Speeches

For far too long, women and girls have been victims of patriarchy, not only in their private life but also in their professional life. Domestic violence, genital mutilation, sexual harassment and cyber-violence are concrete examples of what too many women experience in their daily lives. It can happen to our mothers and our daughters. In Europe, every six hours, a woman is killed. Two in ten women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a partner or a friend; three in ten by a relative or family. This must stop! As Socialists and Democrats, we want a Europe where women in all their diversity can live free from fear. By adopting the new directive on violence against women, we will have stronger legislation when it comes to forced marriage, female genital mutilation and cyber-violence. This directive is a first positive step for change; a catalyst to move forward in building a strong Union of Equality.

The defence of human rights, in particular LGBTIQ+ people, is at the heart of EU policy. During the previous legislature, many actions were implemented such as the activation of Article 7 against the previous Polish government and Hungary, as well as the introduction of the principle of conditionality in the allocation of EU funds. However, the issue of LGBTIQ+ rights does not end in Hungary or Poland. Today, the anti-gender movement is very successful. I am thinking in particular of the recently adopted anti-gender law in Bulgaria which prohibits any propaganda, promotion or information relating to the situation of LGBTIQ+ people in schools. I am also thinking of Italy, which deprives entire families of their parenthood. Another example is Romania, which contravenes ECHR decisions by refusing to recognise the marriage of rainbow families. The application of dual standards cannot therefore be tolerated. This is why it is crucial that this new Commission continues the work started under the previous legislature and takes active action to restore EU law within it. It is high time we took the measure of our collective responsibility towards future generations.

Madam President, dear Commission Executive Vice-President, dear colleagues, in the European Union, the death penalty seems like an anachronism, a thing of the past. But let us remember that the last Member State who completely abolished the death penalty did so in 2012, not even 15 years ago. The path towards the abolition of the death penalty and scrapping it from our legal system was not obvious. It often took great political courage to advocate for this position, and I am very glad that many Social Democrats, such as in my home country, Luxembourg, Robert Krieps, in Sweden, Astrid Bergeren, or in France, Robert Badinter, but many others played such a prominent role. I would like to pay tribute to Madame Colette Flesch, a former Liberal Member of this House and Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg and mayor of the city of Luxembourg, who sadly passed away yesterday at the age of 58. She was in our country, a fervent advocate against the death penalty and a woman truly ahead of her time. Today, we need to rekindle that fervour to oppose the death penalty throughout the world, and we as Socialists and Democrats will continue to be relentlessly in advocating for the universal abolition of capital punishment. Dear colleagues, executions, as the Commissioner mentioned, are increasing ‑ record year 2024. Moratoria are being lifted. And new capital offences are being introduced. This is not happening at the margins of the international system. It is happening in plain sight, while we are claiming to defend the rule of law and human dignity. Many of our citizens still believe that the death penalty concerns only the most extreme criminals, the so-called worst of the worst. Believing this is comforting, but it is false because once the state grants itself the power to kill, the definition of who deserves to die is never stable. In Uganda, for example, today, the simple fact of being homosexual can lead to death penalty. Not for violence, not even for crime. Just for identity. In Iran, and thank you, Commissioner, for mentioning Iran, women can be sentenced to death for refusing submission, for protesting, for demanding freedom. But there is another truth we must name clearly ‑ the death penalty is not only about the crime committed, it is also about social inequality. Across countries that still apply death penalty, one factor is constant. Those sentenced to death are overwhelmingly the poorest, the most marginalised, those without access to competent legal defence. No money means no good legal defence. No legal defence means harsher judgments, fewer appeals and more death sentences. Capital punishment does not punish crimes alone. It punishes poverty, exclusion, and social vulnerability. And once this machinery exists, it expands, morality shifts, political power changes, rights once considered protected can disappear within a single electoral cycle. We have seen this even in longstanding democracies. For the European Union, this reality demands more than statements. We must act. Continue to act. First, the abolition of death penalty must be systematically integrated into EU external actions, including trade and development cooperation policies. Second, the EU must strengthen its leadership within the United Nations by actively promoting and defending moratoria with partners. And third, we must increase the financial and political support for civil society organisations, lawyers and human rights defenders who challenge their sentences on the ground. And thank you already for the engagement the European Commission does in this, and Commissioner, you recalled this before. Fourth, we must ensure coherence. No silence, no double standards, no strategic relativism. When the right to life is at stake. If the death penalty is gaining ground today, it is not because it delivers justice, but because we have taken the arc toward abolition for granted. It is time to act jointly: the Commission, the Parliament, the Council. When we do this together, we are stronger!

