Debate contributions by Benedetta SCUDERI

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, unity and consistency are the only way to defend European sovereignty and autonomy. Enough of the double standards in international law, subalternity to the United States. We agreed to tariffs, to buy American gas, to increase military spending. Trump asks, Europe answers. Meanwhile, he winks at Putin and backs himself in imperialist aims, in defiance of international law and multilateralism. If we are united, democratic and defend a rules-based system, we are annoying. So they threaten us and set us against each other. But the attacks are also internal, from the extreme right of the Orbans and Salvinis who protect Putin and praise Trump, to those who refuse to sanction Netanyahu and his genocide, to all those colleagues who still say that the US is our greatest ally. We must give a serious answer, that is, energy and industrial autonomy, accelerating the transition. A common foreign policy that defends international law, but always, not to alternate peoples. A common defence and not the rearmament of 27 states, digital autonomy and fair taxation. A federal Europe with leadership that meets its responsibilities.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Mr Borchia, you are talking about Mercosur when Mercosur came to the Council thanks to Italy's vote. Mr Borchia, is the Lega not the government of Italy that voted for Mercosur and allowed Mercosur to pass by harming farmers? How do you come here to criticise Parliament, an eventual vote of Parliament, when it is your government, where your party sits and your leader is the deputy prime minister who voted for this agreement and allowed it to pass? How can you now say that you defend the farmers?

Thank you, Mr Olivera. I would argue that it's not true that this has just become true because of the tariffs and the trade war that Donald Trump is imposing on us, first of all. Second, I think this is a scenario that is telling us that Europe needs to be more independent, more strategic, and needs to be able to have its own resources – that is what we're learning. And don't get me wrong – in my speech, I said that I don't want to stop a dependency to create another dependency. I want to stop a dependency to create autonomy, to have our own resources, to be more efficient, to be more green, to be more sustainable. We need to use less to produce the same. We don't need to buy more or buy from Trump. So yes, I just want to ...

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, it is undeniable: China is consolidating a dominant position on critical materials. Its industrial policy is strong and aggressive, underpinned by low prices, and has already eroded 10% of Europe's industrial capacity. But there is one element of Chinese politics that we should look at with interest: China has decided on a clear direction in terms of energy and industry. What about us? Europe goes back and forth in its decisions, to the sound of deregulation and uncertainty. Instead, we need to build a strong and cohesive European industrial policy, with serious and targeted economic levers and funding through coordinated and as fast as possible European decisions. We cannot think of stopping an addiction with another addiction and, therefore, we must have more efficient designs and the circular economy to reduce the critical materials needed. We need to diversify supplies, boost strategic production in Europe and invest in clean innovation and technologies. It is essential to relocate key productions in critical supply chains...

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, no sane entrepreneur should hire a woman of childbearing age; Feminists are modern witches. I am sure that a woman is only a woman if she has given birth: These are all current phrases of our politicians. And so hatred grows, anti-feminism normalizes and conquered rights are questioned every day. Today we define the European strategy for gender equality and we call on Parliament not to compromise with a reactionary and sexist right, because we want to be with those who suffer violence and struggle to be believed and protected, those who fight for the right to abortion, to contraception, to unstigmatizing and accessible reproductive health, those who work in the most feminized, less recognized, more underpaid sectors, those who care without protection or remuneration, those who believe that education is the best form of prevention. The strategy should focus on this: social justice, freedom, redistribution of power and value, equity. We need bold, binding, structural and funded policies. There is no longer time for declarations of intent.

There is one point that you are missing: The point is that we have always condemned Hamas, that we are demanding that Hamas – rightly – be disarmed and leave the Gaza Strip, that we absolutely must enforce Hamas’ responsibilities. The problem is that no one is talking about enforcing the responsibilities of a genocidal government that is continuing to occupy, that is perpetrating ethnic cleansing, and no one is trying to enforce its responsibilities and enforce international law for that government as well. So no, there can be no peace if there is a government that has done what it has done and no one is asking it to answer for its responsibilities. I'm sorry, that's the big difference.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, 'They destroyed what we had inside. They demolished my house, all my memories. They took away everything that helped me live. How can I be the same as before?" Ghazal, 14 years old. Imagine that you are a Palestinian child and everything you knew has been destroyed. Then they tell you that peace has come, that there is a plan. But the world around us remains the same, occupied: i checkpoint remain; the genocidal army is in your homes; aid is controlled by those who used it to starve you; Land is confiscated and gunfire and bombs continue to make noise. Since the ceasefire began, at least eight Palestinian children have been killed by Israel. Peace cannot exist without an end to the occupation and justice for the war crimes committed. Until the State of Palestine and the self-determination of its people are recognized; As long as economic and political relations with Netanyahu continue as if nothing had happened, the word "peace" remains only a cover for "oppression." Dear EU, we have been largely absent so far, but we still have a chance to work on justice and international law: Let's implement the announced sanctions, let's suspend the trade agreements until there is a real reparation! The coexistence of two peoples without responsibility cannot exist.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, today, 7 October, is the anniversary of a terrible and bloody attack, which I condemn without hesitation. So why don't you condemn the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th of October? Why, after two years of Palestinian genocide and ethnic cleansing, are we still doing nothing to stop Israel? Because you refused to talk about the Flotilla if you do not care about the rights of the Europeans you represent, of your colleagues? So how can this House do anything for the Palestinian people? President von der Leyen said yesterday that Europe must remain united in order to stay alive. I tell you that Europe is dying in the silence and complicity of these institutions. But there is another Europe, alive in the millions of people who are in our streets, shouting "not in our name". A Europe that believes in justice, in law, in peace, that does not want to repeat the mistakes of the past and that really opposes genocide. We stand with that Europe, with the oppressed Palestinian people. Now is the time to put into practice the values that we say to defend, otherwise you remain in your hypocrisy, but we will be in those streets, on those boats, we will be with humanity, because there humanity lives, here humanity dies.

