What Eric spoke about.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, this Parliament too often forgets the roots of our European culture. The Roman genius, for example, left us this formula full of wisdom: , i.e. ‘dead, nothing but good’. Jacques Delors' dreams were not ours. Where he saw a liberated economy, we fear markets in danger. What he called the "European project" inevitably led to the erasure of nations. Finally, where he envisaged the smooth movement of Europeans with a Schengen, we alert on the perils of border reduction. These antagonisms are, however, tributes to a man who shaped the European Union. The European Union in which we live, whether we like it or criticise it, has been largely shaped by the one who was President of the Commission for ten years. Winner of the Charlemagne Prize, he was crowned by his peers who saluted in him the industrious worker of a new project. It is little to say that the French, whatever their political orientation, have the worst difficulties in the world to learn the grammar of the European institutions. We can all recognize that Jacques Delors assimilated language, codes and psychology with an acuity that forces admiration. Let us not forget that Jacques Delors, a young collaborator of Jacques Chaban-Delmas, worked on the project of the new company. He defended - and to his credit - the idea of a social Europe at the end of his European commitment. The coherence of a man, whatever his convictions, deserves the respect of those who fought him. Jacques Delors has left this world and therefore no longer belongs to the European arena. He joined the long cohort of French people who have marked the history of our continent. Loyalty to his memory is now imposed on all. The former trade unionist certainly asked us to ensure that none of our decisions forget those who languish under economic suffering. This will be the best way for his former opponents, like his many friends, to honor his memory.

Mr President, Madam President of Parliament, ladies and gentlemen of the European Commission, are you not ashamed? By the communiqué of 9 October 2023, you announced that you would finally carry out the monitoring of the beneficiaries of humanitarian aid funds to Palestine. Recall that the University of Gaza received €1.7 million from the Erasmus programme, the university in which one of the terrorist leaders who perpetrated heinous crimes against Israel on 7 October 2023 was trained. You are asking us today to vote in favour of the draft budget for 2024, but this proposal is EUR 24 billion higher than the 2020 forecast. For what purpose? To finance your complacency with Islamist associations or to compensate for your lax allocation of European funds? This budget will not be used to relieve the European peoples, who are facing the migration and economic crisis, and who are now overwhelmed by all these waves of migration. Nor will it serve to end insecurity on our continent. We say 'no' to this budget and 'no' to the policy of the European Commission, which is squandering Europeans' money. The European Union is not an NGO!

Madam President, Minister, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, ever more money, ever more borrowing, ever higher ceilings. For what result? There is no question of this finding: the European Commission has exhausted funds initially earmarked for seven years in three years. Yes, the global context following the COVID crisis and the war in Ukraine is not favourable. However, we do not have to squander our funds to third countries. Today we are talking about a revision of EUR 31 billion. To this, some EUR 69 billion will have to be added outside the multiannual financial framework. Mrs von der Leyen is obviously trying to catch up with a rather questionable European budgetary management. This manipulation of the citizens of the European Union cannot last. The Commission has a duty to be concerned about the crises they are going through. Inflation mainly, but also job insecurity. That is why it would be wise to abandon the madness of grandeur that is currently playing out. The European Union is not an NGO. The European people need us. The remuneration paid must first and foremost benefit Europeans. The European Union must save money in its budget and some of its expenditure.