What Lukas spoke about.

11

Mar

2025

Speeches DE

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European Council meetings and European security (joint debate)

Madam President, dear people of Europe! Our President-in-Office of the Commission, von der Leyen, will not know, but she was once my superior. While she was Minister of Defence in Germany, I served as a loader with the Panzertruppe in Munster, in Leopard 2 tanks that are now in use in Ukraine – and that is where they belong. The European Union is a peace project, but as long as the UN is a toothless tiger, peace must unfortunately be defended. And for this we need a European army in the long term, because it is unlikely that the Spaniards will attack the Portuguese, the Poles the Czechs or, God forbid, the Luxembourgers us Germans. In the medium term, the obligation to provide assistance under Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union must at least be equivalent to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, but in the short term the struggle for our freedom in Ukraine will be waged. And accordingly, our greatest priority in our own defence must be to advance the further and now even stronger rearmament of Ukraine with the disappearance of the United States. Because the enemy is in the east - unfortunately, just like in our exercises at that time on the military training ground.

10

Mar

2025

Speeches DE

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European Social Fund Plus post-2027 (short presentation)

Madam President, dear people of Europe! When we talk today about the future of the European Social Fund Plus after 2027, we are talking about the future of Europe itself. This future does not start tomorrow, it starts today – in our classrooms, lecture halls and training centres. Education is not a side issue. Education is the absolute basis for sustainable social development. Those who promote education invest in democratic values, social justice and economic development. Therefore, after 2027, the ESF+ must above all be one – an education offensive for Europe. Let's focus together where the future is made – in smart minds, curious hearts. Because only education creates opportunities, builds bridges and makes societies – our European society – sustainable. If we invest in education, we invest in Europe's future!

10

Mar

2025

Speeches EN

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Establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova (debate)

Madam President, to the people of Moldova. In Moldova's steadfast home tonight, a family gathers, brave in fight; outside lurks shadow, dark and cold, yet freedom's fire burns so bold. From Europe's hearts comes aid anew, financial locks to see them through; this firewood feeds hopeful flames, that warms their dreams and breaks their chains. With every lock their courage grows, as Europe's strength through aid bestows; defying shadows, fierce and grim, Russian threats shall not break in. And so Moldova, proud and free, takes up the chance for all to see; Europe's support a beacon bright, turns darkness into hopeful light.

10

Mar

2025

Speeches DE

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Cutting red tape and simplifying business in the EU: the first Omnibus proposals (debate)

Madam President, dear people of Europe! The Commission's Omnibus proposals provide the necessary relief for small and medium-sized enterprises and strengthen our industry champions in global competition. At the same time, I am very concerned about the relaxed climate protection standards. Above all, however, we continue to ignore a decisive step in the development of international law, thus once again missing out on being pioneers rather than merely pursuing reactive policies. Large transnational companies are not just a collection of European parent companies or subsidiaries, but independent global players. But that's not how we look at them. Legislatively, we always confine them to our own company law and are unable to think beyond our borders. Only when we finally recognize multinational companies as independent subjects of international law can we effectively bind them to international human rights and environmental standards. Europe must be at the forefront here. Let's recognize multinational corporations as independent subjects of international law!

10

Mar

2025

Speeches EN

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Order of business

Madam President, dear colleagues, yes, the moustache is gone, if you do not recognise me. I was just wondering about that colleague that said the people elected this candidate. They didn't elect this candidate in a fair election; it was an election that was scammed by Russian propaganda and Russian bots and Russian influence. I know that you are fond of stuff like this, because it tends to help you as well in our elections. But democracy also includes the free will of the people without manipulation, without foreign interference. That is the problem here. It is not that a fair election was taken away; it is that a scammed election was taken away. If the institutions – the Constitutional Court, the board of elections – decide like this, you have to respect it. You cannot just cry aloud because the candidate that you wanted to run was taken away.

12

Feb

2025

Speeches EN

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Honouring the memory of Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová: advancing media freedom, strengthening the rule of law, and protecting journalists across the EU (debate)

Mr President, colleagues, I thank you all – nearly all – for your words, because Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová died as heroes of freedom, of our freedom and of the freedom of our people. Therefore, for the end of this debate, I would like to use the remaining speaking time that I got for a moment of silence, and I would like you to join me and invite you hereby to stand with me in remembrance, thank you. (The President intervened and took the floor)

12

Feb

2025

Speeches DE

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US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, the World Health Organisation and the suspension of US development and humanitarian aid (debate)

Do you know, fellow Members, why I prefer to argue with the right rather than with the left? The left, they just sometimes lose themselves in their idealism. You just want to puff! Just that's what it's all about. Latest hit on the Pöbelklaviatur: Europe first. Well, let's assume for a second, we do this, this outflow of your mental creativity. The United States is no longer our ally, but our competitor. Just like the rest of the world. Let's do it an example For you, I'll make it easy: The US economy is over 60% larger than that of the EU. The US has much larger gas, coal and oil resources – yes, you'd be fine if we had one – and it has the largest stock exchange in the world. The US is superior to us economically, technologically, militarily and geopolitically in all areas, and so we will lose the competition. We need allies. I know that even you know the principle of allies in your small drum circle of nationalism. But you forget again and again in your adoration: Trump laughs at you. For him, you are just the little man he always likes to pull over the table.

