Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner McGrath, ladies and gentlemen, last March the European Parliament's position on the return regulation was adopted. While the Fundamental Rights Report reminds us that migrants' rights are already being targeted in the European Union, this new text marks an unprecedented hardening: end of the right to an effective remedy, creation of return hubs outside the Union or prolonged detention. Attacks on fundamental rights, whatever they may be, are carried out by a now established alliance of the right and the far right. We Socialists and Democrats are resolutely opposed to it. The Europe we want is not one of walls, of expeditious dismissals or of trampled rights. We demand a Europe of solidarity that shoulders its responsibilities. Europe cannot be both the continent of human rights and the one that outsources its responsibility for migration to third countries, sometimes with little respect for fundamental rights. We Socialists and Democrats have another vision, that of a Europe that protects, integrates and leaves no one behind, because solidarity is not an option – it is the very foundation of our common project.

Madam President, I too would like to make a point, a point of order in the Rules of Procedure, under Rule 202 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament. I would therefore like to make this point of order concerning the Rules of Procedure, the mandate for the Return Regulation. I can only deplore the fact that we are not having a discussion on the attitude of the EPP, which is unacceptable. We cannot tolerate negotiations with the far right, as the honourable Member has said. It is incomprehensible that Parliament's position is now that of the far right on an issue as important as the return of irregular migrants.

Madam President, Commissioner, European Ombudsman, the Ombudsman's annual report should have been a consensus. We have negotiated at length to find compromises. Our S&D Group has played its full part in this effort to build a solid agreement between pro-European forces. But, at the decisive moment, the EPP chose another path, that of aligning itself with the extreme right. Two unacceptable amendments were supported. One attacks NGOs and their funding, while they play an essential role for democracy. The other spreads a dangerous untruth by insinuating that the lack of border control would be responsible for the deaths at sea. It is precisely this type of discourse that trivializes the theses of the extreme right in this Parliament. Let us be clear, if these amendments remain in the report, we will not be able to support them. We have sought compromise to the end. But when some choose to vote with the far right, they have to assume that they are losing the support of the Social Democrats. Our red lines are clear: defend civil society, defend the truth and reject the normalization of the far right in this Parliament.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the number of school-deprived children in the world could soon reach 278 million. This is an alarming figure, as we know that education, and especially in emergencies, is often the only gateway for children to essential services such as health, protection and nutrition. I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate that education is a fundamental right, but also a major lever for development for individuals and societies alike. Yet millions of children are now out of school because of poverty, armed conflict or discrimination related to gender, disability or social origin. In many areas, girls are particularly affected. Even as actors such as the United States and France reduce their development aid, Europe must make a clear choice: sanctuarize funding for education, with priority given to the most vulnerable countries. Investing in education means investing in peace, stability and the future of our societies.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, for over a year and a half, Joseph Figueira Martin, a Belgian-Portuguese aid worker, has been arbitrarily detained in the Central African Republic. He must be released. In May 2024, he was abducted by the Wagner Group. Since then, he has been tortured, threatened with death and kept in inhuman and degrading conditions. He did not have access to due process of law or to the urgent medical care that his state of health requires. This detention is illegal. It is a flagrant violation of its human rights and international law. Joseph Figueira Martin is unfortunately not an isolated case. In recent years, the number of humanitarian workers injured, killed or abducted has reached catastrophic levels around the world. Those who protect, care for and accompany civilian populations become targets themselves. We have a clear political responsibility: do not leave those who risk their lives alone to save others. The protection of European nationals and humanitarian workers must be a top priority of the European Union, in all circumstances, without ambiguity and without delay. That is why I call for the mobilisation of all available diplomatic, political and legal levers in order to obtain from the Central African authorities the immediate and unconditional release of Joseph Figueira Martin. And once he is released – as he must be – it will be equally essential to demand justice and accountability for the arbitrary detention, torture and inhuman treatment he has suffered. We can't look away. We simply cannot abandon Joseph Figueira Martin and his family, nor all those on the ground who continue to save lives.