Speeches

Mr President, I must begin by saying that I am very surprised at how little attention this news has received in the European Parliament. Ladies and gentlemen, we are talking about espionage: of espionage against Members of this House who enjoy parliamentary immunity. It seems that there is carte blanche to spy on because no one - not the President of this House, not the Commission, not the Council - takes any action on the matter. President Metsola, we demand an investigation into who is behind the attack, with what software has been attacked, that appropriate legal and diplomatic measures are taken to clarify the matter and hold them accountable. Ladies and gentlemen, representatives of the Council and the Commission, the Committee of Inquiry of this House put on the table a number of proposals aimed at establishing an appropriate regulatory framework to limit the use of these technologies and to do so in the most human rights-friendly way, and I would venture to say that, to date, none has been taken into account. Every day that passes without concrete proposals on their part, only the climate of helplessness of the victims and impunity for the perpetrators increases.

Madam President, Commissioner, we are in a moment of regression. We don't need to talk about Poland, Hungary or Italy. In Spain, for example, the important advances made to promote the legal recognition of gender self-determination with the Trans Law have generated an extremely virulent reaction on the part of the right, the ultra-right and the most conservative sectors of society. We have again heard public speeches calling homosexuality or transsexuality a disease or a pandemic. According to the 2023 State of Hate Report, around 280 000 people in Spain are estimated to have been assaulted because of their sexual orientation or identity at some point in the last five years. However, there is one fact inside that is very important and alarming: 60% of them say they have been bullied at school. The EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025, the implementation of which we are analysing, is a very good statement of intent, but we need more. We need European laws that oblige states to take effective measures to fight discrimination and shield and protect the human rights of LGBTIQ+ people. Giving the rights conquered by discount is a mistake. But listen to me well, gentlemen of the right and the far right: think we won't defend them tooth and nail, too.

Mr President, let me share three pieces of information that I have found on online platforms. The first: Solar panels are a delayed-effect pump that will explode when they become waste within a few years. Second: When approaching a woman, know that it is more effective to belittle the "prey," not flatter her. And it is that the body count of women past their prime makes them of "little value". And third: For information, 39% of young people do so directly from social media. Of these three statements, only one is true, the last. And this is precisely the problem: Misogyny, historical and climate denialism and xenophobia find fertile territory on certain platforms. The digital space cannot be outside the democratic norms that we put for any other space of coexistence. That is why we ask the Commission for courage, so that instruments such as the Digital Services Act can be implemented. And it is that in each fake news As it spreads, we are losing a democratic battle.

Madam President, President Sánchez, there is a global reactionary coalition and, just a few days ago, we saw a very illustrative image of it, with the VOX leaders photographing themselves victorious with Javier Milei. By the way, so did the King of Spain, who seemed a lot happier than the day you were sworn in. Before them, there should be a global progressive coalition, capable of pushing transformative agendas. But the success of this coalition demands courage and leadership. And I regret to tell you that we have not always seen them during the presidency of the Council. For example, everything suggests that your Presidency will not be able to conclude an agreement for the Directive against male violence. On the other hand, I admit that he has shown them, even if he is obliged, with the amnesty law. Because at last it seems that they have understood that the conflict between Catalonia and Spain is also a European folder and, therefore, the recipe is also European. More pact and more democracy. Therefore, let us now talk on equal terms about solutions. We put the referendum on the table. What do you put on the table, Mr. Sanchez?

Mr President, Commissioner, when we talk about gender-based violence, we are not talking about something ethereal. On the contrary, we talk about something very tangible and present in our lives. We are talking about a violence that one in three girls and women suffers, a violence that surrounds us and that we have an obligation to address and eradicate. That is why I am obliged to denounce the Council's position, the position it is taking in the negotiations on the future directive on combating violence against women. We cannot afford European legislation that is not ambitious, that does not serve to advance in the fight against this scourge and that does not include the inclusion of rape in the list of Eurocrimes on the basis of the absence of consent. The European Union ratified the Istanbul Convention a few months ago. It should set our minimums, not our maximums. Representatives of the Council (now absent from this debate): You are in time to change your attitude and to be a constructive and fundamental part of this feminist Europe that, with much effort, we are building. We will see you in the next negotiations; Let us hope that it will serve to achieve an agreement that saves lives.

