What Manon spoke about.

Mr President, Minister, Commissioner, do you see this little piece of Lego? That's all that's left of a kindergarten south of Beirut, sprayed by an Israeli bomb. I promised the sisters running this school to bring him back here with this question: Why is the European Union doing nothing about these atrocities? And since you refuse to see these atrocities, I also brought you this Israeli missile debris that hit a center for people with disabilities. Since you refuse to see them, I will speak to you here in this Chamber about those I met in Lebanon. Thirteen-year-old Dali, who lost his mother, part of his skull and legs under an Israeli bomb. Danan, four, amputated both legs, who lost his parents in the explosion of his house. Commissioner, what will you tell them? That the EU preferred to procrastinate rather than end its complicity? Twelve children are killed or injured every day in Lebanon. Even more so since the so-called ceasefire of 17 April. So how can we believe that the one announced this week will be respected? In a few days, the Israeli army has already targeted Beirut and southern Lebanon. The blood of these children, Commissioner, Minister, will also be on your hands as long as you refuse to sanction Netanyahu and suspend the association agreement between the European Union and Israel, as requested by more than a million European citizens. If the greats of this world, gathered at the G7 or the European Council, had even an ounce of humanity, this is what they would do rather than umpteenth palavers, so that one day the children of Lebanon will learn again to read in schools rather than to protect themselves from bombs.

Thanks for your question. It is quite interesting that the EPP all of the sudden cares about European workers. You do not care so much about European workers when it is about killing our protection for European workers. When it comes to SMEs and companies, do you really think that a 50 % rate for European products that enter the US market, versus 0 % for American products to enter the EU market, will really favour the economy? Will it really favour our companies? I think there is a bit of economy that is lost there.

Madam President, our request was to add another debate, not to replace. I must say that the 'one in, one out' principle not only gathered a wide support in the last Conference of Presidents, but I want to recall Rule 164: 'at the beginning of each part-session, Parliament shall adopt its agenda. A committee, a political group or at least one tenth of the Members may propose one amendment to the final draft agenda'. This is exactly what we are proposing and we are refusing that our plenary session is withdrawing its sovereign rights to actually change at the opening of the session. So, sorry to say, we have not proposed that it should be replaced from the Return Regulation debate that is very much needed, but just to be added. I refuse that our plenary is withdrawing its capacity to decide on its own agenda. I think it was also very clear in the last Conference of Presidents.

Ms Kallas, you say that you have no leverage over Israel, yet you said a little earlier that you talk to the Israelis every day and every day. I note that the word of the Palestinians does not count. And I would also point out that because of your inability to mobilise the Member States, you did not have the same indulgence when it came to taking sanctions, rightly, against Vladimir Putin’s Russia. So I ask you this question: Is the life of a Palestinian worth less than the life of a Ukrainian? I say this to you with anger because, you see, for the last two years, we have had enough of these palavers and what we want is acts and sanctions. And you will remain in history as having blood – the blood of the Palestinians – on your hands, as long as you have not put an end to this complicity.

Madam President, Mrs Kallas, Benjamin Netanyahu has been slaughtering the Palestinian people for two years, obstructing humanitarian aid, starving the population, illegally expanding its occupation in the West Bank and pillaging the Gaza Strip, and now Lebanon. And last week, you announced sanctions. So we were like, finally, there will be sanctions against Netanyahu, who is the subject of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, against his ministers, Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, who theorise about genocide. But no! The only sanctions you take are against four organisations and three people. I'm sorry, Mrs. Kallas, but who are you kidding? How can you look in the mirror? Is this the European Union’s response to the 73,000 deaths, to the ongoing genocide? More than one million citizens have signed a European Citizens' Initiative calling for the suspension of the Association Agreement. There are even senior EU officials, your predecessor, Josep Borrell, who are asking for it. So I solemnly ask you today: there is no need for unanimity to suspend the commercial part of the agreement. So when are you going to make this proposal concretely and put it on the table?

Mr President, a drink is not acceptable. Silence is not consenting. Smiling is not consenting. Sleeping by his side is not consenting. Taking off your clothes or being in a relationship is not necessarily consenting either. Ceding is not consenting. How many women have ever been in this situation? Because the problem is that, in most European states, the law on sexual violence does not recognize this notion of consent and sexual abusers can enjoy total impunity. Imagine if more than 90% of burglars were left free without being prosecuted. This is exactly what happens with the perpetrators of rape. We've wasted enough time. This definition of rape at the European level could have been adopted two years ago, if Emmanuel Macron had not allied himself with other states to prevent it. With this text, the European Parliament today sends a strong signal that the European Commission cannot ignore: Men have no rights over women's bodies, and soon we will enshrine in the law: Sexual intercourse without consent is rape. Only yes means yes, solo sí es sí, only a yes is a yes.