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, here we are in this Chamber for yet another debate on migration. The title of this debate suggests that migration is out of control, which is a lie – a lie cleverly orchestrated by the right and far right. Currently, the number of irregular arrivals into the EU has never been lower since 2021. But this rhetoric keeps fear alive and justifies ever more restrictive public policies. They generate self-reliance and mistrust. This of course applies to our return policy for irregular migrants. If it is to be improved, it must be done with respect for human rights. We can never repeat it enough: Let us stop the stigmatization of migrants and their instrumentalization for purely political purposes. It is also understood in this Chamber that the conditioning of development aid must be linked to the cooperation of third countries on migration. It is to make it a tool of domestic policy, control and not solidarity, and it is always the most vulnerable people who pay the most.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the situation in Guinea-Bissau is extremely worrying; It calls for an immediate international response. Today, the priority is above all to protect the population. This population is very vulnerable, as Guinea-Bissau is one of the poorest countries in the world. There is no justification for the excessive use of force against civilians, and we denounce the violent crackdown on activists, journalists, human rights defenders and civil society actors. Intimidation, censorship and persecution must stop immediately, and human rights violations must be thoroughly and independently investigated. But for now, political instability must end and the rule of law must be restored, starting with the immediate publication of the results of the 23 November elections. Together with the Socialist and Democratic Group, we call for the immediate restoration of constitutional order and the release of those arbitrarily arrested in this context.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, last month we were already talking in this Chamber about the abduction of pupils in Nigeria. Here we are again today, when a new tragedy struck the country. I lack words to describe anger, misunderstanding, but also tiredness in the face of the repetition of these crimes, in the face of the disappearance of innocent children. Instead of threatening Nigeria with military intervention, the US president would do better to restore development aid funds, which allow the people of that country to be supported and to avoid the spiral of ‘precarisation, poverty, violence’. There is no silver bullet to Nigeria’s complex problems, but it is certainly not martial postures and hate speech – which can be heard here – that will solve them.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the humanitarian disaster in Sudan is getting worse and worse. Every day, more atrocities are committed against civilians: murders, mass executions, sexual and gender-based violence, ethnic cleansing. We must clearly name the facts. This systematic violence is unsustainable. It is a war crime. All perpetrators must be held accountable and brought to justice, without exception. We know that these atrocities were facilitated by the continued support of the United Arab Emirates to the Rapid Support Forces. This support, but also the less visible intervention of other countries, widely documented, directly feeds the war. It perpetuates a cycle of endless violence. As long as foreign sponsors continue to arm the belligerents, no peace will be possible and violence will only increase. The European Union must be intransigent vis-à-vis these authors. Their quest for international legitimacy is an essential lever that the Union must use to end the war in Sudan.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the seventh European Union-African Union Summit is being held in Luanda, Angola, on 24 and 25 November. It marks the 25th anniversary of the partnership between our two continents and comes at a pivotal moment. While the United States has suspended some of its aid to the populations of the most vulnerable African countries, the European Union must live up to it more than ever. It must be a reliable, supportive and predictable partner for all African countries. This partnership, which is a priority for European socialists, must be truly balanced, based on reciprocity and common values. Together, we must fight breaches of the rule of law and democracy, violence, inequalities and disparities in education. More than ever, strengthening our cooperation in key areas such as peace, health, the green and digital transition and human development is essential. I am convinced that together we can address global challenges and create shared opportunities for a more just and sustainable common future, without miserabilism, simply as equals in a changing world.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, there are appalling situations for which words are lacking, and Haiti is one of them. How can we describe the extreme violence that led to the Cabaret massacre? How can we describe the atrocious circumstances in which dozens of innocent people, including children, have died? But it is not because we lack words that we must remain silent and, above all, remain passive. The EU has the means to act. It can push to stop this cycle of violence, help a just transition and prosecute criminals to finally break impunity. I am delighted that Haiti is on the agenda of this plenary session and that our Parliament is adopting a resolution on the dramatic situation in that country. This is an important and expected signal, but this resolution must be up to par and followed by concrete action. The European Union must engage concretely with the Haitian people, because there is no inevitability, there are only political renunciations that I refuse to resolve.