What Thierry spoke about.

8

Nov

2023

FR Speech

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Strengthening the right to participate: legitimacy and resilience of electoral processes in illiberal political systems and authoritarian regimes (debate)

Madam President, no one has waited for the European Commission to draw inspiration from Athenian democracy. If European culture has shined, it is because it was an example for the whole world, which freely drew on this priceless heritage. However, the text of that resolution proposes that this perspective be completely reversed. Our Parliament pretends to believe that it could inspire the world to…

17

Oct

2023

FR Speech

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Effectiveness of the EU sanctions on Russia (debate)

Mr President, do you remember the first few months after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine? Macron government ministers and members of the European Commission told us that Russia would be brought to its knees through the sanctions tool. You promised to send Russia back to the Stone Age, but it is actually the ravages of inflation that are now martyring our families, as well as the explosion in th…

16

Oct

2023

FR Speech

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Madam President, Islamist barbarism has struck again in France: Mohammed Mogouchkov killed Dominique Bernard, a professor of letters in Arras, and wounded three other people. This Chechen Islamist, disguised as a political refugee, planted his knife in what fanaticism hates: culture, knowledge, in short, school. This act is a bloody reminder of the assassination of Samuel Paty by Abdouallakh Anzor…

16

Oct

2023

FR Speech

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Establishing the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (‘STEP’) (debate)

Madam President, everything is good to demand money from the Member States: This is how we could summarise the new strategy of the European Commission. This is once again his project, through the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform. What does this text promise us? That, in return for an additional EUR 13 billion in contributions from the EU budget, the Commission claims – claims – to succee…

16

Oct

2023

FR Speech

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Establishing the Ukraine Facility (debate)

Mr President, €70 billion including military aid: This is the amount you are claiming today for Ukraine between 2024 and 2027. This is in addition to the EUR 77 billion that has already been financed by the European Union and the Member States since 2022. You have even said, Commissioner, more than 80 billion. And I am not even talking about the 400 billion mentioned for the future reconstruction …

4

Oct

2023

FR Speech

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Egypt, in particular the sentencing of Hisham Kassem

Mr President, the European Parliament has decided to tackle Egypt for the fourth time in four years. As I have already denounced, this anti-Egyptian obsession is a mistake for our institution and raises legitimate suspicions about the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood at the heart of European bodies. But this time you add indecency to inconsistency by organising this vote two days before the app…

4

Oct

2023

FR Answer

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Need to complete new trade agreements for sustainable growth, competitiveness and the EU’s strategic autonomy (debate)

Mrs Vedrenne, we are very clear. When we talk about global warming and saving on pollution, we do not start by signing an agreement with New Zealand to import agricultural products into the European Union. You're French like me. You know very well that the agriculture of our countries can provide them. So for me, this agreement is certainly the most aberrant. As regards the agreement with Mercosur…

4

Oct

2023

FR Speech

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Need to complete new trade agreements for sustainable growth, competitiveness and the EU’s strategic autonomy (debate)

Madam President, the European Union is never stingy with paradoxes. It claims to develop short supply chains and signs free trade agreements with New Zealand. You are trying to convince us that it would be urgent for European nations to sign or push forward free trade agreements rejected by people like Mercosur. States have never needed the European Union to develop their strategic autonomy. Worse…

3

Oct

2023

FR Speech

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Uzbekistan (debate)

Mr President, the European Union has finally understood that the countries of Central Asia deserve our full attention. Uzbekistan, it is true, is a key country for Europe. Its economic dynamism, determined fight against radicalism and constructive contacts with Afghanistan make it a key country in the region. As the report notes, it is therefore urgent to continue deepening and intensifying our re…

2

Oct

2023

FR Speech

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Madam President, trust in the European institutions is in free fall. The ‘Qatargate’ case and this Parliament’s refusal to establish a specific committee of inquiry into this scandal has devastated the European Parliament’s reputation around the world. By discussing this week a fourth resolution in four years on Egypt, the European Parliament will raise suspicions. How can we understand the relent…

2

Oct

2023

FR Speech

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Economic coercion by third countries (debate)

Madam President, there is only one real instrument against economic coercion: power. A powerful France or Europe would not need to think about this tool already largely covered by the WTO. Take the American example. When Washington imposes the world's worst economic coercion with the extraterritoriality of American law, we let it happen. When Washington puts European industries at risk with its In…

12

Sep

2023

FR Speech

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2022 Report on Türkiye (debate)

Mr President, the people of Europe do not want Turkey in the European Union, nor do they want visa liberalisation for Turkish citizens. We were the first to announce years ago that Turkey could never, ever, be a member of the European Union. Turkey is the heir of a great civilization, but of a civilization different from the European genius. Identity matters, politics matters too. We are now facin…

12

Sep

2023

FR Speech

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EU-Tunisia Agreement - aspects related to external migration policy (debate)

