Speeches

Madam President, Madam President of the European Commission, Commissioners, looking at this mandate, you see the glass half full. Others still see it as half empty. It is with pride that we find, in the fullest part, conditions that the socialists have put in place to support their election. The Porto Social Agenda and European minimum wages; strengthening gender equality; the Green Deal to tackle the climate emergency; the effective penalisation of those who do not respect the rule of law – and we have seen just now how much this costs Mr Orban; the eurobonds that led to the creation of the COVID recovery plan. These were very important measures. But, Madam President, there is still half a glass to fill and you must therefore decide how to end your term of office. And so I have to ask you: how will you put European policies at the service of those suffering from inflation and rising costs of living and housing? I have to tell you, your silence over the course of an hour on those who are suffering the most in Europe today has been glaring. What about those who suffer at our borders? You spoke of the Pact on Migration correctly, but at the same time you come from agreeing with an authoritarian regime to export our challenges to the other side of the Mediterranean. And he also said nothing about how to push for new fiscal rules that will help us avoid recession in Europe and put social cohesion high on the agenda. But I want to tell you, of course, that we enjoyed listening to you, and certainly Mr Weber also listened, giving priority to the Green Deal and the restoration of nature. So it is up to you, Madam President, now is the time to decide how you want to complete your mandate. Europeans are paying attention. The weakest need action. It does not defraud the expectations of hundreds of millions of citizens.

Mr President, Vice-President Borrell, I too will use a Latin language in this debate. Because our historical connection, our cultural and linguistic proximity, our shared values, make the European Union and Latin America privileged partners, natural partners. However, at times in recent years, this relationship has been threatened, either by authoritarian leaders who have tried to sabotage it, or by a lack of commitment on the part of the parties. In our political group, the European Socialists and Progressives and the High Representative, we have always stated the priority in this relationship. It was therefore with great pleasure that we saw the implementation of the summit between the European Union and CELAC during the Spanish Presidency and the political success it represented. A European Union that wants to play a central role in the world must have as partners those who share its values. Let us therefore build relations of genuine partnership with Latin America, in which everyone feels heard and respected, with international trade as an instrument, certainly, and based on human rights, environmental protection and social rights. Latin America's priority must move much more often from fine words to concrete actions.

Madam President, in the name of the Socialists and Democrats, to say that we fully support having this debate. We consider there are numerous sources of precariousness at this stage in Europe: the rising cost of living, the price of housing, the situation in the labour markets. But – and that is a formal request from our side to change what we had sent in written – we consider that this debate should be held on 1 October and not in September. We consider that it should not be a last minute debate at the later stage on Wednesday, but a proper debate with proper preparedness by the groups, by the Members, even eventually at the Committee. So our request is for the debate to be held on 1 October.

Mr President, Madam Minister, Mr Vice-President, the Council will, as we have been told, discuss migration policy. We need rapid progress on this Migration Policy. As Commissioner Johansson has always said, migration is normal in the history of Europe, it must be managed. And we may be one step away from ending a 20-year-old stigma that has permeated European policies. The European continent is ageing, migrants will be an essential part of our development process. We need regulated migration, but also a refugee policy of solidarity, humanity and, ladies and gentlemen of the European People's Party, what is not in the Migration Pact is the European funding of fences or walls, which is certainly a great disappointment for the right and the European extreme right. But, Vice-President Šefčovič, on the recent steps, there is a concern: the outsourcing of migration policy to an autocrat in Tunisia is very worrying. The Council will debate, but the Commission will not escape the scrutiny of this Parliament. What rules and conditionalities to guarantee human rights in Migration Policy? That is something that this Parliament will ask and will want clarification from the Commission.

Mr President, Minister. Mr Vice President, colleagues, the barbaric war of aggression against Ukraine continues spreading death, destruction and suffering. A continuous series of war crimes and relentless destruction, as we’ve just witnessed this evening in Kiev, now even blowing up dams, endangering the life of thousands of civilians and even the safety of the Zaporizhzhia power plant, committing an authentic ecocide with tragic effects that will remain for many, many years. Besides the unwavering support to Ukraine in this war, the EU and the international community must also stand ready to support Ukraine in its reconstruction. Strong European support will be key for the reconstruction and a meaningful recovery process. And for that, we need to find the money. Billions of euros will be needed and we should certainly start sooner than later by creating the legal basis, Mr Vice President, to finally use the money confiscated from Putin and his regime for this reconstruction of Ukraine.

