrate their excesses. Ladies and gentlemen! Gender equality also means an economic order in which profit does not determine the value of labour, but in which every human being can live freely and independently. Clara Zetkin, the initiator of March 8, said: The emancipation of women, like that of the whole human race, will be exclusively the work of the emancipation of labour from capital. And, by the way, to the Commission: Finally implement the Pay Transparency Directive!

Thank you, Madame, for allowing me to ask you this question. Did I understand you correctly? You say that the Pay Transparency Directive would not change structural injustice? But I haven't heard what you want to do specifically. Is it not the case that you are now pretending to be in favour of equal rights for women, but are basically only representing the employer lobby here, if you are now agitating against this pay transparency directive in the same way as BusinessEurope?

Madam President, Four years of war, four years of suffering, death, destruction – this attack by Russia in violation of international law must be clearly condemned! It is equally clear: The war must finally end. People die every day. We are exhausted! Of course, we want a negotiated solution, said a teacher from Kyiv, who was connected with me last week on Deutschlandfunk. Yes, colleagues, Ukrainians need our solidarity, humanitarian aid, a debt reduction, a reconstruction programme for the people. But they don't need geopolitical battle cries at the expense of their lives. Today, Ukraine is far worse militarily and economically than in the Istanbul negotiations, which were also interrupted with accompanying music from the UK, the USA and the EU. Of the 90 billion loans they have pledged to Ukraine, 60 billion are earmarked for weapons, mainly from the EU. Instead of more and more weapons and ammunition, the EU finally needs an exit strategy, a serious diplomatic effort to end the war. Recently, a refugee from Ukraine told me: "Ms Demirel, I know your Ukraine policy and would like to thank you." And yes, that surprised me, because here I know above all battle cries and defamations against peace votes. But this shows: Many people want one thing above all else – that the war stops. Peace is not everything, but without peace everything is nothing, dear colleagues. We don't need a sell-out of Ukraine, and neither Putin, nor NATO, nor their war ability will bring us closer to peace. What will bring us peace is the solidarity of the peoples and the peace movement.

Mr President! The Middle East is the beacon of the cynicism of great powers. Their history is full of wars, foreign determination and external interference. The Kurds were divided into four states. For decades, their existence was denied, they were oppressed. But they built something that gave hope – Rojava. Democratic, equal, for all. They have fought ISIS, and as a thank you they are now being sold by the West. Frau von der Leyen cooperates with al-Sharaa, a former Al ‑ Qaeda ‑ terrorist, promising him billions in aid despite massacres of Alawites, Kurds and Druze. It is silent when Kobane is besieged. But the Kurds have coined a phrase in their history. This sentence means: Resistance is life. The Kurds have fought in their history. They live today, and they will also fight for a democratic, sustainable, just solution in Syria and across the Middle East for all the peoples of the Middle East, no matter what the EU ‑ Commission does, how many dirty deals you still make. They will fight. (The speaker closes her speech in a language that is not an official language of the EU.)

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen. Once again, we are talking about migration – or rather about foreclosure. And once again, migration is declared the mother of all problems. But the real problem is that more and more people are being forced to flee. By dealing with those seeking protection in a society, one can actually see how much humanity or brutality exists. This brutalization is no longer a marginal phenomenon. It is in the system, it is spreading and it is getting louder and louder in this Parliament as well. In a world of wars, exploitation and climate destruction, flight is no coincidence. It is the result of boundless competition and an economic order in which profit maximization is placed above people. Frontex, foreclosure, deportation. People are dying in the Mediterranean. They work with the so-called Libyan Coast Guard, which is known for pushbacks and violence and shots against civilian sea rescue. This is not a necessity, this is your political decision. Isn't it cynical that the arms industry deserves wars that force people to flee, and then deserves the same industry with drones at the external borders? Not only foreclosure, but also deportation is very much on your agenda. Now you want to declare other third countries safe countries of origin. That's why I say, because it's acute and topical: No deportations to Iran, no deportations to Syria, no deportations to Afghanistan! We want to fight for a world where no one is forced to flee.