Mr. Speaker, I am quite surprised because, usually, at the National Rally, you like to talk about zero impunity for all offenders. But, strangely, as soon as it comes to rapists and aggressors in terms of gender-based and sexual violence, there, you no longer take impunity zero; If not, sometimes you even go so far as to copy and paste your racist ideologies when men all have one thing in common: Those who violate are men. So, Mrs Androuët, I would like to ask you this simple question: Since you're talking about zero impunity, is women's bodies worth less to you than a stolen phone?

Madam President, being LGBTI is not a disease. Yet which gay, lesbian or trans person hasn't already heard from their loved ones or family "it'll pass you, you'll heal"? Like it's a choice, like it's a fashion, like it's a disease. But one does not heal from one's sexual orientation or gender, because it is an integral part of one's identity. To deny this is to deny the very existence of LGBTI people. Yet in 21 European states, conversion therapies are still possible. Hundreds of thousands of people are victims. These barbaric practices inflict such suffering, physical or mental, that they are considered torture by several UN rapporteurs. So, far-right colleagues, you will never invent the vaccine against homosexuality or trans-identity. Your hate speech against LGBTI people speaks volumes about your vision of society: a patriarchal world in which relations of domination continue. So I would like here, from this Chamber of the European Parliament, to address all gay, lesbian, transgender and queer people: we will never let the far right prevail and deny your very existence. Fortunately, the antibodies of LGBTI people are stronger, stronger than the hatred of the far right. And more than 1.2 million people have signed a European Citizens' Initiative to ban conversion therapies. To them, I want to tell them that we are by their side. And now it is up to you, the European Commission, to act. Its prohibition must be total and must not be subject to any exception, either in terms of sexual orientation or gender identity. Commissioner, you cannot just be a spectator of this debate, but you must act, act because there is no longer any time to wait. For if there is one thing that our societies must heal, it is fascism and its homophobia and transphobia.

Madam President, I shall begin with three simple words: taxing the rich. I say this because, obviously, these words here are taboo. Officially, the European Semester serves to ensure the balance of public finances, but each time you look collectively on the same side. We should absolutely cut pension spending, health care spending, but never look at the revenue side, never tax the ultra-rich, never tax the multinationals. On all these subjects, radio silence. You never propose to go and get the money where it really is. And how can the other leftist groups, the Greens and the Socialists, accept this logic? When you finally open the door to a little budget flexibility, that only applies to military spending. I proposed that it could also apply to expenses related to health crises or natural disasters, but you refused. As usual, your mantra is: money for tanks, yes, but not for hospitals. So I say it again here, and for as long as it takes and these words will be taboo in this Chamber: taxing the rich.

Madam President, I would like to say, of course, all our emotion for Coco, because Coco's life is the lives of millions of young women who suffer this harassment on a daily basis and for whom we must, of course, also question the responsibility of platforms in controlling this content. Allow me, since it is International Women's Day, to make a useful reminder. March 8 is International Women's Day and not just "Women's Day". Because, these rights, we have won them with great struggle. And when I still see the far right exploiting, as you do, women's rights, women's rights, to better instigate your rational, racist votes, to attack foreigners – don't mind, 90% of sexist and sexual violence is committed by our husbands, is committed by our brothers, your friends and carries no religion. They're men. And as long as we let the extreme right attack our rights, vote systematically against parity, systematically against the means for gender-based and sexual violence, you will find us on your way.

