What Karen spoke about.

7 Feb

2024

DA Speech

Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Abbé Pierre's appeal on addressing homelessness in the context of persisting poverty and social exclusion (debate)

Watch

Mr President! It is a tragedy that 70 years after Abbé Pierre made his appeal, we are still here talking about homelessness in Europe. On Islands Brygge there is a man who lives in a tunnel. At the “Porte de Namur” metro station in Brussels, there is a woman who has lived there for the last few years. At the cathedral here in Strasbourg, there is a woman living in a gate, people who have no choice…

7 Feb

2024

EN Speech

New wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family members

Watch

Mr President, the title of the resolution is ‘on the new wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family’. It’s not really new, just a new wave of mass arrests. It’s Lukashenka’s election campaign. It’s not a coincidence that it comes now, just before the so-called elections on 25 February. Lukashenka is so scared of his own population that he needs to not only arrest poli…

7 Feb

2024

DA Speech

Implementation report on the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 (continuation of debate)

Watch

Madam President! LGBTI policy or strategy should not be taken for granted. I am tolerant, but I am not tolerant of the intolerant because fundamental rights are for everyone. So thank you to the Commission for ensuring that all Europeans and families in Europe are treated with respect and are treated equally. Because we can't take that for granted. And work must continue so that so-called conversi…

7 Feb

2024

EN Speech

Need to fight the increase of antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred (debate)

Watch

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, despite the title of this debate, being anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim are not two sides of the same twisted coin. The coin of hate shows hate no matter to which side you turn it. But here we are, in 2024, sliding backward into racism and bigotry. The danger and the toll on our citizens flooded by hate and threats is immense. They must be protected…

7 Feb

2024

EN Question

Need to fight the increase of antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred (debate)

Watch

Thank you very much for accepting the blue card. You mentioned demonstrations. There have been demonstrations in Italy where a gesture – the so-called Italian greeting, but which is seen by the rest of the world as a Nazi salute – is being used. This, of course, instils fear because it was under Mussolini, fascist leader of Italy, from where Jews were sent to the camps and exterminated. How do you…

7 Feb

2024

EN Speech

The fight against hate speech and disinformation: responsibility of social platforms within the Digital Services Act (topical debate)

Watch

Mr President, I would like to thank the Commissioner for being here and the rapporteur on the Digital Services Act. With the Digital Services Act, we oblige platforms to fight hate speech and disinformation, to protect our democracy, information and debate online. The horrific Hamas terrorist attack in Israel and the war in Gaza has put that promise to the test and, as it stands, we are failing. T…

14 Dec

2023

EN Speech

Non-objection mechanisms in international conventions to which the European Union is a party (debate)

Watch

Mr President, this is a question for oral answer to the Commission and the Council regarding the non-objection mechanisms in international conventions to which the European Union is a party. The European Union is a party to conventions that provide for accession by third states through clauses setting up a ‘silence or non-objection’ procedure at international level. In its Opinion 1/13 of 14 Octob…

13 Dec

2023

FR Question

Jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition of decisions and acceptance of authentic instruments in matters of parenthood and creation of a European Certificate of Parenthood (debate)

Watch

You say that we are discussing formalities, bureaucracy, administration, when we should be talking about nature. So should the nature of relationships between people only be recognized by nature? Should we cancel marriage or partnership certificates because we have to focus on nature and not on formalities?…

13 Dec

2023

EN Answer

Jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition of decisions and acceptance of authentic instruments in matters of parenthood and creation of a European Certificate of Parenthood (debate)

Watch

Sorry, I was waiting for the translation. Minorities of different ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender is one thing. A minority in a Parliament that is losing a vote is a completely different thing. What I said in my introduction before I started my speech was that some parts of this Parliament, some Members of this Parliament, are discussing things which are not in the text of the proposal of …

13 Dec

2023

EN Speech

Jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition of decisions and acceptance of authentic instruments in matters of parenthood and creation of a European Certificate of Parenthood (debate)

Watch

Mr President, Commissioner, rapporteur, it’s a pity that we’re having this debate while it seems like a small minority of the House haven’t even read the text that we’re discussing. They’re talking about things that are not in the text, that are not what we’re supposed to be discussing today. I would recommend our colleagues from the far right to actually read what they’re about to debate before t…

11 Dec

2023

EN Speech

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Watch

Madam President, we desperately need regulations for an open, efficient and independent EU administration, outlining principles for the digitalisation of administrative procedures and the development and implementation of digital solutions. The call for the rules at the level of EU bodies is rooted in the understanding that such regulations are necessary for good administration. Since the Treaty o…

11 Dec

2023

DA Speech

Mental health (short presentation)

Watch

Madam President! Thank you very much to the rapporteur for her initiative and her focus on ensuring that we combat the stigma of mental health. If we have a broken leg, then none of us will fail to go to the emergency room, but if we have pain in our mental health, if we are depressed or suffer from bipolar disorders, well, there are many who do not dare to seek the treatment that they need becaus…

23 Nov

2023

EN Speech

International day for the elimination of violence against women (debate)