Madam President, Commissioner Schmit, ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow there are families who do not know whether they will be able to pay for their housing loans. There are small businesses that do not know if they can meet their obligations, including with their employees. What increasingly threatens them are high interest rates. So today, Parliament should come together and send a strong message to the ECB and President Lagarde. The economy is people and their lives. Economics is not just made up of numbers. Let us talk about the desirable objective of price stability, from which we do not depart. Over the past five months, according to Eurostat, inflation has fallen by 3 percentage points. Energy prices, which were at the origin of this inflationary crisis, are now showing increased control. There are also data and analyses from the ECB itself, as mentioned here by Commissioner Schmit, which show how some economic groups, such as companies in general, have taken the opportunity to significantly increase their profit margins, exacerbating inflation itself, i.e. they have taken advantage of the inflationary crisis to increase profits and thus exacerbate the inflationary crisis. Maybe it could be called an inflationary spiral. As also noted, the same type of behaviour or risks were not detected on the side of wage developments. It is therefore time for companies to look at how they have been in the market. It is time for the financial system to look at the profit margins it is also generating, notably on the issue of current lending or lending rates. It is time for the ECB to stop and rethink successive interest rate increases. We know that there are monetary policy hawks who continue to advocate this increase. This was recently done in this Parliament by the European People's Party or, in my country, by the voice of the parliamentary leader of the main opposition party, the same thing has also defended it. It is the same hawks who, in the financial crisis, defended austerity. They didn't learn anything. It is a mistake and an injustice at the moment, and it no longer finds its basis in the current inflationary situation, with social costs that we cannot accept. People are looking at us. We need another monetary policy from now on.

Madam President, Commissioner, once again, guns are heard in Sudan, killing hundreds of innocent people. Human beings just like us, with the only difference that the chance determined them to be born in a country and region devastated by wars that caused countless victims and devastated the economy and hopes for development. In the first weeks of this war, almost a million people already left their homes and survive in unbearable conditions. While successive attempts for a ceasefire fail on the ground, the peace talks are also not achieving much. This is precisely a situation where the EU can and must assert its role in the world, providing urgent support to avert the looming humanitarian crisis and exerting all the pressure to bring the parties to a ceasefire. Let us not allow for a new tragedy, or at least do the utmost of our efforts. If the EU wants to live up to its values, this is the time to go for our limits.

Madam President, Chancellor Scholz, welcome to the European Parliament on this Europe Day. Chancellor Scholz has played a decisive role in important moments of advancement of the European project in the recent past. In particular, this Hamiltonian moment of the European response to the COVID crisis. I have to say, however, that my surprise is that I have to remind Mrs Reintke and the German Greens today, and not just the PPE. Dear Chancellor, in Prague, you said that the path of the future is that of more Europe, a more sovereign Europe. He advocated enlargement, but also the deepening of Europe. As you rightly mentioned, the lessons of the COVID crisis remained – it was by investing together and with common rules and support that we overcame that great crisis. We will now only be truly autonomous in terms of security, energy, digitalisation if we are more Europe. I therefore believe that we need to discuss, from now on, a permanent European investment capacity as the next step in deepening this Union, if we really want to be more Europe.

Mr President, Council, dear Vice—President Šefčovič, colleagues, the Commission’s proposal follows a constructive approach that improves national ownership and flexibility, a step in the right direction that we welcome. Even so, there are still some challenges in it Mr Vice-President. First, the social dimension has been relegated to a footnote – but economics is not just mathematics, it should be about people in the end. The economic governance must help us sustainably deliver the social pillar and the Porto agenda commitments. Secondly, we are missing another opportunity to create a permanent European investment capacity. Such an instrument would help us deliver strategic reforms at European level and stabilise our economies through the economic cycles. Without it, the monetary union remains unfinished. Finally, a stronger role for the Commission merits stronger accountability towards this House that represents directly the European citizens. It is time to deliver what is necessary for the well-being of our citizens. You can all count on the S&D for that.

Mr President, Commissioner. Council colleagues, are there more hideous and repulsive crimes than those committed against children? Not in my moral code. Not in the moral code of any decent person. The ICC took no notice of the Russian actions and acted. So from here, I say, Mr Putin, you crossed so many lines with this war that you will be remembered for the worst reasons, but do not add one more horrible chapter to the history books, not one on kidnapping children. They are only children. Certainly not your enemies, not soldiers, for sure. They are innocent children that will be marked for life for your actions. If there is a shred of humanity in you, do something decent for once. Stop the kidnappings and return the children to their families. Even the Russian people that you are manipulating and repressing will be against you when they know what you have been doing. And rest assured, we will make sure that they know.

