What Maria spoke about.

18

Jun

2026

Speeches EN

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International Day of Play: promoting children’s right to play (debate)

Mr President, I thank the Commissioner for being here. I will begin with a short poem: 'We are guilty of many errors and many faults, but our worst crime is abandoning the children, neglecting the fountain of life. Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed, his blood is being made, his senses are being developed. To him, we cannot answer "tomorrow". His name is "today".' The International Day of Play may sound like one of the softer debates in this plenary, but it is not. It is a debate about children's rights. It's a debate about equality. It's a debate about resilience. When we politicians speak about children, we often speak about protection: protection from poverty, protection from violence, protection from harmful online content. We also speak about their educational rights, but not often do we consider that play is part of how a child's mind is developed. Play is not a luxury. It's not a reward that should be granted after a hard day at school. It is something that is essential in a human being's DNA. By playing, we humans test our boundaries, develop language, movement, imagination and confidence. It is how we learn to cooperate, to disagree, to try again, to lose, to win, to invent and to trust. But in Europe, as well as on this planet, the right to play is not equal for every child. It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes the EU to make sure that all across Europe this right is respected. Public policy decides whether children have safer streets, green spaces, inclusive playgrounds, accessible schools, early childhood education, affordable cultural activities and a digital environment that respects their age. The European Child Guarantee, the EU strategy on the rights of the child, the Digital Services Act, cohesion policy, education policy and the next European budget – all shape every day of European children. The European Parliament should commit to making the International Day of Play every year. We should also ask – and I am asking the Commission – for a comprehensive study on the state of children's play in the European Union. Who has access? Who is excluded? And what barriers children do face in their everyday life? Thirdly, I call on the Commission to make the right to play visible in EU child rights policy, in the implementation of the Child Guarantee, in digital policy, in education, in urban regional funding and in the next MFF. Because what is not visible in policy is too often invisible in budgets.

18

Jun

2026

Speeches EN

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Joint Declaration on ‘Culture for Europe - Europe for Culture’ (debate)

Mr President, I thank the Commissioner and everybody who has been giving birth to this vital declaration. Some of you might remember this quote: 'You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.' These are the words of Charlie Chaplin in the movie The Great Dictator. Culture is always a reflection and a catalyst of society's evolving values and dreams, so access for everyone to cultural experiences, especially for children, is something that should be treated as one of the core pillars of our society. Culture is a superpower: it's about resilience from the personal to the societal level. That is why AgoraEU should be treated as the vital instrument of this superpower, not only for Europe's cultural ambitions, but as a powerful instrument of resilience. In the age of AI, we need strong measures to protect human creativity, copyright and fair remuneration for creators. In the words of Charlie Chaplin, we in this House 'have the power'.

19

May

2026

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Opportunities and challenges presented by a comprehensive artificial intelligence strategy for EU trade (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, representatives of the Commission, first of all, thank you, Brando, for this strong and timely report. Artificial intelligence offers enormous opportunities for European industry and innovation. It can also give our customs and market surveillance authorities better tools to protect consumers and ensure that our rules are respected. But if we want Europe to be able to compete in artificial intelligence, we must also look at the foundations on which this technology depends. AI requires semiconductors, computing power, cloud infrastructure and resilient supply chains. And today too much of this capacity is concentrated outside of our continent. This leaves us dependent on others for the key technologies that will shape our economic future. That is why Europe must act with determination. We need to invest in our own industrial capacity. We need secure access to critical technologies and components, and we need stronger European cloud and computing infrastructure. If we want artificial intelligence that is competitive, trustworthy and aligned with our values, then Europe must build the technological foundations right here at home.

