Speeches

Madam President! In fact, I think we can do this much better. I think we owe it to European farmers to take the world situation and the challenges they face seriously. The challenge for European agriculture is not about plant proteins or what you can call your veggie burger or your plant sausage. It's far, far bigger than that. Climate change, drought and extreme weather are, of course, hitting our European farmers hard. Let us now talk about the real problem rather than muddying or distorting the debate. Let's talk about what strategic autonomy means – is it really smart to import tons and tons of soy from South America, feed it to 40 million pigs in my home country, Denmark, only to export and sell cheap meat to China? This is not the future I want for Europe's agriculture. I know we can do better, but it requires political action for this house. When we spend a third of the EU's total budget on agricultural subsidies, we can afford to have a political conversation about what that money is being spent on. I think we owe that, not least to all the citizens who care about drinking water, about animal welfare, about healthy, green food. Not only now, but also in the future.

Mr. President! Think about how you dress. Keep an eye on your drink when you're in town. Perhaps, as a woman, you have also received some of these well-meaning advice. Take care of your tea at home in the living room. Do we really want to add that to the list? Because at an online academy, men exchange experiences, teach each other to stun, rape their partners, and share it on the internet. It's totally sick. But when thousands and thousands of men participate, we cannot call it a one-off problem. It is a culture of rape that we must fight, and we must do so loudly. Sexual violence thrives in silence when the guilt resides with the woman. Shame has to change sides. That is why it is high time for a common consent law across the EU. We must emphasize that sex without consent is rape, no matter where in Europe you are. Yes means yes, and no always means no.

Mr. President! One hundred million euros. It is Europe's extra energy bill every day, because it is really, really expensive to be dependent on imported fossil fuels. And yet we see it happening again and again. Iran is just the latest geopolitical crisis and the consequences - we already know them: soaring bills, enormous uncertainty. It affects citizens, industry and businesses. Then there is the security issue. How long will we be so vulnerable? Are we really going to continue this black addiction? It doesn't have to be like this. In countries where gas dominates, price fluctuations are severe, but when renewable energy is given space, we are also better equipped. For green energy sources is not just good climate policy. It's a security policy like never before. Energy policy can be an economic instrument. Therefore, I actually have a fairly simple question: when should we send out some healthy price signals, where green energy is not taxed higher than imported black fossil energy? Let us now put green energy policy at the heart of Europe.

The most expensive and the stupidest, it's not the green transition. The most expensive, stupidest and worst thing for Europe is then to continue to be so dependent on black energy. So you're talking against better knowledge if you think it's not worth investing in renewable energy sources. If you think it won't make us both richer and safer as a continent to put up more wind turbines or solar cells. How long do you want to go on? How many geopolitical crises are there? How many wars in Ukraine or Iran? How many foreign policy shocks to the European energy market do you need before you open your eyes and dare to step onto the green transition path?

Mr. President! When the world becomes more uncertain, we in Europe can feel it directly. When Russia invaded Ukraine, energy prices exploded, and now we see again how the situation in the Middle East is causing oil prices to go crazy. It hits the Europeans. But it doesn't have to be that way. It is not written in stone that it should be so. We can give Danes and Europeans access to green, safe and affordable energy. But then we must also make ourselves less dependent on unstable energy markets and fossil fuels coming from outside. This can be achieved, but only if people are involved. The green transition should not be imposed on us. It's our own. We must make political efforts to remove unnecessary obstacles. We need to ensure transparent prices and provide people with energy solutions that are understandable. Everyone should feel that we are serious when we say that we want an energy union. For every solar panel on a roof, every local wind project makes us less dependent on Putin's gas or on Middle East oil. So now we just need to recognize one thing: Europe's largest energy resource is our citizens. Together we can create a green, strong and secure Europe.

Mr President, I struggle to understand why we're not more angry. Maybe it's because as women we are told to smile more. But it's 2026 – women are done waiting politely for rights that should be the basic, should be the bare minimum! The fight for women doesn't stop at Europe's border. In the US, it seems that more weight has been put towards the emails of a dead man, rather than the testimonies of hundreds and hundreds of living women. When women tell similar stories, the scandal is not their testimony; the scandal is our failure to listen. In Iran, women are rising and they are losing. They're risking their lives for simply existing. We must stand by them – sister to sister, shoulder to shoulder. Women don't need more waiting: women need global action, global leadership. We are done with empty promises. It's 2026: it's time to prove to the next generation of women that we were the ones who acted when it really mattered!

Mr President, year after year, Putin continues his aggressive war. People are dying, but not only on the battlefield. People are freezing from the cold. The systemic targeting of Ukraine's energy system is not only a military tactic, it's designed to break civilian resilience. When electricity is cut, when hospitals struggle to operate, when heating systems stop functioning, what's the result? Survival itself quickly becomes a real concern. That's precisely why critical energy assets are now frontline targets in modern warfare. That's the reality the war in Ukraine has illustrated so painfully clearly. This is a lesson that Europe must take seriously for Ukraine and for the rest of Europe's future. Decentralised green energy systems are inherently more resilient than the traditional centralised fossil fuel energy structure. Solar panels powering hospitals, battery systems keeping water treatment plants running, local wind supplying towns, and microgrids allowing emergency services to operate even when national electricity grids are disrupted. Slava Ukraini!