Mr President, Commissioner, five months ago this House adopted a series of recommendations to take action against the use of spyware. We were very clear. We demand rules to establish very strict conditions to allow its use in very exceptional cases, thorough investigations into alleged abuses that have come to light and aid for people who have been targeted. And while the number of cases continues to increase, neither the national authorities of the countries specifically mentioned in the recommendation nor the Commission have moved a single finger or presented a plan with future action measures. From here, we ask you, once again, to hurry. Every second they pass in silence makes them complicit in one of the most serious violations of rights against EU citizens.

Mr President, amnesties are not an anomaly. Several Member States provide for them in their constitutions and, in recent decades, up to 50 have been approved in the European Union. This is precisely the case of the Spanish State with the amnesty of 1977. What's more, up to three amnesties have subsequently been made, but since those were prosecutors they did not cause them so much discomfort. I suppose it's more profitable for some of you to amnesty corrupt people than it is for Democrats convicted of putting up ballot boxes. Ladies and gentlemen of the PP, there will be an Amnesty Law because there is a parliamentary majority that supports it. This frustrates you, but the reality is that you failed to form a government because you do not convince, you live in conflict and it is increasingly difficult to differentiate you from the extreme right. And we must recognize that seeing them demonstrating next to fascist and Nazi symbols does not help, the truth. You see, this House is concerned about the rule of law in Spain. It is worrying that the General Council of the Judiciary has expired for five years, that PP senators boast that they control the rooms of the Supreme Court through the back door and that judges ignore the separation of powers when demonstrating against laws yet to be approved. We know that with this amnesty we do not end the conflict, but it will allow us to address, on an equal footing, the substance of the issue, which is, neither more nor less, than the right to self-determination of Catalonia.

Madam President, more than 4 000 children have died. More than 4,000. This is unbearable. The acts perpetrated by Hamas are abominable, and we reiterate our unmitigated condemnation. But I'll be very clear: Nothing, I repeat, can justify the deliberate massacre of civilians being committed by Israel in Gaza. Israel has the right to defend itself. Yes, within international law. But he's not doing it. It is attacking hospitals, UN facilities, shelters and schools. The same UN rapporteur has said there is a clear risk of genocide in Gaza. How can we allow war crimes of such magnitude to be perpetrated before our eyes without doing anything? We must stop this now and urgently take diplomatic, economic and political action. The immediate ceasefire, unconditional release of all hostages, scrupulous respect for international humanitarian law, further humanitarian aid and suspension of arms sales.

Madam President, Commissioner, a year ago, on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, I intervened to demand the adoption of legislation at European level that would prevent cases like yours from recurring. A year later, we are negotiating with the Commission and the Council two very important pieces of legislation to ensure the protection of journalists. On the one hand, freedom of the media – the anti-SLAPP Directive – and on the other hand, freedom of expression – the Media Freedom Act – both of which are called to be basic pillars of our democracy. A year ago we also denounced that those who ordered and paid for Daphne's murder were still free. Unfortunately, this is still the case today. We again demand that the Maltese authorities speed up trials and investigations and cease the climate of hostility towards journalists and the media. Daphne, your legacy is still more alive than ever and serves as a guide for us to move towards a better society.

Mr President, how difficult, after this speech by Mr Cañas, to say the barbarities he has just said here in this House. But I'll get right to the point. Amnesty International's recent revelations about new cases of cyber espionage using Predator do nothing more than confirm what we have already concluded in the framework of this House's Committee of Inquiry. Trade and use of spyware both within and outside the European Union must be strictly and urgently regulated, and it is essential that spyware is not exempted from the application of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. Until we have this framework and these guarantees, the abusive use of these technologies must be stopped immediately. We must remind the Member States that they have until the end of the year to comply with the requirements contained in the report adopted by this House. We cannot allow citizens to continue to be attacked with this impunity. Ladies and gentlemen of the Commission, ladies and gentlemen of the Council, we did our job here. We're waiting for you. Don't delay, because our rights are at stake.

Madam President, Commissioner, the internet is a fundamental tool in our lives, including that of children and adolescents, but can we ensure that, today, they enjoy a safe online space? Here are some facts: in my country, Catalonia, every day a case of cyberbullying is reported to a minor and eight out of ten minors have been victims of virtual violence. The main victims are by far girls and young adolescents. They account for almost 66% of complaints from minors and more and more studies point to a link between the increasing number of sexual assaults among minors and the consumption of certain content online, from the reactionary and misogynistic discourse of some influencers to pornography. These data are an example of why the European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children is a crucial initiative. Because the digital world is shaping the experiences, emotions, values and interpersonal relationships of adolescents and children. That is why, for us, digital education is a fundamental pillar of a better internet. We need children and adolescents, especially the most vulnerable, to have the tools and information to make informed decisions. In short, digital education to train empowered children and young people, with critical thinking and capable of being active subjects. An education that goes beyond strictly digital competences and also ensures effective and healthy sex education. The Internet should be a useful tool to help lay the foundation for a future tolerant, diverse and feminist society.