Madam President, dear all, the social dimension is in the DNA of the European project and our Treaties commit the Union to have a competitive social market economy aiming at full employment and social progress. That is why competitiveness and social cohesion are two sides of the same coin. Europe cannot compete by lowering wages or weakening rights. A strong economy requires quality jobs, strong collective bargaining, and workers equipped with the skills needed for the green and digital transitions. The European Pillar of Social Rights provides the compass for this. Today we need a renewed and coherent action plan to unlock the full potential of this pillar. This action plan must include concrete actions, like prioritising the reduction of child poverty, protecting workers in the digital world, especially against algorithmic management, promoting the social economy, and tackling the housing crisis and homelessness. And let us not forget the equality dimension in the European Pillar of Social Rights. Delivering and funding a stronger social Europe and a Union of equality are not optional, they are not nice to have: they are Treaty obligations and they are protecting democracy. They are protecting all of us.

Madam President, since the Second World War, the United States and Europe and a few others have stood together in defending human rights and democracy. That alliance helped secure peace and prosperity for decades, but today, that reality has changed. Trump's actions have shown a clear disengagement from multilateral institutions, human rights mechanisms and international cooperation, and losing this important partner in defending human rights cannot be ignored. The excellent report we are discussing today shows it clearly: democracy is retreating, journalists are silenced, civil society space is shrinking, women's and LGBTIQ rights are being attacked. If we stay silent, if we apply double standards, people lose trust in politics, and that loss of trust fuels fear, resentment and the rise of the extremes. Dear colleagues, we cannot afford to back off in this battle. Our peace, our security and our future are at risk. Europe must step up, speak clearly, act firmly by sanctioning perpetrators of grave human rights violations, deepening our support for human rights defenders and civil society. And we must continue fighting for more financial means in the next seven‑year European budget to enforce human rights and promote development cooperation. Investing in defending human rights and democracy pays off.

Madam President, were we even surprised when news broke that Grok, the AI tool developed by Elon Musk’s company, allowed the generation of women and minors’ nude and sexualised material? And Elon Musk’s response was emblematic for Big Tech. He said he was not aware of this and that people making these images are to blame. Musk failed once again to show a modicum of human decency. That’s Big Tech for you: all money, no responsibility! And that is not the European way! We need strong rules in the digital world and must make companies responsible. First, the Commission must step up the enforcement of its current rules. Enforcement has been too slow, too timid and too cautious. Corporations need to finally feel the full force of our legislative arsenal and be sanctioned when they violate our rules. Secondly, weakening our digital rules could further embolden platforms and undermine people’s protection and fundamental rights. We therefore urge the Commission to reconsider its approach on deregulating our digital ruleset. Finally, as socialists and democrats, we hope that we can all support additional protections of consumers and minors online in the upcoming Digital Fairness Act. The Grok case shows once again that our work is not yet done.

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, imagine crossing a border within the European Union and discovering a wider choice of basic everyday products – detergents, cosmetics, beverages – at lower prices, for no apparent reason. In a Union that rightfully takes pride in its single market, this should not happen. Yet, for millions of consumers, it's a long‑standing reality. A reality caused by the continued existence of territorial supply constraints, practices whereby suppliers refuse to sell, restrict quantities, or apply different prices, simply based on the buyer's geographical location. This ultimately leads to fewer choices, higher prices, and a higher cost of living for some Europeans. We cannot accept such fragmentation. Our consumers should not be penalised because of where they live. We, as the Socialists and Democrats, therefore welcome the Commission's commitments in the 2030 Consumer Agenda and in the single market strategy to tackle unjustified territorial supply constraints, as mentioned by many other colleagues before. But commitments must be followed by concrete tools, including legislative measures, to finally remove these barriers. Let's protect our consumers and let's not harm them.