19

May

2026

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EU cybersecurity and preparedness in view of advanced AI systems (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, I think it's not exaggeration to say that we are living historical times. AI is affecting our societies in so many ways, including the nature of cyber warfare. Attacks are becoming faster, more autonomous, more precise and harder to detect. But our infrastructure, our network, our weapon systems are vulnerable. This is not science fiction; this is reality we're living in. Russia, China, Iran, North Korea are using our weaknesses daily and attacking us and harming us, so Europe needs to step up, including in this House. So, dear colleagues, I have a suggestion. I believe that it is time that we establish a permanent committee on AI dedicated to monitoring developments, assessing risks, strengthening our preparedness and ensuring Europe can act strategically instead of reactively. Many countries around the world have already done that and I think it's time we do so also.

29

Apr

2026

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Escalating trafficking and exploitation by criminal groups in Haiti

Mr President, Commissioner, I was leading the negotiations and I'd like to thank all the colleagues who were at the same table. We found common ground between my group S&D, EPP, Renew, ECR and Greens, who all signed this Haiti resolution. Children should be allowed to be children everywhere in the world, and I know that the world will never be ready, but together we can make it a bit better place. That is why I was so happy that we found such a common ground on this issue. Escalating violence perpetrated by criminal groups, gangs, trafficking, recruitment, exploitation including sexual abuse of children, and the forced displacement of civilians: this is what is happening in Haiti right now. As the international community we cannot just wait for these people to be left by themselves. They need international community support, because what we're facing in Haiti is the total collapse of the state. No man is an island, and no child should ever be left alone, because whenever we see suffering in this world, it affects us.

9

Mar

2026

Speeches FI

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Gender pay and pension gap in the EU: state of play, challenges and the way forward, and developing guidelines for the better evaluation and fairer remuneration of work in female-dominated sectors (debate)

Mr President, pay inequality pays women twice, first during their working lives and then again in retirement. I would like to highlight my own country, Finland, as a warning example. Finland is currently the number one country in European unemployment statistics. When care work is cut, or when school support services are cut, it is cut not only from those in need, but also directly from women and their future pensions. Greetings to the Finnish Government a few days after International Women's Day. Why is the EU Pay Transparency Directive on the Finnish Government's list of surgical cuts? On paper, the Finnish government claims to promote equality, but statistics show that women still earn 16% less than men. Same degree, different salary. And above all, the Finnish Government is working against its own women's organisations and is determined to promote the facilitation of fixed-term employment relationships. With these medicines from the Finnish government, women will indeed pay dearly for all of this.

11

Feb

2026

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International Day of Education, fighting inequalities in access to education (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner Mînzatu, dear colleagues, education is not only about knowledge; it is about equal opportunities and the power to shape one's future, and yet, access to quality education is still too often determined by the circumstances into which you are born as a child. Among the most disadvantaged are children in foster and alternative care. Many face disrupted learning paths, lower completion rates, and limited access to higher education. Instead of strengthening support, we see increasing political neglect. For example, in my home country, Finland, the aftercare age of foster children has been lowered from 25 to 23, weakening support precisely when they need it the most education-wise. We must close educational gaps, improve EU-wide data and better connect education with child protection. I would like to thank all colleagues who supported my proposal to have this discussion here today.

10

Feb

2026

Speeches FI

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Presentation of the action plan against cyberbullying (debate)

21

Jan

2026

Speeches EN

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Online piracy of sports and other live events: urgent need to address unsolved issues (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, online piracy might feel like no big deal – a simple anonymous click. But behind every illegal stream there is an athlete who trained for years, an artist who rehearsed throughout the night, a technician that set the lights before the dawn. Piracy is not abstract. It drains up to 30 billion globally every year. Piracy also leaves its users exposed, nearly 40 % of them falling victim to credit-card fraud and identity theft. The Commission itself admits that our current rules are not enough. The playing field is not even. Some Member States act; others don't. This kind of fragmentation protects criminals. This is why Europe needs binding, harmonised legislation. Stealing is stealing, and stealing should not be accepted in any form.