Mr President! The old world is dying. The new one hasn't been born yet. "It's the time of the monsters," Gramsci wrote 100 years ago. And that's where we stand today. International politics is increasingly dominated by military power. War is no exception. War is calculation. And we see a European Union that is desperately militarised and afraid to get less of the world's cake. This is where the EU's annual report comes in. 86 digits, almost exclusively about rearmament, new weapon systems, military capability. Arms control appears once and is relativized in the same paragraph, namely nuclear deterrence. This, ladies and gentlemen, is not a security policy. This is the policy of war. International law has always been used when it was useful and ignored when it disturbed. But it has never been done as openly as it is at the moment. In Gaza, in the West Bank, war crimes remain inconsequential. In Venezuela, a head of state is kidnapped and nothing is heard of the EU. They even applaud. And our German chancellor speaks of a complex situation. Ladies and gentlemen, these contradictions are not accidental. They are an expression of existing power relations. You have a system. It's in the system. Donald Trump is now questioning NATO. They are sticking to this and at the same time arming the EU for independent wars. This, ladies and gentlemen, will become a policy of disasters. That is why we oppose it. And because no one has mentioned it so far: At the moment it is acute and in Syria the Kurds are being massacred. (The speaker ends the speech in a non-EU language)

Mr President! I only came to Germany at the age of five as a daughter of political refugees. But my grandfather was already part of the guest worker generation in Germany. He came from Anatolia. He was illiterate and did not understand the language. But he knew how to work. He worked shift by shift in the factory. He brought my grandma and his daughters to Germany. My grandmother was a cleaning lady. She insisted that her grandchildren study – so that you do not have to clean the shit of others, she always said to us. She was a woman who was ridiculed a lot, even though she was doing indispensable work. She can sing a song about discrimination. And probably my grandma would be called Aesthetic in cliché books. My grandfather came to return, but he stayed. He and his wife embody a whole generation of guest workers who helped build Germany and Europe, the cityscapes we have. And they did all this without rights, without votes, without recognition. To this day, people face discrimination – in the labour market, in housing, in education – often people who are not on the sunny side of life. And the right-wingers here want a cultural struggle. They're bragging about wokeness. No, I'm not going to fight a cultural battle with them. I'm not fighting for wokeness. I'm fighting for justice, for social security. And that is why I stand for an anti-discrimination law and call on the federal government to finally implement it.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen. The EU's only active industrial policy is: Upgrade, upgrade, upgrade. EDIP is the transition to a war economy. War economy means that all areas of public life and production are subordinated to the needs and needs of war. This program is a dangerous turning point, a turning point at the expense of social standards, environmental standards and occupational health and safety. Economically, this is also a mistake. Investments in armaments are dead capital. Armor can only be produced endlessly as long as there is a corresponding need in the event of war – or artificially produced. In wars themselves, the children of the elites rarely die. Instead of satisfying social needs, funds are diverted. Not only that: The crisis mechanism can explicitly suspend the Working Time Directive. Fundamental and hard-won achievements of the workers and the trade unions are currently at the disposition. This is not just about the 1.5 billion euros, but about the political choices. They systematically channel public and private investment into the defence industry. The militarization is financed, the finances are militarized. While more than 72 million people in the EU are at risk of poverty, social and civil budgets are to be cut. A non-transparent body can then force companies to produce. For employees, this means: Overtime, pressure and dismantling of trade union rights. We will reject this, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you for allowing the interlocutory question. I have two questions for you because you keep telling this story that Russia will invade Europe tomorrow. How do you explain the fact that Russia has been at war with the much weaker Ukraine for three years and is not winning this war? They tell me Ukraine can win this war. At the same time, you say Russia can attack the EU, attack NATO countries that are much more equipped, militarily, by equipment, by spending. How does your story fit together? Or are you trying to sell us all for stupid?

Mr President! “I always thought everyone was against the war until I found out that there are those who are for it, especially those who don’t have to go”. I had to think of this quote from Remarque very often in the last few days. Ladies and gentlemen, it is no longer the United States, as it was at the beginning, that is blocking a peace agreement. Russia shouts: We won the war, and the EU replies: We want peace, but first we have to win. What we are witnessing is already a hybrid war, and every day more and more there is a real threat of a great hot war, a great hot war between different world powers – economic and military. Ladies and gentlemen, I ask myself more every day: Have you forgotten the history of this continent with two world wars? I know that appeals to your reason no longer work. That is why I appeal to the people of Europe. Deny yourselves war, deny yourselves in Russia, in Ukraine, but also deny yourselves the war preparations of the European Union!