Madam President, I would like to make a point of order based on Rule 10, concerning the code of conduct for Members of Parliament. This morning the ECR Group – only men, of course – showed a banner with a foetus and an anti-abortion slogan on it, 'It's a life, not a choice'. The far right shows again today its true face – you want a return to a society in which women cannot decide on their body. It's a clear attack against abortion rights, and it is not the first one. But, whether you like it or not, our Parliament, the majority of this Parliament, voted for the 'My Voice, My Choice' initiative less than two months ago. Because in countries where abortion is banned, like in Poland, women still die; because our mothers, our grandmothers have been fighting for this right. Madam President, this is not acceptable. And the right to abortion is not just a choice, it is a right. We will never let the far right take it away from us.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, what is the name of a militia that hunts people according to their real or supposed origin, that kills its opponents and multiplies punitive raids to make terror reign? This is Donald Trump's ICE. If it had been anywhere else in the world, our Parliament would have already adopted several resolutions and the necessary sanctions. But no, let's not hurt our ally, Donald Trump. The ECI can double its staff, kill at least 30 people in one year, the United States of course remains the privileged partner of the European Union, in the words of Ursula von der Leyen. Worse, Italy welcomes their agents with open arms for these Winter Olympics. This Parliament, from socialists to the right, is resuming the adoption of the completely unequal trade agreement with the United States, and the European Commission is sending its Commissioner for Fisheries – with all due respect to you, Commissioner – for this crucial debate. That's how seriously you take the threat. So it does not matter if Trump wants to annex a European territory, it does not matter if he breaks international law, it does not matter if he takes up the fascist methods worthy of the 1930s. As in the 1930s, European capitalists also benefit from it. Capgemini provides the software; Parrot, drones. The money of hate and blood has no smell. This is the model envied by the European far right: A militia that massively imprisons, kills and sows terror. An MEP belonging to Marion Maréchal's group even rejoiced at the murders of the ICE. And unsurprisingly, Jordan Bardella is not here for this debate today. Probably he prefers to remain discreet about the actions of the ECI after taking Trump as a model and organizing conferences at the European Parliament with Trump's relatives, as recently as last week. As for you, Mr Valet, I would be you, I would be very small. You pretend to defend the police, but in reality, you stitch in the crate and you stitch their money to your own colleagues. Little by little, Trump is imposing his methods everywhere. The ECI is already in the making in Europe. Frontex is hunting migrants at our borders, while increasingly inhumane migration policies are being adopted, as yesterday in this Parliament. In France, the former interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, even launched anti-migrant roundups, vast operations to stop as many undocumented migrants as possible. In the United States as in Europe, as Bertolt Brecht said, the belly from which fascism emerges is always fertile. Let's stop feeding him before it's too late.

Madam President, I hear some people wishing to stand up. Democracy is first to listen to the proposal, but I know some might be keen to follow Trump's line. I would like to propose modifications to amendment 37, after paragraph 78, in order to address the recent threat by Donald Trump to impose new tariffs on EU countries that have taken a stance against an action of Greenland. The modified amendment therefore reads as follows: 'Underlines that the EU cannot accept extortive policies; stresses that threats made by the US administration against Greenland, Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands, in addition to those made in relation to the EU's digital legislation, fall under the definition of "economic coercion" as set out in Regulation (EU) 2023/2675; calls, therefore, for the Commission to immediately react by triggering the Anti-Coercion Instrument;'.

Madam President, Donald Trump is attacking not only our democracies, but also the international architecture of peace and namely, the United Nations. His proposal of a 'Board of Peace' is a serious threat to international law and only serves his internal, personal interest. Therefore, we propose the following amendments to take into account the latest developments relating to the 'Board of Peace': 'Is deeply concerned by the "Board of Peace" promoted by US President Donald Trump; condemns any initiative that seeks to weaken, bypass or replace the United Nations; reaffirms its unwavering support to international law and UN principles as laid down in the UN Charter;'.

Madam President, Mrs von der Leyen, Mr Costa, Donald Trump is redrawing the world order. And you serve him as a doormat. The president of the world's leading power threatens to annex a European territory, transforms the world map according to the interests of an oligarchy and threatens peace and security more than ever. But, Mrs von der Leyen, Mr Costa, your responsibility in this situation is immense. You have systematically reduced the danger of Donald Trump's policies. Worse, you have constantly facilitated the expansion of its imperialist project. Because it was you, Mrs von der Leyen, who smiled last summer to seal a totally asymmetric trade agreement that relegated the European Union to the status of a branch of the United States. We were already warning you that Trump wasn't going to stop there. You promised us prosperity and stability. As a result, it is now resuming its trade war. And no, it is not with a free trade agreement with Mercosur that we will be saved, that you are trying to impose us here by force. Curling up, cajoling Trump, that's what the European Union does best. Trump humiliates us and you tend the other cheek, even when he provokes, intimidates, attacks. Yes, Mrs von der Leyen, Donald Trump's imperialist ambitions in Greenland are only mirrors of the cowardice of the European Union. Servility produces nothing but the extension of the law of the strongest. When the United States illegally attacked Venezuela and kidnapped Nicolas Maduro, you applauded the aggressor, rather than taking the side of international law. With your blessing, the United States also threatens to intervene in Iran. But I tell you, the revolt of the Iranian people, repressed in blood, wants neither mullahs, nor shah, nor Donald Trump. Abroad as well as in his own country, Donald Trump has nothing to do with democracy. Just look at how her immigration police killed Renee Nicole Good and how all the checks and balances are being rolled out. Its only interest is power and the capture of natural resources. And I must say that it is still quite curious to see the contortions of the extreme right and the group of Jordan Bardella, who applauded the election of Donald Trump and who, a little later, death in the soul, pain and then pound in a serious tone on the attacks of Donald Trump in Greenland. Jordan Bardella, remember that moment when you proudly stare alongside Donald Trump. Is Donald Trump still your ally? Mrs von der Leyen, you continue to regard as a friend a country which has only signs of hostility towards you. You persist in calling an ally a head of state who is a threat to peace. Yes, a threat to peace. The United States withdrew from no fewer than 31 UN organizations. The UN, precisely, to which Donald Trump intends to substitute a Peace Council and privatized justice at the service of the powerful. International law is faltering. He's under attack from all sides. You yourself, Mrs von der Leyen, have helped to undermine its foundations by refusing to sanction the State of Israel and by making the European Union complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people. Mrs von der Leyen, we refuse to become the 51st state of the United States. It is time to stop acting as a vassal and get out of our dependence on the United States. Your wait-and-see attitude has blinded you to the risks that the United States poses to the stability of the world. To the point where you are, apply to become Donald Trump's Secretary of State and leave. We will take care of defending the interests of Europeans and peace.