Watch

Mr President, colleagues, Commissioner, I have a lovely speech with facts and information about the violence committed against women. But we know the facts. All of you in this room know about the hundreds and thousands of women that are being killed, that are being raped, that are being victims of violence. I don’t need to repeat this to you. I want those of you that are not in the room today to t…

21 Nov

2023

DA Speech

Packaging and packaging waste (debate)

Watch

Madam President! I'm going to speak in Danish. With this law, we must ensure harmonisation of packaging rules, reduce our consumption of single-use packaging and reduce waste. I no longer want to go slalom between broken glass in Copenhagen's parks because wine bottles are not subject to recycling requirements and deposit schemes, or wade through one-time takeaway packaging because use and throw a…

21 Nov

2023

FR Question

EU/New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (debate)

Watch

Thank you very much, Mr Maurel. You asked why you import cattle and milk from New Zealand, but for example lamb can be produced with a better environmental impact in New Zealand and transported frozen to Europe. So it is more advantageous to produce agricultural products where there is less impact on the climate, instead of producing them in heated farms in Europe.…

17 Oct

2023

EN Speech

2022 Report on Montenegro (debate)

Watch

Madam President, I thank my colleagues and especially the rapporteur for this report. I trust your dedication and your words here in the room and also when you communicate on social media. But, Commissioner, I wish I could say the same about you. I’m not sure if I can trust the words that you’ve said in the room today. I’m not sure if you would find it politically convenient to set fire to the com…

17 Oct

2023

EN Question

Situation of Ukrainian women refugees, including access to SRHR support (debate)

Watch

Ms Walsh, you were explaining the horrific consequences that the lack of access to healthcare for Ukrainian women fleeing from war could have. For most of us, fortunately, this is an abstract idea. For many millions of women in Ireland, it was their daily risk, their daily lives. Could you perhaps elaborate a little bit more on the experience in Ireland of not having sufficient access to healthcar…

17 Oct

2023

EN Question

Situation of Ukrainian women refugees, including access to SRHR support (debate)

Watch

Madam Strik, you were mentioning the obligations that we have towards the Ukrainian women. I think we have an obligation to all women in Europe to ensure that they get the necessary healthcare that they need, especially the Ukrainian women. How do you see that our Member States could ensure that everybody within the European Union gets the necessary life-saving healthcare that they need? What more…

17 Oct

2023

DA Speech

Situation of Ukrainian women refugees, including access to SRHR support (debate)

Watch

Mr. President! Commissioner, please! Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has many innocent victims. We cannot be acquainted with increasing their suffering. Millions of women and children have fled and live in Poland, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary. Here they do not get access to the necessary health care, especially in relation to pregnancy and childbirth. In some countries, such as Hungary and …

17 Oct

2023

DA Speech

Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations (debate)

Watch

Mr President! We're talking about spying material, spyware. We are talking about intrusive spyware, but all spying software is something that is invasive in our privacy. Yesterday was the anniversary of Daphne Caruana Galizia's death in Malta. Today, several colleagues have talked about the fact that they have been subjected to spying using spyware, using Pegasus - and we are pleased that they are…

5 Oct

2023

EN Speech

The new European strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+) (debate)

Watch

Madam President, Commissioner, the internet can be an incredible, limitless, empowering resource, allowing kids to socialise, learn and play, to meet like-minded friends. This is important, particularly if their parents or school friends do not understand or accept them. For the well-being of LGBTQI+ kids this is especially crucial. We need to empower our children, not put them under surveillance.…

4 Oct

2023

EN Speech

Human rights situation in Afghanistan, in particular the persecution of former government officials

Watch

Mr President, I will be speaking in Danish, so if you want to listen to the interpretation, there should be headphones also for the Afghan delegation listening. Hr formand! De modige afghanske kvinder viser os vejen. De tør kræve deres rettigheder, men de gør det med livet som indsats, for Taliban er ekstremister. Taliban anser stadig ikke kvinder for ligeværdige mennesker. Taliban fængsler tidlig…

4 Oct

2023

EN Question

The spread of ‘anti-LGBTIQ’ propaganda bills by populist parties and governments in Europe (debate)

Watch

This is not a question of biology. This is not a question of teaching anybody lessons. This is a question of respecting each other and our right to be a full part of society, no matter who we love, no matter how we decide to create our families. Do you respect the full, fundamental right of every person in our societies, no matter their gender and who they love?…

4 Oct

2023

DA Speech

The spread of ‘anti-LGBTIQ’ propaganda bills by populist parties and governments in Europe (debate)

Watch

Mr President! In recent years, more and more right-wing populists across Europe have attacked minorities every time they needed to reap votes, every time they were losing their grip on power. Minorities have been under attack, the rule of law has been under attack, women and women's bodies have been under attack. This is a sure sign that our democracy is in danger when minorities and women are att…

4 Oct

2023

DA Speech

Need for a speedy adoption of the asylum and migration package (debate)

Watch

Mr President! 80 years ago, my father escaped in an illegal fishing boat to safety in Sweden. Our European institutions are built to prevent us from again failing refugees and migration and minorities seeking security. For more than 10 years, since the shipwreck at Lampedusa, our European peoples have been waiting for a solution. We owe it to our European heritage. We owe it to Simone Veil and tho…