Mr President, I will speak in English to remind us that we are in the European Parliament here. Sexual harassment has no place in private or in public life. Recent revelations and resignations in Spain show that sexual harassment in public institutions remains a serious challenge and a warning for all. I call on you not to be naive. We know that this can happen in other countries and in other political parties as well. And this is why it is so important to recall that the party concerned previously introduced a protocol, including a whistleblowing system. And this demonstrates their support for victims and for the #MeToo movement, ensuring cases are addressed openly and responsibly and avoid letting things remain under the carpet. Our political group of Socialists and Democrats fully supports transparency and accountability. Nothing should be hidden. Debate must be encouraged and consequences must follow. In this case and in every other case, every institution, every company and every political party should do the same. And I hope all other political families share this approach and do not become vocal only when it's politically convenient, otherwise you are hypocrites. I hope that all those who will speak also today will defend the Istanbul Convention, and words alone are not enough. Action is needed.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, the European Union has very strong anti‑discrimination laws in the field of employment, and we are proud of this achievement. But equality and dignity cannot start and stop at the door of our workplace. That is why we must extend anti-discrimination and equality protections to everyday life, and that is what we are discussing today. This is not about ideology – it's about fulfilling our commitments under the European Treaties. These enshrined values must become tangible for our citizens. And we must ask ourselves one fundamental question: why do we invest so much in security and defence in Europe? Well, it is to protect our values and our European way of life, these enshrined values, and to defend our common peace project built on democracy, respect for human rights and equality. To truly guarantee these values and to strengthen our shared European identity, we must make this principle real in the daily lives of our citizens. So it is time to unblock this directive and close this legislative gap after almost 16 years, because we want to strengthen our Union of equality by guaranteeing equal treatment. And we know we want our Member States to profit from the social and economic benefits of this directive.

Mr President, dear Commission Vice-President, dear colleagues, every day millions of people go to work without realising that an invisible manager is already there: an algorithm that decides their task and measures their performance. At first, the systems promised efficiency and fairness, but too often they are black boxes. Workers can no longer understand or retrace how decisions are made, why opportunities disappear or why pressure keeps increasing. This is also a reality of algorithmic management. Artificial intelligence can and must improve work; but without clear rules, it can also undermine dignity, privacy and trust. This is why Europe must act and protect. We Socialists and Democrats say this very clearly: the future of work should not be decided by invisible, non-transparent algorithms. It should be built in a human-centred framework for artificial intelligence and accompanied by social dialogue. Colleagues, let me also recall a political truth. This initiative report is not only supported by the progressive spectrum of this House; the support also comes from inside the EPP itself. And it was President Ursula von der Leyen herself who explicitly said in the mission letter to Commission Vice-President Mînzatu that we need action and legal action for AI in the workplace. This commitment is being reflected in the Quality Jobs Roadmap presented by Vice-President Mînzatu. To those using business interests as an argument to reject this report, I say: you are mistaken. First, because failing to legislate means higher psychosocial risks, rising burnout and absenteeism, and less social peace: bad for businesses. Second, failing to legislate at European level means risking 27 different national legislations, fragmenting the single market: bad for businesses. And third, the absence of harmonised rules creates legal uncertainty and high costs for compliance in SMEs: bad for businesses. Dear colleagues, it's in our hands. By adopting this report, we protect our citizens and our businesses. By rejecting this report, you are in favour of a society where workers are controlled and can be fired by an algorithm – by a machine – instead of a human.

Madam President, dear Commission Vice-President, dear colleagues, during the last term, we made a lot of progress in our Union when it comes to people with disabilities, especially with the Disability Card, which improves recognition across borders and facilitates access to key services. But improving mobility means little if accessibility is not a guaranteed right. In this Hemicycle, everybody claims to support disability rights. But when concrete investment is required, too many pull back. We are failing our obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Look at the Council, where certain conservative-led governments are still blocking the horizontal anti-discrimination directive because equality supposedly costs too much. Let those governments explain to persons with disabilities, to their families, to caregivers why autonomy and accessibility are treated as an expense rather than a right. It is time for Europe to stop managing disability policy as a cost. We need a new ambitious and inclusive European disability strategy, which is in line with the UN convention – a strategy that makes physical and digital accessibility universal, participation unconditional and autonomy non-negotiable. Only then will every person living with a disability be able to live, to move and to participate fully in our European society.