Mr President, Madam President of the Commission, dear High Representative, dear colleagues, in 2019 the Council adopted the European Union's position on China, while identifying it, as we have abundantly mentioned today, as a partner, competitor, but also a systemic rival. Not by chance, such a proposal was put forward by the High Representative, who, since the Treaty of Lisbon, has twice represented the Commission and the Council in the Union's foreign policy, with a view to securing a unified position on the part of the European Union. Since then we have faced events, however, that we did not imagine to live and that have affected the relationship with China. This was the case of the pandemic, the crisis it provoked, but above all also the subsequent diplomatic confrontation, the diplomacy of masks, vaccines, the disruption of global supply chains. But most of all, of course, the case of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the declared ‘boundless friendship’ between China and Russia, which goes hand in hand with the intensification of diplomatic and political relations between those two countries. That is why it is important, as the High Representative said, to reassess our 2019 position on China, without, however, putting it into crisis. Seeing China as a strategic rival, we must eliminate our dependence on critical areas, starting with rare materials, and not be naive in matters where we still have technological superiority, and starting with issues such as semiconductors. Not because we want a breakup. We do not want to be embarrassed in our relationship, but rather the affirmation and defence of our values, which remain a central element of our European policy. As competitors, we certainly have to position ourselves at the forefront of technological development, strengthen our economic security, as Josep Borrell said, and deepen economic and political relations with the rest of the world, first of all by making more use of foreign policy instruments – President von der Leyen referred to this today and wanted to welcome this – but to do so, and I would like to stress the importance of doing so now with Latin America. This year, we have a huge opportunity on our way to the EU-CELAC Summit. China is already trying to take our place. But we do have to remain partners in some areas where global challenges can only be tackled together, certainly in the area of climate change, or by joining efforts to put an end to the barbaric invasion of Ukraine.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, when, 20 months ago, President Saied dismissed the government and suspended Parliament, assuming full powers, the international community - Europe, of course - was apprehensive. Since then, there have been disappointments. Promises of democratisation have not been fulfilled, as has respect for freedom of the press and expression, freedom of politics and association, or judicial independence. In fact, all of them have been breached. The sad reality today in Tunisia is that journalists, trade unionists, political activists and magistrates are imprisoned for political reasons alone, and even that the leader of the European Trade Union Confederation is expelled just for participating in a trade union demonstration, which we deeply regret. The disillusionment of the population is expressed both in the mass demonstrations and in the very low turnout rates for simply not believing in that electoral process. It is therefore urgent to resume the process of national dialogue in order to find political solutions to the situation and to lead Tunisia on the path of democracy and respect for human rights.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, in July 2019, President von der Leyen, then a candidate for President of the Commission, presented her political guidelines for the Commission's mandate. Much has happened, however, of course, like the pandemic and the crisis that it brought about, the war on our borders, which certainly consumed much of our energy. But this is the time to roll up your sleeves again and do what is missing to fulfill the program at the time presented. We welcome the Commission's indication that it has begun to act in this critical ethical situation. But we must deliver, once and for all, on the promise then to create an independent ethics body common to all the institutions, as this Parliament had called for again in 2021, and reform the conflict of interest rules in the various bodies, increasing transparency and accountability for any infringement. Recent cases merely reiterate this need. We hope that the Commission will now finally be able to put forward the proposals that we have all been waiting too long for, Commissioner.

Mr President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, colleagues and, in particular, EPP colleagues, the women, men and children who risk their lives to cross the Mediterranean, knowing that so many are on the way, do so in utter desperation, in order to escape hunger, war, ethnic and religious persecution in their countries. 26,000 have already lost their lives there. Mrs Mussolini of the EPP, in particular: Limiting search and rescue activities and restricting the work of life-saving NGOs is the opposite of what Member States should be doing, of what their Member State should be doing. It is deeply inhumane and against European values. We should be arresting traffickers – and, Mrs Mussolini, they are exploiting human lives, it is certainly not NGOs that are saving people at sea – strengthening rescue operations, trying to save all those at risk at sea out of sheer desperation, offering safe paths, certainly, for those fleeing danger and, certainly, with European solidarity in welcoming them. But, Mr Weber and Mrs Mussolini, do not continue dancing with the Italian extremists just for electoral reasons. There is no victory worth losing the values of humanity.