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen. You want to talk about more security in our cities? The growing crime? I'd love to. Let's talk about growing social inequality. Let's talk about how public authorities have actually been thinned out by the EU's stipulations in recent years, and also the public service. Let's talk about how many unpaid overtime hours the police push for unnecessary border controls. Instead of talking about the use of dangerous tasers or rubber bullets in Europe, let's look for real solutions. Dear colleagues! The current pictures of police operations speak volumes. You're burning the police for your wrong policy. We saw this in France when the police were supposed to beat up the workers for an anti-social pension reform. We see this in Germany when the police are to beat up pro-Palestine ‑ solidarity demonstrations on behalf of the German raison d'être. Colleagues, stop the authoritarian transformation of the state!

Thank you, Mr Colleague, for allowing the interlocutory question. You just stressed once again that Hamas would somehow break the ceasefire and bring terror to Israel and Palestine. I would like to ask you: Have you ever noticed that the Middle East conflict is much older and has been going on longer than Islamist Hamas exists? If you have taken note of it, would you please also take note of the fact that the Palestinians' right to self-determination is crucial in order to permanently pacify the Middle East conflict? This is the path to peace. And that's not what the Trump plan does. What do you say to that?

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, It is not uncommon for employees and Euro works councils to experience closures or collective redundancies in the press. There must be an end to this! Companies that undermine the statutory right to consultation and co-determination of trade unions must finally be consistently sanctioned. Co-determination is not a nice-to-have. Trade unions are strengthened. Mass layoffs, attacks on workers' rights and social cuts are currently on the rise across Europe. The sleepy restructuring of the industry and your call for competition and war ability are causing casualties. It is clear: Hard struggles are imminent that seek to attack the social achievements of the workers' movement. But workers and trade unions are already showing how there is resistance, for example in Greece with the general strike against the extension of working hours or in Italy against complicity in the Gaza genocide. These examples need to be multiplied, and social clear-cutting needs to be repelled, ladies and gentlemen.

Madam President, “We need a drone wall” echoes from the defence industry. This follows the logic of escalation. Ladies and gentlemen, mutual hybrid warfare has been going on for a long time, and it is becoming ever more acute. It would be wrong to claim that hybrid warfare and attacks are an invention of only one actor, i.e. only Russia. The EU has also repeatedly resorted to such means: Regime change-discourses, sabotage, covert military operations, direct or indirect influence on developments in other countries - this is part of the standard repertoire of all major powers, especially the NATO states. Please don't misunderstand me. Any intentional, potentially dangerous violation of airspace is a clear violation of international law and must, of course, also be condemned. But the response to this should be proportionate, evidence-based, and de-escalating. What we urgently need are confidence-building measures: Negotiations and arms control agreements, such as the return of the US and Russia to the Open Skies Agreement. But instead, we are witnessing a hysterical debate with disproportionate demands that continues to fuel tensions and make a hot war more likely. A debate that avoids words such as peace and relaxation is extremely dangerous, dear colleagues. We don't have to be warlike, we have to be peaceable again. This is security policy. Please come back to real security policy in the interest of the people.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen. The catastrophic situation of women and girls in Afghanistan is intensifying. The earthquake has exacerbated the situation. Under the Taliban, women in Afghanistan are effectively excluded from public life, education, aid, medicine. Gender apartheid prevails and the situation is marked by crimes against humanity. Colleagues! 20 years of NATO war have proven that war intensifies – not improves – violence against women. With the chaotic withdrawal, the Taliban has even been left with high-tech torture equipment and spyware. The current negotiations between the EU Member States and the Taliban for faster deportations have proven that they do not stand for noble values. Crocodile tears actually don't help the local people. What Afghans need are humanitarian aid, negotiations to strengthen women's rights, family reunification in Europe and an end to deportations to Afghanistan. What they don't need are considerations for new war games in the Middle East.