21

Jan

2026

Answers EN

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Presentation of the Digital Networks Act (debate)

Thank you very much for this very important topic and question. Finland shares a 1 300 kilometre border with Russia. We have lived in this shadow for decades and before we gained our independence, we were under their scrutiny. So, the matter for us is something that we take into account every day. You ask very justly, should we take a stronger approach to this? I think the more united Europe is on this matter, the more we invest in different aspects of defence, also how resilient our people are, disinformation and misinformation – for example, this week we spoke about deepfakes – all that affects our nations and we must put a stop to those as well.

21

Jan

2026

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Presentation of the Digital Networks Act (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, 5G, cloud services, fibre, artificial intelligence and communication technologies are crucial components of our security. Our critical infrastructures are constantly under attack. From destroying our cables to hacking our networks, to us Finns, this is everyday life. In this unstable geopolitical environment, we have to better our digital sovereignty. We cannot leave backdoors open for infiltration. That is why the Digital Networks Act matters. We need modern, secure and high‑capacity networks and for that, we need to work as one. Fragmentation weakens us, slows innovation and leaves Europe exposed. We are as secure as our weakest link.

18

Dec

2025

Speeches FI

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European Democracy Shield – very large online platform algorithms, foreign interference and the spread of disinformation (debate)

17

Dec

2025

Speeches EN

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Mass kidnapping of children in Nigeria, including from St Mary's Catholic school in Papiri

Madam President, little girls forced into marriage, sold as slaves or abused sexually by jihadists. 303 children were taken from their beds at St Mary's school. Since 2014, more than 1 500 children have been abducted from Nigerian schools. All these children should have been safe, enjoying what all children in the world should have: a safe childhood and a safe school environment. Violence like this grows where poverty and insecurity gives opportunity to extremists and gangs to take over. Turning schools into fortresses is not an answer. The problem is deeper. Nigeria needs to protect its children, its future. Society itself needs repair. The Nigerian authorities must act. When societies turn their back on their most vulnerable, there is no hope in the future.

17

Dec

2025

Speeches EN

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2030 Consumer Agenda (debate)

Madam President, in just two years – in just two years – 92 % of Europeans have encountered online fraud or scams. This is a systemic failure for the EU. Unsafe products are only a click away, threatening our consumers' health and safety. Our children are targeted by aggressive marketing, by addictive design, by content and products that put their safety at risk. Our merchants are also facing unfair competition. Only last year, more than 4.5 billion parcels entered the EU, many of them bypassed our rules and controls. This undermines trust and it weakens our single market. Strong consumer protection – it is not a choice; it is a necessity. The Consumer Agenda 2030 must, at its core, protect people, defend fairness and put citizens, not platforms, at the heart of our single market.

26

Nov

2025

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EU response to the continuous airspace violations and sabotage of critical infrastructure in the EU originating from Russia and Belarus (debate)

Madam President, our airspace is violated, our borders are probed, our cables are cut. This is hybrid war. And the aim of a hybrid war is simple: to sow confusion, to weaken trust, and to break the unity of the target before a single bullet is fired. It is outrageous that even within our own Union, Putin's useful idiots try to echo his narratives. Madam President, Finland knows the cost of a long border. We defend it every day. This is not the time for half measures. This is the time for unity and adequate financing. This is the time for action. We must shield our cables, guard our ports, secure our skies. We must protect our people.

26

Nov

2025

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EU position on the proposed plan and EU engagement towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine (debate)

Madam President, history teaches us hard lessons. 1925 – Germany signed the Locarno treaties. 1934 – the non-aggression pact with Poland. 1938 – the Munich Agreement. All presented as peace efforts; all used to buy time for further aggression. So let's not forget, not every peace is a real peace. Today, we face a similar risk. The United States is leading talks on a proposal for Ukraine, and we see clearly what Russia is willing to accept – so clearly that Washington had to explain that the plan was not written by Putin. It is the US and Russia who are shaping the talks and setting the terms. The agreement would limit Ukraine's army while Russia rebuilds its own. The agreement offers amnesties for war crimes and forces territorial concessions. Europe must stand up. We will not agree ...