Madam President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Mr Vice-President of the Commission, the extreme right has brought the debate on migration here in connection with the next Council. I would like to discuss here with my fellow Members the need for a European fund for aid to the green industry that really reaches everyone in Europe and not just Germany and France. But I cannot help but react to the ice with which the far right and the PPE face despair and deaths at sea. What is happening in the Mediterranean – extreme right-wingers, who, incidentally, have already abandoned this debate – has nothing to do with open borders, it has nothing to do with the open sea, but where thousands lose their lives to escape hunger, war, religious persecution and other orders. Defenseless men, women and children lose their lives at the hands of traffickers and in the waves of a merciless sea to which they only throw themselves out of despair, while those who want to help are barred by the insensitivity of rules that never retire and by the icy heart of a government that has already wanted to refuse aid in its ports, that has wanted to criminalize the solidarity work of those who want to save lives. Mrs. Meloni and Mr. Berlusconi, you will not pass! And, Mr. Weber, put an end to this disgraceful alliance of your party with the far-right, before your hearts are finally frozen.

Mr President, this is a significant moment of unity in this chamber, and I want to highlight that after the words of my colleague, Mr Gahler, because with the aim to free itself from the strings of the judiciary, the government of Israel and its coalition are trying to approve legislation that is not acceptable in a democratic country as we know them. It’s certainly not acceptable and not accepted in Israel, too, because Israeli citizens are taking to the streets week after week on ever bigger mass demonstrations to protect against the judiciary reform already referred previously by Michael Gahler, claiming, correctly, that it constitutes an assault to the Israeli democracy. This reform diminishes the judiciary as a whole, making it easy for the political power to overrule decisions from the Supreme Court. And as it was also referred, legislative proposals are being discussed to reinstate even the death penalty. This government is paving the way for a de facto annexation of the occupied territories. So let me end, Mr President, with a sentence, there is no room for ambiguity. We are not anti-Israeli, for we are by the side of the hundreds of thousands, of the millions of Israelis that are fighting for democracy in Israel in the streets these days.

I refer to the reform of the multilateral institutions. And we were also in New York at the UN with the Secretary—General, and there was a sense of hope on the reform of the multilateral institutions. And it was good to hear some sense of hope in such difficult times. And I would like to ask you, do you also believe that we can indeed deliver on the reform of the multilateral institutions, namely the Security Council, and particularly to give a role, a concrete role, to the Global South? Latin America and Africa are calling for too long for a stronger role in the multilateral institutions, and I saw the Secretary—General going in that direction. I would like to have your saying on this.

Mr President, dear High Representative, the leadership of this group of the Socialists and Democrats, we just came from the US just before Chancellor Scholz and the President of the Commission landed a few days later there. At our meetings at the White House or at the Congress, there was a lot of appraisal about the unity between Europe and the US regarding the support of the Ukrainians against the Russian aggression. But we were also, of course, discussing the elephant in the room, the IRA. America is trying, as you just said previously, to go more independent on other economies, including from ourselves, promoting American industries, even the green ones. And we in Europe are, at the same time, discussing strategic autonomy and the sovereignty fund. So I would like to ask you, what comes next for this transatlantic partnership? Will we lead together the reinvention of the multilateral institutions, Mr Borrell, so that we can fight globally the health, the financial and the climate challenges? Or are we to face a kind of a new Cold War with blocs clashing through the world against each other?

Madam President, one year of the brutal Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. It resulted in the death of thousands and thousands of innocent lives. The destruction of a country. Millions of refugees. Increased insecurity and suffering for Europe and the world. The EU stood by Ukraine for all of this time. We will continue to support them for as long as it takes. Ukrainians can count on our political, diplomatic, humanitarian, financial and military support. Putin from his side, can count with our strong, resolute and increased sanctions, as was just proposed today, – for which we are thankful – to drain his power. Now, our unity in the support of the Ukrainians has proven to be one of the biggest strengths against the Russian aggressor. That is why it is so concerning for this Parliament. I would say, I would hope for, this Parliament as a whole, but unfortunately not, that some in the ranks of the EPP are now trying to put things the other way around. It was appalling to hear Mr Berlusconi excusing Putin from his responsibilities and blaming Ukraine for this war. We have seen, yes, it was. I thank you for your applause, Mr Weber, it's important that you do so. But let me be clear also on this: you just said we defend the European way of life for the Ukrainians, good, but what concrete actions will you take regarding Mr Berlusconi, regarding his party, Mr Weber? What concrete actions will you take? You have defended here with all of us sanctions regarding those that have supported Putin in this war. What kind of sanctions will start in your own political family regarding Mr Berlusconi so that we stand united, we remain united against the Putin aggression?