12

Feb

2025

Speeches EN

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US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, the World Health Organisation and the suspension of US development and humanitarian aid (debate)

Madam President, I'm sorry, but because of the shortness of the time, I'm not able to quote the particular rule, but there is one rule, dear colleague, which says that it's not allowed to impose hate speech in this Parliament. And I can tell you, calling transgender people 'crazy' for being what they are is nothing more. So I ask you to not say that again, and I ask you, Madam President, to stand up against hate speech like that in this Parliament, because we represent all the people and not the people that you deem correctly.

12

Feb

2025

Speeches DE

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Collaboration between conservatives and far right as a threat for competitiveness in the EU (topical debate)

Mr President! Dear fellow human beings, do you know what I admire so much about our conservative friends from the EPP or the CDU in Germany? No other political current has such a constructive relationship with the economy. No one is more closely linked to the industry in terms of personnel and no one can count on the financial support of the companies anymore. That's why I was pleased when, in the middle of last year, the presidents of the major German industry associations addressed the public with a letter and warned against the mental-creative hobby fascists of the AfD. Finally, a nationalist policy is detrimental to the European single market – our biggest advantage on the world market. It deters the much-needed international professionals. It leads to stand-alone approaches to global crises such as climate change, which pose a lasting threat to our economic growth. It was 1932 Franz von Pappen, a conservative who thought he could control Hitler, could collaborate with him from a position of strength. Dear Conservatives, for the good of our economy and our society, don't make the same mistake!

12

Feb

2025

Speeches EN

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Commission Work Programme 2025 (debate)

Madam President, dear people of Europe, the EU Commission's Work Programme, on paper, shares key priorities with the Party of Progress: reducing bureaucracy for businesses, fostering digital and green innovation, strengthening social protection and internal security. Let us see, friends, because we also have 123 open proposals from the previous Work Programmes. However, this Work Programme falls short in one crucial area and this is democratic participation. The Party of Progress believes that Europe must not only work for its people, but with them. Because you and me, we both know that populists, extremists and opportunists work to turn the people against our democracy every day, and also in here, in this temple of freedom. That is why we need stronger engagement with the citizens to reflect their voices – democracy itself must always keep pace with economic and social progress. A bolder, simpler and faster Union can only be a Union of the people.

11

Feb

2025

Speeches EN

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Protecting the system of international justice and its institutions, in particular the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice (debate)

Madam President, dear people of Europe, it was the horrors of the Second World War that led to the implementation of the system of international justice as we know it today. The face of tyranny and the killing of people in a scope that was never seen before was needed to bring the international society together. Today, I think we stand at a turning point where tyranny once again shows its ugly face, and where we still have a chance, where we still can defend the international order and we should do everything. Because, once again, the title of this debate is quite wrong. It is not the international system of justice, it is our system of justice that we need to defend, that we need to fight for, and that we need to follow through in every ruling, in every aspect. Because when the rest of the world is looking the other way, we as Europe have to take charge on protecting this system.

11

Feb

2025

Speeches EN

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US AI chip export restrictions: a challenge to European AI development and economic resilience (debate)

Madam President, dear people of Europe, the United States AI export restrictions aren't just a trade issue – they are a direct threat to Europe's technological sovereignty. We cannot afford to be dependent on decisions made in Washington. Our AI future must be built here in Europe, on European terms. And right now, our development is scattered, fragmented, slowed down by a lack of coordination. We need a European AI hub, a central framework for cooperation, funding and research. The AI Action Summit in Paris was a great start. But a start is not enough. We need alternative suppliers, stronger industrial policies and, above all, independence. The US cannot dictate our strategy. Even when their ideas are good, they must be sold as European ideas. Europe must lead, not follow. And it is time to act now, to build the future. Dear colleagues, this speech was written by AI just seconds before my speaking time. I hope you take this as an example of the importance of the matter.