25

Nov

2025

Speeches FI

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Protection of minors online (debate)

Mr President, what is unacceptable in the real world should not be acceptable online. What is illegal in the real world should also be illegal online. Algorithms are currently guiding children into dark alleys. Cyberbullying is commonplace and chatbots at worst encourage self-harm. With one click, the child can access harmful content, content that is dangerous to mental health. According to studies, one in ten young people suffers from harmful content on the web. Anxiety, sleep deprivation, concentration disorders, screen addiction. It is up to us politicians to make legislation that genuinely protects children and young people. Protecting children and young people should be a priority for everyone, including online platforms. It takes an entire village to raise children. It is the responsibility of families, it is the responsibility of all our communities, it is also the responsibility of our politicians.

23

Oct

2025

Speeches FI

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Discontinuing seasonal time change (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, when a problem is so obvious, we should be able to resolve it politically as quickly as possible. This hasn't been the case. Clock shifting, depression, concentration disorders, sleep problems, even an increase in myocardial infarctions have been proven. Changing the clock causes all of these. In Finland, Timo Partonen, sleep researcher and research professor at the National Institute for Health and Welfare, says that everyone would benefit from abandoning clock changes. Studies have shown that even a slight change in schedule, especially when combined with the darkness of our northern citizens, causes many health problems. Citizens have spoken, Parliament has spoken, the Commission has given the green light, and yet we are here. So what's the matter? It is important to note that the member states have not been able to make a decision. That is to say, the representatives of the Member States, the ministers sitting in the Council of Ministers, have not been able to take a decision on such a matter, which endangers the health of Europeans. In Finland, Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne is sitting on this matter. Greetings from the European Parliament. Is it not time to reach agreement in the Council of Ministers, to bring this matter to a final conclusion and to put an end to this madness, to the shifting of clocks? This is the right time. Here in Parliament we are waiting, in the Commission we are waiting, Europeans are waiting. Do your job.

20

Oct

2025

Answers EN

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A new legislative framework for products that is fit for the digital and sustainable transition (debate)

Thank you very much for the question. Simplification is in order in this manner, but also customers, and protecting Europeans from faulty products that can even endanger lives – for example, with children. If the toys – 80 % of them do not apply to our regulations. This is a big danger for the future of Europe, because children are the future of Europe. We need to educate our people, already at the school level, and we must teach that everything that looks gold is not good for you, and everything that is claimed to be good for you can actually be a very dangerous thing.

20

Oct

2025

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A new legislative framework for products that is fit for the digital and sustainable transition (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, in 2024 alone, the EU received 4.6 billion e-commerce parcels, mostly from outside our borders and many of them failing to meet European safety standards – the risk in millions of European homes – products that endanger consumers and harm our fragile environment. This alone is a call to action. The new legislative framework was adopted over a decade ago, and it no longer reflects the huge changes in our economy, technology and environment. This gap must now be closed. Customers deserve the power of knowledge – clear, trustworthy information, through tools like the Digital Product Passport – to make decisions on their purchases. Without this transparency, our ambitions fall flat. This revision is a crucial opportunity to align our product rules with today's and tomorrow's realities. So let's not waste it.

20

Oct

2025

Speeches EN

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The decision to impose a fine on Google: defending press and media freedom in the EU (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, media freedom: it's one of Europe's core values. It's the heartbeat of our democracy. And today, once again, we discuss Google's dominance, and we must remember what's at stake. Google controls much of how Europeans find news, how publishers earn on it. As a digital gatekeeper, it decides who is seen and who is silenced. Our media depend on visibility and fair revenue to survive. When these are taken away, our press weakens, our voices shrink, and democracy itself is poorer. But Europe has never been afraid to stand up for fairness and freedom. So let's keep fighting, not against technology itself, but for our values, for our journalists, and for the right for every citizen to be freely and truthfully informed.