Madam President, Commissioner, what is a political regime in which a text is adopted without the vote of any parliament? Without a popular mandate, von der Leyen last week signed the largest – and worst – free trade agreement ever negotiated by the EU: the agreement with Mercosur. To achieve your ends, you have multiplied the magoyles. First, you split the agreement in two to bypass national parliaments, and then the President of the Parliament obstructed our action before the Court of Justice of the European Union. And now you are opening the door – potentially I hear what is being said, anyway, in the press – to provisional application of the agreement even before Parliament votes. These are your methods, Commissioner: you maneuver, you lie, you pass in force. In other words: You trample democracy and insult citizens. And I must say that you are still quite inflated to come and talk to us, in front of us, about transparency and dialogue. However, this agreement will open the door to hundreds of thousands of tonnes of beef, poultry, cheese, sugar and cereals from the other side of the world. And I, who naively believed that we were already producing all this in Europe... Commissioner, my irony is bitter, because with this agreement – and you know it – you will kill European agriculture. The President of the Commission, Mrs von der Leyen, does not give a damn about the fate of farmers and, again tonight, is not here. But you are not the only ones. The hypocrisy of the far right is reaching its peak, starting with the issue of free trade. Mr Bardella is, once again, not there, he who is so quick to put on the white knight costume of the agricultural cause. Why did the majority of her group vote for the agreement with New Zealand and for the agreement with Kenya? Why were less than 20% of his group opposed to the ratification of CETA? Yesterday as today, you are clumsy opponents, on the far right. You share the same obsessions, with Mrs von der Leyen: obediently obeying Donald Trump's blackmail, deregulating in the service of multinationals, precariousing the poorest, tapping foreigners, stigmatizing LGBT people, supporting Netanyahu in his genocide in Gaza. Mrs von der Leyen has already done far too much damage: it must leave, but the far right will never be an alternative.

Madam President, this is a reminder to the Rules of Procedure under Rule 117. While the anger of the agricultural world is rising and raging all over Europe against the free trade agreement with Mercosur, you have refused, Madam President, for the second time to put to the vote our resolution calling for an opinion from the Court of Justice of the European Union on the legality of the agreement. This new refusal has no valid justification. Article 117 is extremely clear: at any time our Parliament may request an opinion from the CJEU. Worse, you have even refused to allow our Legal Service of the European Parliament to decide whether or not to request this opinion from the Court of Justice of the European Union. Madam President, I would like to ask you: What are you afraid of? Because your role today, whatever your opinions, is to be the guarantor of the proper functioning of our institution, not the relay of the bass works of the European Commission and the Council, which try everything for the whole to pass in force on this agreement.

Madam President, no, it was not late in the evening in a dark alley. It was in a house, a bed, a living room, almost unobstructed. No, it was not a foreigner passing by, contrary to what the extreme right says. He was a husband, an uncle, a brother, an ex, as in most cases. No, it wasn't what's called "violent." There was no struggle or screaming. That night, they gave way to astonishment. But that the minutes seem long when you fix the ceiling... No, accepting this dinner didn't mean consenting. Sleeping by his side did not mean consenting. No, smiling was not consenting. Being married is not always consenting. No, it wasn't a crime of passion. It was a femicide, not an act of love, but a deadly crime that could have been avoided, because the police had been alerted, but, as often, they downplayed, or, worse, profited. No, no one would have thought that of him. Because after all, as the extreme right says, he was a good man, a friend. No, they're not all men, but they're all men. If our anger and rage are not enough for you to act, know that we are no longer ready to suffer or suffer.