Mr President! Here, the right-wing populists spread hatred and incitement unabashedly. They spray their poison and want to play people off against each other. The problem, however, is that the policies of the Commission, the leaders, and the kneeling of the conservatives are increasingly opening the door for the right to move forward. You say you want to talk about women's rights and children's rights? Let's talk about femicide. Let's talk about domestic violence. Let's talk about how we can expand women's shelters! You don't want that, you don't want a solution. Want to talk about children's rights? Let's talk about family poverty. Let's talk about the fact that we don't have equal opportunities in education! Let's talk about people's real problems, about pensions, about social policy! You don't want that, because the super-rich donate a lot of money for your cutlet parties. Dear colleagues, you want to incite hatred and hate speech, you don't want solutions, you don't want answers. We finally want the real debates that really interest the citizens here in this country or in Europe. Do that! Stop your hate-and-hate-politics!

Madam President, The CDU deputy Hildegard Bentele has just stood here and asserted in all seriousness that Israel is just solving the Middle East conflict militarily. I want to say very clearly: Israel is not solving anything. Israel is committing a genocide, a genocide in the livestream, and still gets applause from the conservative corner here in the house. That's unbearable! But Hildegard Bentele is unimportant. Mrs Kallas, you and Mrs von der Leyen and Mr Merz and all the others are still giving the green light to this inhumane policy. Today it was Freedom Flotilla attacked; This is illegal. The blockade of Gaza is illegal. Why are you silent about this? Why don't you condemn that? It needs justice for the Palestinians, it needs peace for the Palestinians – you just talk. Your double standard is no longer accepted by anyone in this world, you finally understand. You have to get up! History will judge you, Mrs. Kallas! It will judge all those who have supported it.

Madam President, Mrs. Kallas, you are proud to have the 19th. Sanctions package announced. But I would like to ask you: What action have you taken now during the genocide of the Palestinians against Israel? When do you want to suspend the EU Association Agreement? I think at that point your double standard becomes pretty, pretty clear. Ladies and gentlemen, for three years now I have been listening to speeches that Ukraine is about a war of ‘autocracy versus democracy’. And of course, the Putin regime stands for an autocratic policy. But is it true that Mr Zelenskyy and Ukraine are so democratic? I mean, Mr. Zelenskyy is not only known for his corrupt offshore deals. It is also the case that in Ukraine at the moment trade union rights are being eroded, any opposition party has been banned, and no matter what one's attitude towards these parties – this does not necessarily stand for democracy! What about workers' rights? What about the unionists who are under house arrest? All this, ladies and gentlemen, makes it clear that this is not a question of democracy, but of harsh geopolitics on your part. I want to make it clear: If you already say – before you sit at the negotiating table – that you now want to install troops in Ukraine, Ms Kallas, as you and Ms von der Leyen announced, that is simply untenable. This is illustrated by: They don't want peace. But the people of Europe stand for peace in Ukraine, in Europe and worldwide!

Madam President, I refer to Article 188(2). You declared our amendment inadmissible. A motion that makes it clear that returns to Syria are irresponsible in the face of systematic violence against Alevis, Druze and Christians. Your decision, Madam President, was not a formal decision, but a political one. Yes, our request put a finger in the wound. The Syrian interim government consists of former al-Qaeda militias and is still courted by Trump and EU presidents. As always, you are concerned about geopolitical influence in the Middle East and about rapid returns and deportations of refugees at any cost. If the Left names this in a resolution, Madam President, will you tell us that it has nothing to do with the subject? Oh, yes, Madam President, that's it. Protection and the basic human right to asylum are not subordinated to political arbitrariness. We defend universal human rights. The EU's policy is cynical and Madam President, I am sorry, but your decision on our amendment was clearly politically motivated by you. We find that unacceptable. We will continue to put our fingers in the wound.

Madam President, I refer to Article 188(2). You declared our amendment inadmissible. A motion that makes it clear that returns to Syria are irresponsible in the face of systematic violence against Alevis, Druze and Christians. Your decision, Madam President, was not a formal decision, but a political one. Yes, our request put a finger in the wound. The Syrian interim government consists of former al-Qaeda militias and is still courted by Trump and EU presidents. As always, you are concerned about geopolitical influence in the Middle East and about rapid returns and deportations of refugees at any cost. If the Left names this in a resolution, Madam President, will you tell us that it has nothing to do with the subject? Oh, yes, Madam President, that's it. Protection and the basic human right to asylum are not subordinated to political arbitrariness. We defend universal human rights. The EU's policy is cynical and Madam President, I am sorry, but your decision on our amendment was clearly politically motivated by you. We find that unacceptable. We will continue to put our fingers in the wound.