Madam President, Commissioner and colleagues, our youth are growing up fully immersed in the digital world – a world full of promise and opportunities that shapes and moulds them, yet does not have their safety, health and well-being in mind. And we see the tragic consequences: cyberbullying, self-harm, mental health problems and, yes, suicide. And this must stop! Why would we put our children at the mercy of algorithms that operate in the dark and are accountable to no one but their masters in Silicon Valley and China, who monetise our children's attention? Parents cannot fight against big tech alone. Platforms and online services must bear the primary responsibility to ensure that their services are safe. Therefore, as the S&D, we call for legislation that guarantees age-appropriate design and safety by design. We need a Digital Fairness Act that addresses targeted advertising, influencer marketing, addictive design and dark patterns. We need age limits and age verification mechanisms. Finally, let's also give young Europeans a voice in designing and regulating the spaces that define their presence and their future.

Madam President, dear all, too many women in Europe are still fighting for safety, dignity and control over their own lives and bodies. Too many are still paid less, heard less, expected to accept violence and inequality as normal. This isn't just the way things are. It's a system built by power, protected by power and serving power. So whoever supports the rollback of women's rights, the deletion of gender from laws and agendas, or says that equality has gone too far, is protecting a world where women stay quiet, compliant and controlled. This must stop. Democracy cannot survive on that foundation. Equality is not a bonus feature; it is the test. It shows whether we believe in freedom for everyone or only for those who already have it. So, yes, we need political will and resources, because the cost of doing nothing is enormous: wasted talent, wasted strength, wasted futures and billions in economic growth lost.

Definitely. You are a woman, you are elected, but you belong to political groups that always vote against women's rights. When we voted on the pay transparency directive to have the same pay for men and women, your political group voted against it. And I could cite other examples. Yesterday in our resolution on the budget, there were quite a few votes from your group that went against gender equality. When it comes to surrogacy, if it's ethical, if there's not... I have a friend. She couldn't have children. His sister offered him a GPA. She did, and they're all very happy. So I don't have a problem with surrogacy when it's not commercial.

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, one in three women in Europe has faced physical or sexual violence, and the majority of these atrocities happen behind closed walls as intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence against women. We are talking about the lives of millions of women being marked by fear, silence and injustice. And while women fight for safety and equality in the private and public sphere of life, the far right and ultra-conservative movements are working to turn back the clock. They glorify so-called 'traditional values' based on the confinement of women to obedience, to motherhood within patriarchal walls, stripped of their choice and of their voice. They say they defend families, but what they truly defend is control. Real families are built on equality, shared rights, responsibilities and opportunities. Equal rights do not destroy families, they strengthen them. Equal rights do not threaten our values, they fulfil them. Violence against women and girls is rooted in control, dominance and inequality that is relentlessly promoted by the patriarchal far right. We progressives will keep fighting until equality becomes a reality. An exploitation of motherhood is, for me, the devaluation of care work, treating unpaid domestic work as women's responsibility rather than as a shared responsibility.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, all EU enlargements were not just a success story – enlargement is a beacon of hope, a testament to what we can achieve when we stand strong together. Past enlargements have transformed our continent, bringing peace, prosperity and stability to millions. A new wave of enlargement is now a necessity, but with new members joining, we face real institutional challenges that demand bold actions. At the current stage, to be able to absorb new members, we must move away from the paralysis of unanimity in the Council, because Europe cannot afford to be held hostage by a single veto. We should fully utilise the flexibilities already offered by our current Treaties to act faster and to act smarter. But this is not enough. We need the courage to adopt targeted Treaty changes and reflect the ambitions of our citizens of a Union ready for the future. The Council must not shy away from this conversation, and I regret its absence here today. Silencing the debate on Treaty change is not an act of caution, but a dangerous retreat from responsibility. Dear colleagues, the time to act is now. Let's move beyond paralysis and division, ignite the spirit of solidarity and justice and build a stronger Europe. I thank the rapporteur, Sandro Gozi, for his excellent work, and we must work hard together, because we must, before the end of this mandate, make sure that those candidate countries who advanced quickly, who are doing many efforts, become members of this European Union.

Madam President, dear colleagues, for way too long, European Works Council have existed without real power to influence decisions in transnational companies. Information has come too late, consultation has been too limited, and workers have been often excluded from decisions that directly affect their lives. Today, we have the opportunity to change that. This reform gives the European Works Councils clearer rights, stronger enforcement and binding participation in decision-making. It ensures early and meaningful consultation, not after factories and production sites are closed or jobs have disappeared, but before decisions are taken. It also introduces tangible sanctions for companies that fail to comply. Let me be clear: this is not about opposing regulation and competitiveness. On the contrary, true competitiveness requires trust, participation and a shared sense of purpose. When workers are genuinely involved in shaping the future of their company, they become partners in innovation and in resilience and not obstacles to change. This text is more than a revision; it is a milestone in European social dialogue. Let us make this directive not a silent formality, but a living instrument for five million European workers.