Madam President, Council, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine will go down in history as one of the great crimes committed against international law, a country, a people. Contrary to his totalitarian fantasies, Putin will be condemned by history and will be remembered in Russia itself as someone who led the country into an immoral and unjust war. To this end, the determined support that the European Union has provided to Ukraine cannot cease. We therefore advocate strengthening humanitarian, economic, macro-financial, political and certainly military support so that Ukraine can defend itself, sustain its economy, reduce the suffering of its people and undertake reforms that bring it closer to the European project. We want Europe to remain one, without divisions between countries, without protagonist wars, alongside Zelensky and his people. That's all we want. Let the road to peace be built sooner than later.

Madam President, Commissioner, the arrest and sentencing of journalists on charges which, according to well-known human rights organisations, are at least very dubious, have been used by the Moroccan authorities as a form of pressure and intimidation. Such actions are unacceptable to this Parliament and to the European Union; and Morocco, with whom the European Union has a privileged relationship, has an obligation to cease these and all activities that violate freedom of the press, freedom of expression and human rights in general. We therefore call on the Moroccan authorities to immediately release journalists detained in a process of regularising the democratic functioning that the Moroccan people deserve. Finally, I could not fail to refer to the suspicions of corruption originating in Morocco: If they do, they will have a strong response from this Parliament. The Group of Socialists and Democrats will be at the forefront of demanding sanctions against all those who have sought to subvert European democracy.

Madam President, President of the Council, Commission, throughout 2022, Europeans uncompromisingly supported Ukrainians. Today, that some of its main leaders, but also so many others, including many children, have lost their lives, we renew this support. But throughout 2022, we also advocate, socialist and democratic, not only support for Ukrainians, but support for Europeans who have suffered from the rising cost of living here in Europe. We achieved some important victories at the end of the year: taxation on windfall profits, the CARE programme to support households most vulnerable to this crisis. It was worth fighting. Bring the bills down it is our priority, it remains our priority in the European context. No more vulnerable family should have their energy contracts interrupted due to the impossibility of paying. We want legislative action to this end and we ask the European Commission to prioritise European families, as it was able to do for companies, in the proposal that has been brought before us today.

Mr President, dear High Representative, the annual reports on the common foreign, security and defence policy represent Parliament's position on some of the Union's most important policies. The relevance of these policies has become more evident with Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. He stressed the need for greater coordination between the Member States and the implementation of a genuine common foreign, security and defence policy. He outlined the relevance of the Strategic Compass presented by the High Representative in due course. At a decisive moment, we surprised Putin, we knew how to unite and we have to remain united by our strategic autonomy, to make more use of our foreign policy tools to promote our values, but also to strengthen our main alliances. The world has become much more dangerous. It needs a more determined and capable European Union to contribute to peace, security, stability and global development.

Madam President, in the name of the Socialists and Democrats, to say that we do support the fact that we should have only one debate. And that if we had to come to this situation, which we have very different proposals, if it was not possible by then to have from a minority proposal a large proposal – now it is – I thank Renew for a good proposal that can capture the majority and that still needs words and allows us to debate the situation of the interference of different countries. So full support for one debate, as proposed by Renew.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine will go down in history as one of the great crimes of this century. By force of arms, the Putin regime tried to impose itself on the sovereign will of the Ukrainians. But the determination of a people who want to be free proves to be ever stronger, and that is why we awarded them the Sakharov Prize yesterday. Putin’s attack on Ukraine’s basic infrastructure aims to punish the population avengingly for its resistance, leaving millions of people without energy facing unbearable temperatures. We have heard incredible testimonies from those who have come here to receive the Sakharov Prize of how families are coming together to face this impossible situation. The situation is truly dramatic. My colleague Mr Kubilius, whom I would like to congratulate on this, has reminded us here of several proposals by the Ukrainian Government to step up this humanitarian aid. We cannot remain indifferent or paralyzed. The European Union has a moral responsibility to support Ukraine. I therefore call on the Commission and the Council to continue to put forward proposals along the lines that have been advocated by the Ukrainian government and European entities, so that we collectively fulfil our responsibility. You will see that you will find nothing more than overwhelming support from the European Parliament.