Mr President, there is an urgent need to finalise our migration partnership with Tunisia. Finally, let's stop procrastinating. Let’s stop letting the European agenda be dictated either by dubious NGOs complicit in the smugglers or by those who scuttled Tunisia by supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. President Saïed’s efforts to rebuild, together with his international partners, a stable and reliable…

12

Jul

2023

FR Speech

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Crackdown on the media and freedom of expression in Kyrgyzstan

Mr President, since its independence in 1991, Kyrgyzstan has made great strides in economic and civil rights matters. This country was even cited as an example throughout Central Asia. And I remember when I was in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, we even signed a partnership for democracy. So let us not neglect the importance of these efforts for a young democracy emerging from…

12

Jul

2023

FR Speech

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Recommendations for reform of the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption (debate)

Madam President, nothing new is a little bit, Ms Loiseau, I am sorry, which comes to mind when I read your report. Our Parliament condemns Russia every week. And yet, this report fantasises about Moscow’s supposed influence in this Parliament, when, as you know better than I do, this Parliament is fanatically hostile to it. On the other hand, when our Parliament’s conclusions on the Middle East an…

14

Jun

2023

FR Speech

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Humanitarian situation in Sudan, in particular the death of children trapped by fighting

Madam President, the civil war ravaging Sudan is a humanitarian catastrophe that can only arouse our emotion. None of the resolutions voted on Sudan in this European Parliament have had any impact, because we focus on ideological desires, rather than on the common interest of the Sudanese people, their neighbourhood and the European Union. This common interest is stability and security. We urgentl…

14

Jun

2023

EN Answer

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Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (draft recommendation) (debate)

I wasn’t in your committee. Sorry. But I think the problem for the European Union is just the weak. Because we are strong with the weak people and weak with the strong State. You have a new example. We accuse Poland, Hungary, Morocco, but excuse me, what did we do in the past with United States when they listened in on he people of Europe? Nothing.…

14

Jun

2023

FR Speech

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Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (draft recommendation) (debate)

Mr President, the people of Europe can no longer stand the proliferation of intrusions into private life. In societies where more and more freedom is promised, concrete freedoms are too often flouted. The list of states using Pegasus software is uplifting, and the report describes well the fact that more than 75 states have purchased this type of computer program. Do you remember the revelations o…

13

Jun

2023

FR Speech

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Situation in Lebanon (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, I understood that tomorrow there would be a conference on refugees. However, if I may, like my colleagues, I have been to Lebanon many times. What the Lebanese want is not to help them keep the refugees, but to help them return the refugees. You said earlier that the European Union is helping refugees and also local and regional authorities. Frankly, don’t you think tha…

13

Jun

2023

FR Speech

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Humanitarian and environmental consequences of the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam - Sustainable reconstruction and integration of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic community (debate)

Mr President, on Tuesday, 6 June, the Kakhovka dam exploded. On the same day, the usual commentators in this Parliament immediately accused Russia of being responsible for this tragedy, which, of course, I personally, like you, condemn. To believe that this Parliament has finally learned nothing from its runaway after the sabotage of Nord Stream, some of which immediately accused Russia. Now, what…

1

Jun

2023

FR Speech

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Foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation - Election integrity and resilience build-up towards European elections 2024 (debate)

Madam President, what will this report be used for? Mainly to further control the media landscape in Europe. In Article 33, you want to control the experts involved in the so-called traditional media. In Article 35, you want a European Media Committee that we have no doubt would spread the ideology of the European Commission. The Ministry of Truth is not far away. You want more and more control ov…

9

May

2023

FR Speech

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2022 Report on Serbia (debate)

Madam President, the European Union is not a friend of the Serbian people. The list of demands on Belgrade is endless, while Brussels constantly supports Kosovo's demands. The European institutions have supported the amputation of Serbia's historic cradle, Kosovo. Since then, Brussels has multiplied its failures when it claims to reach a final agreement between Belgrade and Pristina. It may be pre…

9

May

2023

FR Speech

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Situation in Sudan (debate)

Madam President, the war in Sudan has been going on for a long time. Our Parliament had not anticipated anything and was content to pass on what more or less neutral NGOs were saying about Khartoum. Only one thing is certain: everything must be done as soon as possible to renew the ceasefires and use them to build lasting peace. Peace will necessarily require the integration of all armed forces in…

8

May

2023

FR Speech

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr President, a few days ago, former French Prime Minister François Fillon reminded a parliamentary committee of inquiry that the US intelligence services, like Nicolas Sarkozy, listened to him for five years. I quote his words as Prime Minister: “Foreign interference, yes, I have encountered. Most of the time they came from a friendly and allied country called the United States.” There have been …

19

Apr

2023

FR Speech

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Children forcibly deported from Ukraine and the ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin (debate)

Mr President, "Iraqi soldiers snatched the babies from the incubators and let them die on the cold ground". This testimony of a nurse in October 1990 moved the whole world. There was no longer any doubt. The war against Iraq was a moral duty. A few months later, we will discover that these incubators were as imaginary as weapons of mass destruction. Because crimes against children in times of war …