I just can't help but wonder: when you say it's important for the EU not to undermine NATO, I think that the one person who is undermining NATO right now is not sitting in this Chamber, but in the White House in the US. The biggest threat to NATO at the moment seems to be coming from within. So how do you see that it is not in this House that we are undermining NATO? It's from the US. I think the situation in Greenland, frankly, tells us all about where the threat is coming from, unfortunately. I wish it was different, but it's the reality we must face.

I think you're wrong if you think climate policies and security and defence policy differ that much. The solution is the same: free ourselves from Russian gas. And let us not be naive and think that we can just switch from Russian gas to American LNG. If we go your way, deciding to treat these as completely different topics, we are doomed to fail, we are doomed to replace just one dependency with another, and that will not create a stronger Europe or a safer Europe.

Mr President! Thank you. When you look out into the world, you can get worried, whether you look at Beijing or Moscow or Washington, there is plenty of bad news, but it is important that we in Europe do not shy away. We shouldn't be afraid or make ourselves smaller than we are. On the contrary. We are the best place to be if you ask me. We have so much to give to this world and we have so much we want for our continent. We must give the courageous answers both politically, economically, but also militarily. We need to build a real defence union, because the geopolitical situation right now is simply too serious not to. There is only Europe to safeguard Europe's interests, Europe's security and the future of the next generation of young Europeans. Let me be clear. The people deserve courageous politicians who make the important decisions for the future of our continent. The people deserve that when we spend up to five percent of our GDP on defence, we spend the money wisely, and the money is spent wisely when we do it together. We should not fear EU flags or stars on the shoulders of our soldiers' military uniform. On the contrary, we must do it with pride.

Mr President, let us not forget the name of Jina Mahsa Amini. Remember 'Woman, Life, Freedom', a fight that must not fade away. The Iranian regime's surge in death penalty executions and brutal abuses against peaceful protesters cannot stand. Iran's ayatollahs gun down children and raid hospitals because a whole nation is rising. It's making Tehran tremble. A generation is fighting for their future. And right now the regime is testing whether the world will blink. That is why Europe must show unbreakable solidarity, support the brave citizens, strengthen the regime sanctions, support Iranian civil society, media and connectivity partners. We need clear EU action. We need to empower protesters against tyranny – for women, for life and for freedom.

Mr President! Zusammenhalt. Eenheid. Yhteishenki. Collaboration. Solidarity. Sammanhold. Unity. Unity. It's not just words. This is the backbone of the European project. This is the one being tested right now. So thank you to the countries that contribute to the security of Greenland, who cherish what matters: International order. Mutual respect. Together, we say it loud and clear to Trump: Leave the Greenlanders alone. You can't threaten territory. If we do not react clearly and collectively now, then the problems will extend beyond Greenland and far into the future of Europe, and therefore our message must be crystal clear: Greenland is not for sale. Greenland is not a tool or a strategic tool. Greenland is a people. Kalaallit Nunaat Kalaallit Pigaat.

Mr President, I have some news to share with you. If you are against abortion, don't have one. No one is forcing you. But don't confuse your personal choice, your opinion or your beliefs with your right to decide what's right for others. Because making women suffer through unwanted pregnancy has nothing to do with protecting your so-called values. You want to silence women, but guess what? You cannot silence the voice of 1.2 million European citizens behind this initiative, and you should not silence the voice of the 20 million women in the EU who do not have access to safe and accessible abortions. I will not let that happen. We had the scientific and historical evidence that clearly shows that banning abortion does not eliminate abortions. It just makes them more dangerous. In the interest of every woman, every citizen behind the initiative and every woman living in a Member State where safe and accessible abortions are not reality yet, I count on your vote tomorrow for the 'My voice, my choice' initiative.

Mr President! 10 million! So many pigs die every year from stress, hunger and disease in the Danish stables. That's the equivalent of a pig dying every three seconds. 1, 2, 3 – take a moment and imagine if we were talking about puppies. And the animals that are lucky enough to survive in the stables are sent on round-the-clock journeys under unbearable conditions and heat. But honestly. Living beings must be treated responsibly. We are committed to protecting them in the best possible way from pain and from suffering. Agriculture is facing an animal welfare crisis. Yet we are giving billions of European tax dollars to agricultural subsidies. And Denmark even awards slaughter premiums. I mean, what! We breed and breed on animals that can't say no. We give penicillin in excessive amounts, animals are medicated, we stow them together in stables and in trucks, so that we cannot see the massive failure we are exposing them to. We close our eyes because it is easier and perhaps cheaper than taking action. But we can't pretend to be blind. We can watch it on TV. We can read it in the paper. Now it is our responsibility to stop the systematic treatment of animals and create a farm we can be familiar with.