Mr President, Commissioner, in the historic struggle for the rights of the LGTBIQ+ collective, we are facing a worrying dynamic of involution. And it is no coincidence that it coincides with a moment of rise of the ultra-right, ultra-conservatism, religious dogmatism and hate speech. Orbán has already done so by passing a law banning talking about sexual orientation in schools and the media. And the response of this House, together with the Commission and 15 European countries, was to bring it before the Court of Justice. And now Meloni is following in his footsteps, whose government is in full offensive against LGTBIQ+ rights, prohibiting the registration in the municipal registry of the children of homosexual couples or turning the RAI into a toy for their hate propaganda. Democratic and progressive Europe must give it the same answer. On human rights, not a step back. The present and, above all, the future have multiple colors. Everyone in the rainbow. His black and white world is already history.

Madam President, too often we see how many of the European Union's trade agreements with third countries show great hypocrisy. And they are because they show the great distance that exists between the grandiloquent discourses of defense of human rights that we hear in the European institutions and the ineffectiveness of these agreements when it comes to shielding these rights effectively. The case of the agreement with Mexico, which is in the process of modernization, is a clear example of what I am saying. There is a clause suspending the agreement in case of gross violation of human rights, but it has never been activated. And it has not been activated despite the persistent violation of rights in this Latin American country, with thousands of femicides every year, the persecution of human rights and environmental defenders, the murder of journalists or the harassment of indigenous communities. European companies are no strangers to this reality. What's more: Sometimes, unfortunately, they are part of the problem. Ladies and gentlemen, the economic end does not justify the means.

Madam President, Commissioner, today this Parliament is taking an unequivocal step in the protection of democracy in Europe. Because, as Kofi Annan said, "no democratic society can exist without a free, independent and pluralistic press." And there are many examples illustrating why having a European Media Freedom Act is an undelayable challenge for the European Union. In recent years we have seen public media that have become propaganda weapons of populist governments, media monopolies that disguise themselves as plurality, governments that spy on critical journalism, and the expansion of disinformation and noise that feeds the far right. But diagnosing risks only works if we have the political will to meet the challenge and find solutions. And that is what we do today with this text, which hopefully lays the foundation for a sustainable, resilient and pluralistic media environment. We propose transparency, so that citizens know who is behind the news they read; independence, so that journalists can do their work without interference or threats; plurality, taking action against media monopolies; and shielding of the public media, whose mission must never be compromised by political interference. All these measures are, in short, tools for citizens to be better informed and critical. We know that the text is not perfect and that is why we are proposing amendments to improve it. But as Maria Ressa says – and as we are reminded by the news we read from Hungary, Poland or Italy – ‘democracy is fragile’. We must fight not to lose a piece, not a law, not a defense, not an institution, not a story. We know how dangerous it is to suffer even the most insignificant of cuts. And that is why we must stand firm. From Verts/ALE we have always done it and we will continue to do it.

Mr President, Commissioner, we are facing a legislature that is fruitful in terms of the fight for gender equality. But let's be clear, the work that remains to be done is enormous. Facts such as Luis Rubiales' non-consensual kiss to Jenni Hermoso before the whole world show us how difficult it is to break with the violence and impunity that are structural. That is why we must continue to address laws that promote equality, also in the world of sport. The number of federated or referee women, for example, remains vastly lower and the pay gap is unacceptable. The best player in the world, Alexia Putellas, charges in a year the same as many players on the men's team in a month. There is also an urgent need to increase the presence of women in decision-making bodies in the world of sport. The image of the Assembly of the Royal Spanish Football Federation with 6 women of 140 members is embarrassing – by the way, an assembly full of palm trees supporting the reactionary and macho discourse of Luis Rubiales. For this reason, today we ask to initiate a legislative procedure that obliges sports entities such as the Spanish Football Federation, an organization of public interest, to maintain gender equality in their decision-making bodies. And no, Mr. Borrell, it's not that we're learning to play like men, it's that we're learning to break the silence. As footballer Vero Boquete said: We've been quiet a lot, we've had to listen a lot and endure a lot. And now we're going to talk whenever we want and wherever we want.