11

Feb

2025

Speeches DE

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Political crisis in Serbia (debate)

Madam President, Dear people of Europe, also in Serbia. Before I was elected to this House, I was a student. A student with a heart for politics. And I can tell you, it's not always easy. We live in a world where the powerful are usually our parents, where we are rarely heard, where the problems that plague our society arose significantly before we were born. But we, the students, have shown time and again that we too can be at the forefront of change, that we can carry the flag of freedom forward. But that, ladies and gentlemen, we have never been able to do it alone. And I would therefore like to ask you all: Get up now! Join the democratic movement in Serbia! Just like the people of Serbia of all ages and social backgrounds, stand by the side of Serbian students! Let's show Serbia together that it has a place in our midst, so that soon some Serbian students will also be sitting here in this hall!

11

Feb

2025

Speeches DE

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Boosting vocational education and training in times of labour market transitions (debate)

Madam President, Dear people! High house! I am pleased that the word Erasmus+ has been used more often in this debate on vocational training. You already know this from me, I am a huge fan of Erasmus+. I was an Erasmus+ student myself. In the same way, we have to integrate this programme more and more into vocational training, because it has now been almost ten years since Erasmus+ became an inclusive programme for all types of formal and non-formal education and no longer only addressed students. Nevertheless, the majority of young people still consider it to be just such a program. I myself only learned last year, when we wrote our European elections programme, that it is more than that, that it is aimed at more than the students. That is why I would like to stress once again that we need to increase funding here. Never limit, always expand, because the Erasmus+ programme is our flagship project in education. It offers young people across the continent the opportunity to learn the skills they need in this globalized and increasingly modern world.

11

Feb

2025

Speeches EN

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Preparedness for a new trade era: multilateral cooperation or tariffs (debate)

Mr President, dear people of Europe, I think Donald Trump would be happy about the frequency of the name Trump being mentioned here today, but let me be clear: he is not our friend. Someone who tries to dismantle the rule of law cannot be our friend. Someone whose friends perform a Nazi salute at a public event cannot be our friend. And I know this is hard for us because the US, historically speaking, is our friend. But Trump? Trump is nothing more than a spineless schoolyard bully and that's how we need to treat him. But to beat the bully, you have to be able to pack a punch yourself. And that, Germany cannot do. Estonia cannot do. Spain cannot do. But Europe, a strong Europe can do. Give this Parliament the right to initiative. Abolish the unanimity principle and the exceptions to the four freedoms of the internal market due to national interests. Together we stand.

10

Feb

2025

Questions DE

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Escalation of gang violence in Sweden and strengthening the fight against organised crime (debate)

Illegal migration leads to crime. You don't have to be brave to say that. No one denies that either. But don't you think that if people with a migrant background had been pushed into poverty if they hadn't been ghettoised, they would have been pushed into bad neighbourhoods, if they had been given a work permit, if they had been treated as equal members of our society, don't you think there would be less crime from that part of the population?

10

Feb

2025

Speeches EN

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Escalation of gang violence in Sweden and strengthening the fight against organised crime (debate)

Madam President, the people of Europe, the title of this debate is, in my humble opinion, all wrong. As many colleagues have pointed out, the problem that we are facing is not a Swedish one – it is European, with a strong worldwide aspect to it. Just last week, the Ambassador of Ecuador told us that it's the Albanian mafia being in control of the cocaine shipping out of the port of Guayaquil in Ecuador. Albanian mafia in Ecuador. Let that sink in for a moment. It is always drug-trafficking gangs that enact the worst violence, and these gangs do not fight about the market of Sweden, of Italy or of Luxembourg – they fight about Europe. And so there can only be a European solution. We need to strengthen Europol and let it take over some responsibilities from the national police forces. We need to expand funding for the European Union Drugs Agency, and we need to legalise or criminalise the same drugs in the same countries all over Europe. Only if we start tackling this European issue as such, we will stand a chance.

10

Feb

2025

Questions EN

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Escalation of gang violence in Sweden and strengthening the fight against organised crime (debate)

Thank you, colleague, for taking the blue card. I was listening closely to your speech and at some point you said that we need to treat the drug traffickers in the same way as terrorists. And while I understand the deep emotions that these problems bring with them, I think that's a very, very difficult statement, because we treat terrorists in the most extreme way that our state of law can give: we have full surveillance; we send out heavily armed police. So my question would be, when we look at those gangs, at which stage of the gang level do you have to be to be treated like that? Is it only for the bosses or is it also for the runners? Where would you draw the line in the sand?

10

Feb

2025

Speeches DE

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European Central Bank – annual report 2024 (debate)

Mr President! Dear people of Europe, today we talked about the European Central Bank. And yes, even on behalf of the Progressive Party, I must say: Criticism is justified. The ECB influences the lives of millions of people and has to face such a debate. But while I have heard constructive proposals from the moderates here from the political centre of this House, I hear from the extremes that the ECB is biased, politically motivated. This claim is not only false, it is dangerous. But this rhetoric suits you: Yes, everyone is conspiring with each other, wanting to make it difficult for the little man and also allowing themselves to want to save the climate. I'll tell you: Whoever bases his entire policy on undermining trust in democratic institutions is not a Democrat. Ms Lagarde, I have lived with the ECB for 26 of my 27 years. You know, there's still room for improvement. But keep it up!

