10
Sep
2025
Watch
State of the Union (debate)
Madam President, Mr. Sell, fortunately, every word you have said has made you feel that you would most like to submit immediately to Putin and Russia. Ladies and gentlemen, I am extremely grateful to our Commission President for feeling a massive change in European politics in the last twelve months in the European Union. We have the situation that we are now saying clearly, Mrs. von der Leyen, what matters. You have said it – and I am grateful – that we are in a fight to see whether we remain independent, whether we remain independent, whether we can live in peace, freedom and security. This is also reflected in the European Commission's policy: Unlike in the last legislature, we have not yet received proposals from the Commission in this legislature that reduce our defence or competitiveness. This is a huge change! On the contrary: We see that we are finally making progress in the field of defence. We see that we are finally making progress in the area of competitiveness with the ambitious so-called buses, i.e. the relief packages that your Commission has presented. But one thing is also part of it: If you want to address social issues, if you want more housing, if you want to pay for social services such as child guarantee, you need a competitive industry. If you want to finance defence spending, you need a competitive industry. That's why I can ask everyone in the house: Please help us to do this without lowering standards – that is not what this is all about now! – but with a massive reduction in bureaucracy and requirements and costs, quickly give the economy and thus the people new freedoms and the competitiveness of the European Union ...