Mr President, Commissioner, this Parliament will send an unequivocal message tomorrow. Books are an essential asset and we are very proud to have contributed to this text that reflects the diversity of the sector, from authors to small publishers, through school libraries, public libraries and librarians, as well as small bookstores, booksellers and readers and reading. They are all essential in protecting freedom of expression and building a diverse Europe. In defence of cultural diversity, this vote will make the European Parliament's position clear. We call on the Commission and the Member States to promote it with action, particularly by supporting the creation and translation into so-called regional or minority languages. With this vote we are also forceful in denouncing the growing censorship in some Member States. Unfortunately, we Catalan speakers know him well. Only a couple of months ago the extreme right came to the government in a municipality of Valencia removing all magazines in Catalan from its public library. And as Ovidi said... (spoke in an unofficial language). With the adoption of this report, we stand up to them. Know that we will continue to work for a Europe where you can speak, write and think in all languages.

Mr President, Commissioner, freedom of expression and information has deteriorated alarmingly in recent years in Europe. The number of gag claims imposed in the Member States has increased sharply. So have the scandals associated with the indiscriminate use of spyware against journalists, political opponents and activists. In countries like Poland, media laws have already been passed that directly violate the principle of press freedom. We are in a context of advancing reactionary ideologies and this coincides with the negotiation and adoption at European level of this legislation and the Media Freedom Act. Although this legislation is not as ambitious as our group would have liked, the text that this House will adopt tomorrow is an important step in the fight to defend our fundamental democratic values, and we must prevent its content from being diluted in trilogues. Freedom of expression and the right to dissent are not mere privileges, but essential pillars of a vibrant and open society.

Mr President, Commissioner, let me start because I wanted to ask Mr Zoido for a blue card, which he did not accept. I remind you that Pegasus can only be used against the fight against organised crime and terrorism, and in your statements you mentioned a wide range that I think is not within the agreements on the Pegasus programme. As a member of this committee of inquiry, but also as a citizen who has been spied on, I am reasonably satisfied with the recommendations that we will vote on tomorrow. From here I would like to highlight the enormous work done by the rapporteur In’t Veld and by the majority of the members of the Committee of Inquiry. They haven't made it easy for us. Political games, the protection of national interests and double standards have been a constant in these months of research. We have seen it with the embarrassing spectacle of the mission of Spain. The country where the greatest case of espionage has occurred in Europe is almost out of the scrutiny of this commission, thanks to the maneuvers of the common front formed by the PSOE, the PP, VOX and Ciudadanos. They have tried everything, but thanks to us and your perseverance and steadfastness, Catalangate is central to this report. The mission that some feared was carried out and Spain has been identified, along with Poland, Hungary, Greece and Cyprus, as champion in the abuse and violation of rights.

Madam President, Commissioner, finally, the European Union is acceding to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, better known as the Istanbul Convention. A convention that was concluded 12 years ago, but which to this day was still blocked by the Council of the Union. The Istanbul Convention is the first European instrument to establish binding legal rules for the eradication of gender-based violence and, together with the new directive we are currently working on, is a starting point for any legislation in this area. With tomorrow's vote, the European Union will adopt two parts of the text relating to the institutions of the Union and judicial cooperation, and, although the Greens/EFA would have liked the text to be broadly ratified, without limitations, the step that we hope the European Union will take tomorrow is a victory for this Parliament and for all the women of Europe. And since it's a victory we'll get tomorrow, let me make a toast. A toast so that this is only the beginning of the end of inequality and gender-based violence, so that it is the beginning of the feminist and democratic Europe for which we all fight. (She refused to answer a question under the "blue card" procedure of Ladislav Ilčić.)

Commissioner, first of all, I wanted to say that the European Year of Youth has given us a great legacy, such as having these spaces for talking and putting young people at the centre of the agenda. We have to take advantage of them. We must insist that our commitment to youth policies is sustainable. As the Greens/EFA Group, in our guidance to the Commission budgets for 2024 we suggest linking the European Year of Youth to the European Year of Skills. We would like to know, Commissioner, what initiatives you propose so that there is a coherent momentum between the two European Years. On the other hand, we need structural changes for the different arguments we have had here today in this debate. But we have to have them in all institutions: in the Commission, in the European Parliament and also in the Council. We need to ensure that young people are involved in all European policies and also in assessing their impact. And we also need to make a cross-cutting effort to ask ourselves how we will push these policies forward with young people and for young people. I leave the question open. And finally, what do we have to do to end job insecurity? To concretize a very specific topic that refers us to this age... (the Chair withdrew the floor to the speaker).