9

Oct

2025

Speeches FI

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Public health risks in a Europe affected by global warming: tackling the spread of mosquito- and tick-borne diseases (vote)

Mr President, we are living in dangerous times in Europe. We often look at the dangers according to their size. We think that dangers are visible, that they are easy to detect. But the reality is that even smaller dangers need to be taken seriously. The subject we are discussing here is very serious. I myself come from Finland. We have a huge problem with ticks right now. But if we look at diseases spread by mosquitoes worldwide, for example, we cannot avoid realising that climate change has brought infectious diseases to Europe that are increasingly transmitted by mosquitoes and mites. Singapore is a good example of how to reduce the spread of mosquitoes, for example. Households can even be fined there if they do not take care to avoid the accumulation of extra water on their plots. Mosquitoes spread in the water. But preventing the spread of ticks is a more difficult case, and that is why we need to be able to prevent the diseases that these small organisms cause to humans. In Finland, a good example is tick buses that go to village centres and where people can often get their vaccines for free, because we, as a society, consider that the treatment of tick-borne diseases is much more expensive than the administration of vaccines.

9

Oct

2025

Speeches FI

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World Mental Health Day - addressing the socio-economic factors (debate)

Mr President, I come from Finland. We have less than six million inhabitants, and the figures are bleak: 100,000 Finns are on long-term sick leave every year due to mental health problems. This is a serious problem, and these figures for Finland are not very different from those for other European countries. We shouldn't be able to afford this. Our society cannot stand the fact that something that should be able to prevent and deal with effectively after the first signs have emerged causes such personal catastrophes, which also affect the well-being of society as a whole. Today, mental health problems are also increasingly concentrated in children and adolescents. Almost one in five 18-22 year-olds in Finland have had to use mental health services alone. One of the reasons for this is the internet. When we have rules in the real world, how we protect children and young people, the internet is still the Wild West. We have DSA legislation that should be able to make the internet a safe place for children and young people to move around. But the DSA has been implemented in such a way that it has not been looked at enough. Here we in the European Parliament also have a place of influence now.

6

Oct

2025

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Intergenerational fairness in Europe on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, societies can be valued by the way they treat their elderly. Is age discrimination common? About 50 % of Europeans say that it is. There is inequality in housing, in work life. Pensions threaten social cohesion. Public services do not treat people equally. We need to recognise that the future of Europe depends on how we care for all generations, not just in words, but in policies that honour both the young and the old. In this, I am happy to say that Finland leads by example. Youth and elder councils are a standard in municipal decision-making. Both groups have a legal right to influence local decisions. This was one of my priorities when I worked as a Minister of Social Services. What Europe needs is well-being that derives from age-aware policies. They must be taken into account in everything, from age-friendly communities to lifetime learning and extending careers. The Commission's European care strategy and its work on a strategy for intergenerational fairness are welcome, but these frameworks must now deliver. We need investment in quality long-term care, inclusive public services and age-friendly communities. No age group should be invisible – each generation deserves to be heard, valued and supported.

6

Oct

2025

Speeches EN

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Role of EU policies in shaping the European Sport Model (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, to begin with, I want to thank my S&D colleague Hannes Heide for his excellent work on this very important file. Thank you, Hannes. Athletes have been powerful role models for our youth throughout time. For example, our Finnish basketball team or the Special Olympics athletes I recently met; they inspire with their courage and strength. But there are unfortunately different kinds of sports examples. Profit-driven spectacles in the US and around the world risk compromising athletes' health and send the wrong message to our youth. I am talking, for example, about the Enhanced Games said to begin next year. They have very little to do with the pure sports. Our youth needs its heroes and the understanding that the basis of sport lies in a healthy lifestyle. Sport brings people together. It promotes health, peace and unity. It teaches core values such as solidarity and respect. To protect these values, we need strong EU support. We need investment in sports infrastructure. We need positive examples of sportsmanship. And when we talk about the youngest, we need to ensure that the joy of movement and achievement is every kid's right.