I think it is safe to say that it is broad scientific consensus – also confirmed by all of the experts we have had for numerous visits in the ENVI Committee, in the ITRE Committee and here in the European Parliament – that the changes we see and the rising temperatures we see on our globe right now are proving to be caused by human activities. It is caused by the way we live, the way we produce and the way we keep using outdated technologies such as fossil fuels. If you still deny that, if you choose to deny these facts, even with all the science and all the experts coming to tell us about the state of our planet, then I am not sure anything I say from this chair can change your mind, unfortunately.

Mr President, we are tired of waiting. The young generation of Europe has had enough. Empty promises and failed attempts do not suffice anymore. The agreement from COP was, let's be honest, disappointing. Where is the roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels? It lacked the courage and the speed that the climate crisis demands, but it also proved that the world can still come together. There is a foundation to build upon. But here in Europe, we are faced with right‑wing politicians who deny the crisis entirely. The forces who shrug at rising temperatures, who mock young people demanding a future, or who pretend that climate delay is somehow realism. Let's call it what it is: cowardice. But you know what? The next generation is not buying it. We are demanding higher ambition louder, clearer, fiercer than ever. Now, Europe must match with leadership, not hesitation. So, to all the deniers, the ones clinging to the past, all the delayers: you are out of excuses, and we are out of time. The next generation is out of patience. The future is waiting. It is asking us to be brave.

Mr President, I must admit I find it a little bit funny how some colleagues in this House seem to think we have this debate because someone doesn't like the government in Hungary. No, this is about a government in Hungary that seems like they don't like their own citizens, that they don't respect the democracy of the country that has elected them. But Hungary deserves better than this. The citizens deserve better than Orbán and his corrupt friends. They deserve better than a government that breaks the rule of law. Authoritarians always start by going after the minorities; that's why protecting them is the front line of defending democracy itself. So when Orbán and his government targets them, he is testing whether we in Europe will blink. Europe is a Union of values, not a cash machine for leaders who undermine democracy at home while demanding our respect abroad. Orbán tries to marginalise, but the EU must defend, because they're European citizens and their rights are non-negotiable. They deserve our unwavering support. Hungary and its citizens deserve better than Orbán.

Madam President, in this House we love to speak about strategic autonomy, but unfortunately, we rarely speak about bodily autonomy. We must protect and safeguard women's right to decide what we want to do with our bodies. No one should risk losing their life because they don't want to be pregnant, but unfortunately, they don't have the right or the access to safe abortions. Forcing women to carry out unwanted pregnancies is violence. Right now, the 'My Choice, My Voice' initiative is fighting for women's rights to access abortions no matter which Member State they live in in our Union. I think it's something that we in this House need to speak up for, with a very clear voice, that we want to support and ensure women's right to decide. Our bodies are only for us to decide on.

Madam President, Climate policy is so last year. At least, that's how it sounds when you listen to some priorities in this House. But when did fighting for our planet's survival become something to hide away? When did climate action turn into something that could be torn apart in the name of simplification or deregulation? On our quest towards competitiveness, we cannot ignore the simple truth that economic strength and climate stability are two sides of the same coin. Living up to the Paris Agreement can save us EUR 1 trillion euro by 2030 in avoided damages. It cannot be clearer that Europe needs ambitious climate policy to stay competitive. Lower energy prices mean a safer Europe and mean a greener Union. This is one and the same fight. Yet, the EU goes to COP without a legally binding 2040 target. That is embarrassing. We cannot leave our planet's future to Orbán or Trump because, at this rate, the planet will be deregulated into oblivion.

Mr President, being a woman really sucks sometimes. We earn less, we do more unpaid care work and, on top of that, we spend almost a quarter of our lives bleeding. Periods aren't just painful – they're toxic. They're literally toxic because many period products still contain PFAS, the so-called 'forever chemicals'. The same substances that we ban in food packaging are still allowed in products that we insert into our bodies. Scientific evidence shows that PFAS in humans can cause infertility, cancer and even harm babies through the placenta or the breast milk they receive from their mothers. Some tampons have also been found to contain mercury and lead. These heavy metals can damage the brain or nervous systems, even in children or unborn babies. On average, a person who menstruate uses around 10 000 menstrual products during their lifetime. Imagine how much toxic exposure that adds up to. When a teenage girl inserts a menstrual cup it takes four years before the level of PFAS in her body is halved. By the time she enters menopause and stops bleeding... I don't even want to think about how many toxic substances she has in her body. I can't help but wonder if this would have been allowed if it was men who were menstruating. That is why I want to ask you now, Commissioner, do you really think that toxic period products should still be legal? Or is this the time to move forward with the legislative path to include PFAS in the ban for products?