19

Dec

2024

Speeches DE

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Recommendation to the Council on the EU priorities for the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women - EU priorities for the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (joint debate - EU priorities for the upcoming session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women)

Mr President! Dear fellow human beings! What should be our priority in promoting women's rights? Respect them by believing them. Just yesterday I learned another lesson: My friend showed me a video of the Love Island VIP candidate Sophie, in which she reports about attacks by her TV colleague Yasin. In the video, however, she does not explain details, give names, describe her personal suffering, dressed in the indisputable principle of ‘no means no’. What about me? I had trouble judging these events. I had trouble judging this Yasin. But that was wrong! If we do not respect women by believing them, if we men always need evidence of their oppression, then women's rights will always be restricted. Dear men, let's be better than that.

18

Dec

2024

Speeches DE

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Challenges facing EU farmers and agricultural workers: improving working conditions, including their mental well-being (debate)

Mr President! Ladies and Gentlemen! I have to say, I think it is a pity that at the end of this debate this fairy tale was repeated again, that climate protection and agricultural policy would somehow be opposites. To the man who just said this: How can agriculture be carried out on dry land, on droughts, on floods? If the planet goes before the dogs, then it is no longer with agriculture – nowhere. Then it's over – for everyone. But at the same time, of course, it also hurts me – and I address this to my friends from the Green Camp – to hear that, obviously, in recent years and decades, we have not been able to make an agricultural policy that does not suffocate our farmers in bureaucracy, especially with regard to climate protection, after all that others have said here. Personally, I am very new to it. They're all much more experienced than I am. But I think we can do something better. And I would like to ask you not only to demand this balance, which everyone here obviously wants, not only to talk about it, but actually to do something about it by talking to those affected.

18

Dec

2024

Questions EN

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Challenges facing EU farmers and agricultural workers: improving working conditions, including their mental well-being (debate)

So you talked a lot about double standards and how, because of the climate policies, people in the farming sector have to suffer. You ask if we are really about the well-being of these people, and if we do not only do it for political causes. But then I'm wondering, you're coming from the group and also from a party who is famous for its anti-migrant rhetoric. Given the fact that most of the businesses in the farming industry need people from outside, how do you put this together? And how can you accuse other people of double standards when you clearly have double standards yourself?

18

Dec

2024

Speeches EN

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Preparation of the EU-Western Balkans Summit (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, the Western Balkans is not just a distant region. It is the new frontier of our Union's growth. And the people there have shown unwavering support for our European values. And it is time to honour this commitment. We must deepen our engagement with a growth plan that builds a sustainable, prosperous economy for the region. We must strengthen our cooperation in foreign and security policy to safeguard stability and mitigate the impacts of Russia's aggression. Only when the entire European continent has the opportunity to join our Union, we can truly call ourselves a European Union. And this is not ‑ like this colleague said ‑ just for social media. This is because I truly believe in that.

18

Dec

2024

Speeches DE

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Preparation of the European Council of 19-20 December 2024 (debate)

Madam President, Dear fellow human beings, Linn! One of the issues on the Council's agenda is the situation in the Middle East. I am really happy that Europe is now turning to this region, because we have the chance to learn from our mistakes of recent years and decades. Especially with regard to Syria, we now have the chance to prove that we can do better. Because in Syria, civil society is reawakening – the same civil society that we abandoned more than a decade ago, which led to unbelievable suffering and a large migration movement to Europe. Especially in this situation, vulnerable groups need our support and especially those NGOs that are committed to the rights of women. Because the new Syrian government follows at its core a male-dominated interpretation of Islam. For many, this is just another session of the Council; for me, as always, it is an opportunity for a strong Europe that stands by its values and learns from its mistakes.

18

Dec

2024

Questions DE

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Preparation of the European Council of 19-20 December 2024 (debate)

Hello, Mr. Colleague - up here. Moin! You talked a lot about peace. And that's why I wanted to ask you if you are aware of the conditions that Putin himself puts in place for the start of peace negotiations. He last described it in great detail three months ago in a press conference and repeated it a few weeks ago. I'll tell you briefly, then you can just tell me if you know that. He said: There will be peace negotiations with Ukraine only after the Ukrainian military has abandoned all weapons and withdrawn from all areas claimed by Russia. Are you aware of this? And would you conduct peace negotiations under these conditions?