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, a few days ago the United States Federal Agency for International Assistance ceased to exist. According to a recent study, 14 million people could die of hunger and disease within five years due to lack of support. A startling number. And yet, while the urgency is obvious, some European Member States, including France, are also reducing their commitments. In this Chamber, the preparatory text for the Seville conference was rejected by a now well-established alliance between the right and the far right. Meanwhile, the climate, health and geopolitical crises are accumulating, famine is on the rise, the debt that is strangling the poorest countries is at a critical level, and the most vulnerable, women, children and refugees, are paying the high price. We have five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. So let us not sacrifice our historical responsibility and demand an ambitious, predictable and up-to-date European budget.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, South Sudan is once again in a critical situation. Imagine for a moment more than 165,000 displaced people in just three months. The 2018 peace agreement is faltering again. Violence is escalating and political tensions are escalating in the run-up to the elections. It's always the same people who pay the price, the civilians. People are suffering and we know the consequences: famines, epidemics, displacement, sexual violence. And where will the populations go in territories already in great difficulty? The European Union must rise to the occasion. We need to secure humanitarian corridors and protect civilians, especially women and children, who are often the first victims of violence. Finally, every effort must be made to achieve real and lasting peace. Commissioner, let us act now and with courage and compassion so that South Sudan is not engulfed in a new hell of violence and famine.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, 16 September 2021, 7.59 a.m. Doesn't that date mean anything to you? For the mayor I was at the time, it was the date of the eviction from a Roma camp in my city. In three expressions: social distress, lack of humanity, indifference of the French state. That is why I am delighted that the European institutions are putting the situation of the Roma back on the agenda. In recent years, discrimination against them has been ignored, while in the past many initiatives have led to positive developments. One piece of data, in my opinion, illustrates the scale of the problem: 80% of Roma live below the poverty line. This is intolerable. The European Commission must be firm with those Member States that do not want to do anything or use fallacious arguments to evade their obligations in this area. The Commission has proposed minimum targets for 2030, i.e. tomorrow. There is urgency in all areas: education, housing, employment, health. Although it no longer seems very fashionable to support minorities, the EU must show that it is founded on values of solidarity towards all its citizens, without exception.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the debate that has just taken place this evening shows this: Sexual violence, including the use of rape as a weapon of war, must cease. The collective indifference around these acts is simply unacceptable. Moreover, since the Sudan War in 2023, more than a million people have fled the fighting to Chad, which, I recall, is one of the poorest countries in the world. At the end of February, I visited the Adré camp in eastern Chad, where a large number of Sudanese refugees live in precarious living conditions, despite the important work of NGOs. Humanitarian aid needs are immense and funding is either cut, like U.S. funding, insufficient, or at risk. We must live up to it and the European Union must help these millions of people, who need it most.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, a directive that becomes a regulation does not always bode well, especially when it comes to fundamental rights. The Return Regulation is therefore launched, with its share of more than worrying, dubious and fiscally excessive measures, at a time when savings are being demanded in a fragile geopolitical context. We are being told about return hubs, forced departures and longer detention periods, even for minors, who can be detained for two years, even though they have not committed any crime. We are not fooled; all this has only one objective: increase expulsion rates. However, migrant inflows are declining. Our group expressed yesterday, as did the NGOs, its concerns and its categorical opposition to certain elements of this text. We want a comprehensive and coherent approach to migration policies, not unilateral decisions without a human objective.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the tone is set. If we still had little hope that Donald Trump would care about the climate crisis we are experiencing, global health or development aid, his recent announcements and decisions leave no doubt about his will to the contrary. Every decision made by the American head of state takes us a step further away from the international collaboration in which we have collectively engaged for decades to confront global crises, but also to save lives. For him, health, health crises must no longer be managed by a globally recognized organization such as the WHO, even if it means endangering the health and lives of all citizens, American or not. And what about the freezing of international aid? This suspension has immediate and dramatic consequences for thousands of vulnerable people around the world. Commissioner, what will be the European Union's concrete response to this disaster?