Madam President, Prime Minister, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Socialists and Democrats Group, I welcome you, Prime Minister, here in this house of European democracy, a place that embodies history, but above all the future of our Union. Luxembourg and Europe are a historic couple. We are bound by a common destiny. As a founding country, Luxembourg has lived through all the major stages of the European project while often being at the forefront of progress. In the trials, he was able to recognize that his fate was played out collectively by placing his trust in Europe. And Europe has always taken our country further. Even today, in these uncertain and tumultuous times, we must reaffirm this same confidence in a strong and united Europe. Together, we will overcome threats, protect our continent, animate our economies and strengthen our industries. This will sometimes involve simplifying our regulatory frameworks, but rest assured that we socialists will never sacrifice our environmental and social ambitions for indiscriminate deregulation. Together, we must defend our values and the rule of law that underpins Europe. To meet all these challenges, Europe must have an ambitious multiannual financial framework that not only meets our objectives, but also meets the expectations of our fellow citizens. It must also provide itself with the means to operate more efficiently, to remove blockages, to counter attempts at blackmail and to prepare for the future, including, Prime Minister - and here we must not hesitate - through targeted amendments to our treaties. Europe must also respond quickly to the cost-of-living crisis, housing challenges and strengthen social rights. Colleagues, the Luxembourg social model has long been a source of inspiration for Europe and I am proud of it. But I am deeply concerned about some recent decisions by your government, Prime Minister, that challenge this model and undermine social peace. I therefore hope that you will come back to these choices and that you will defend at European level, in Brussels and Strasbourg, the deepening of a social, just and united Europe. Finally, Prime Minister, I would like to salute your courage and that of your party, the Christian Social Party, for having enshrined the right to abortion in the Luxembourg Constitution. In a context where women's rights are under attack, this advance is indispensable. I hope that Luxembourg inspires Europe and that you can convince your friends in the EPP and in the European Council to include this fundamental right in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Prime Minister, I am counting on you and on Luxembourg to continue to be at the forefront, to carry the European project loud and clear. Long live Europe!

Madam President, dear colleagues, what did I see on the streets of Budapest? Young and old people carrying Hungarian, EU and rainbow flags, demanding equality, human dignity, freedom and democracy. And none of Orbán's threats could silence them. Quite the contrary! And while the peaceful Pride was banned and vilified, several far-right protests and manifestations were allowed by the Hungarian authorities. But the desire for freedom and equality was much louder than the insignificant number of extremists and ideologists. Hungarians understood very well that, throughout history, whenever a government wanted to take away the rights of minorities, the majority also suffered. Hungarians want an inclusive society. This is what they called for when they voted to join the European Union – a society that empowers them and uses their potential. The only way to deliver this is through strong EU-wide anti-discrimination legislation. Dear Commissioner, the European Union was built on the promise of human dignity, freedom and equality. But this is not the reality for millions of Europeans. In Budapest, the people, the mayor, the organisers and political parties showed their courage. They stood up for equality, even at the risk of retaliation. Now it's the Commission's turn, as it promised to act. Put the horizontal anti-discrimination directive back on the table and show that, in the European Union, people's fundamental freedoms and the right to assemble cannot be attacked without consequences. As the guardian of the Treaties, guard and defend our values! Long live the Union of equality!

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, every single enlargement of our Union has been a major success story, and enlargement has now become a geopolitical necessity to protect ourselves and our neighbours against interference from autocratic regimes. It is important and good that enlargement is, again, high on the agenda. War on our continent, the rise of fascism, the shift in transatlantic relations – all this reminds us that enlargement is in our own strategic interest. There will be no shortcuts on EU values and fundamental principles. Accession to the EU must always remain a merit-based process and, therefore, as EU institutions and Member States, we must support the candidate countries. We also have homework to do: institutional and financial reforms are needed to absorb new members. Our Union is barely functioning at the current state with 27, so what about 30, 32 or 35? We need to change our way of working so that every citizen, every worker, every business and society as a whole can continue to benefit from our European project. So let's have the courage to adopt targeted treaty changes, move away from unanimity, deepen the social dimension of our Union and strengthen the union of equality, and we must live up to our promises to citizens and to the candidate countries.