Mr President, Commissioner, if there is one thing that is clear to us from the Greens/EFA Group, it is that there is an urgent need to broaden the scope of the rule of law report by the European Commission so that it also covers issues such as the state of democracy and fundamental rights in the Member States. If I open the report on the page referring to the Spanish State, for example, there is no trace of the plot formed by journalists, police and corrupt judges who coordinated under the baton of the Ministry of the Interior of the PP to blackmail, extort, fabricate hoaxes and falsify reports in order to end Catalan independence. No trace, either, of the sixty-five cases of illegal espionage with Pegasus by different Spanish governments against the Catalan leaders. But there is also no trace of the structural corruption affecting the Head of State. No sign of the imprisonment of rappers like Pablo Hasel, convicted of singing. No trace of the murders of migrants on the southern border. Ladies and gentlemen, let us be demanding. Otherwise, there will soon be no trace of democracy or the rule of law.

Madam President, I would also like to invoke Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament to refer to the detention of comrade Clara Ponsatí by the judge of the Spanish Supreme Court, Pablo Llarena, when she, after five years of exile, returned to her home, Catalonia. It is unheard of for a judge to order an arrest for a crime that does not even involve deprivation of liberty, such as the crime of disobedience, and then to hold it for hours, despite having all his political rights intact. That is why we demand that the Presidency of this House defend the immunity of the Ponsatí MEP and demand that the Spanish justice system, once and for all, abide by European law and abandon the rule of law. Brexit judicial system in which it has been installed.

Madam President, Commissioner, Madam representative-in-office of the Council, our Argentine colleagues, while they were campaigning, were already saying: Sexual education to decide, contraceptives not to abort and legal abortion not to die. It is a human right to be able to decide about our bodies, our sexuality and our health, but to decide free from discrimination, violence and coercion. In Europe, as in other parts of the world, we see how not only are sexual and reproductive rights, especially of women, not respected in all their diversity, but also those who courageously defend them are persecuted, accused and repressed. Enough of harassing us at the exit of the clinics, enough of sending us to court for exercising our right to abort or even for helping another woman to do so. Enough of promoting anti-abortion policies such as making us listen to the heartbeat of the fetus. Prou ja. I repeat, in case we haven't heard the first time: sex education to decide, contraceptives not to abort and legal abortion, safe and free, not to die.

Mr President, the decline in press freedom in Greece is nothing new. Organizations such as Reporters Without Borders have warned of all kinds of attacks on the exercise of journalism, from impediments to freely cover immigration issues to the risk of losing one's life. The case of Greece is alarming, but it is only the symptom of a pathology that is spreading. Illegal listening to journalists and political opponents; media in few hands and, in some cases, closely linked to the political elite; laws that muzzle freedom of expression: As you see, some or all of the trends we see in Greece would also serve to describe other Member States, including some that claim to be full democracies. Therefore, if there is anyone who still has doubts about the importance of having a European law on freedom of the press, in this debate they should be resolved. Have on the table the Media Freedom Act This is good news and we will work towards strong, ambitious regulation that reflects the importance of media independence and pluralism as public goods. This regulation, together with other legislative measures such as the anti-SLAPP Directive or the report that will come out of the Pegasus Commission of Inquiry, should be the cornerstone of an ecosystem of democratic and resilient means in Europe. Without freedom of the press there is no rule of law. And we will be vigilant because, as the Washington Post reminds us, democracy often dies in the dark.

Mr President, Commissioner, the fact that the far right is a growing force in Europe is a reality that we are all well aware of. The events of last December in Germany show that it is now organized to the point of planning a coup d'état. But terrorist threats are the tip of the iceberg of the danger posed by the growth of the far right. Precisely in Spain, the ultra-right has a name and surname, is politically institutionalized and has even entered regional governments hand in hand with the PP. The VOX party defends a xenophobic, homophobic, racist and misogynistic policy, as demonstrated by the anti-abortion protocol of Castilla y León, copied from Orbán's law in Hungary. The fact that parties such as VOX are increasingly finding themselves with political influence and power is the real threat to the rule of law in the European Union. Especially because his speech legitimizes events as regrettable as those we have witnessed in Brasilia and Washington. Let us act before democratic values and human rights are a thing of the past.