Madam President, me and another 400 people – including four Members of this Parliament – were kidnapped by Israel in international waters. This is a grave violation of international and maritime law. We were forcibly taken to Ashdod, illegally detained, checked and denied basic rights. Participants were brought to a high‑security prison, deprived of water, food, sleep and medication, in some cases physically attacked. Our only fault? Bringing humanitarian aid to a population in famine and doing what these institutions and many other governments are not doing: protecting the respect of international law and human dignity. Our only fault was humanity. We could not stand still while watching a live‑streamed genocide in Gaza and the Israel violations. What we experienced is just a glimpse of what Palestinians experience every day. While we are here discussing whether or not we should put sanctions, our colleagues Rima Hassan and Emma Fourreau are still not back. Another flotilla with the MEP, Melissa Camara, is now approaching Gaza. If Europe still wants to call itself a guarantor of democracy and human rights, we should strongly react to the violation and support the mission ...

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, as we spend billions on weapons, we are losing to climate collapse: temperatures up to 50 degrees, droughts, floods, fires. Europe continues to count the dead: only in Milan, 500, especially the elderly and disadvantaged. Children at home with kindergartens closed; The laborers, the riders and the workers collapse under the sun. In Italy, in 2024, 50 000 hectares were burned and more than 9 billion were damaged due to drought. Is this the world we want, where those who have less die? No emergency, those end: It is a structural problem. We need to be prepared with investments in prevention and infrastructure, greener cities, laws that defend workers, renewable energy and fossil fuel releases. We are witnessing a failure with first and last names: Eni, Shell, Exxon, Meloni, Trump, Musk, Bezos and friends. It is named after the EPP, which today voted against the urgency of the climate law, handing it over to the far right and throttling all of our ambitions. Speculators of a massacre announced, what will you answer to your children, when they ask you why there is no more water? That you were busy defending the lobbies and buying weapons?

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, in 2024 alone, seven Member States threw more than seven billion euros into unused clean energy. There are 1,700 gigawatts of renewable energy blocked waiting to connect to the grid in 16 countries. And these are just the data of the countries we have. These are numbers that speak for themselves: Without robust, high-performance and efficient networks, the ecological transition risks remaining unfinished. Electricity grids are a true lifeblood of Europe's economy and security. But the current system is not ready. It often relies on outdated national plans, unable to capture the acceleration of renewables and drive investment and create an interconnected European network. In doing so, we extend our dependence on gas at very high costs for our companies and our people. It is essential to modernise and digitise networks to integrate storage systems, develop efficient systems for demand flexibility, clean and decentralised technologies. Only in this way can we ensure a just and participatory transition, in which people, local communities, are protagonists, and at the same time electrify industry to improve the competitiveness of our companies, lowering prices and bills.

Madam President, I would like to react to the unproved, serious allegation regarding a youth organisation that is fighting for social rights and inclusion. I think that should not be possible in this House, especially when allegations are so serious and completely unproved. It is unacceptable that we accept the silencing of the voice of young people just because of their religion, just because they are Muslims. The harassment and discrimination that far-right groups carried out during the European Youth Event should be investigated by the Parliament and the Commission, as it made the event unsafe for a lot of young people. We ask for sanctions against Marion Maréchal Le Pen and her racist actions against the people, and for undermining the reputation of this Parliament.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, in Gaza it is easier to die than to survive; Sometimes it's better to die, a refugee from Gaza told me. We are tired of plenary debates as people die: Empty words if we do nothing. What more needs to happen to sanction Israel? To break the trade deal? A total arms embargo? I was in Rafah, in front of a border closed for months, separating medicine, water and food from the hungry Palestinian people, trapped between bombs and rubble: It's 40 degrees and there's not a drop of water. Fifteen thousand children could starve to death in the coming days. Hospitals are destroyed. Israeli politicians openly declare that they want to exterminate the Palestinians. Israel wants to use aid as a means of control, militarize it and distribute it only in certain areas and subject to identification: It is planned hunger, deportation, genocide. Why doesn't Europe say that? This Parliament and the Commission remain defenceless. The multilateral humanitarian system is collapsing and we do nothing. Your silence makes you accomplices now and in the history books.

Madam President, I think we should really take some repercussions for our colleague, because there's no justification for the killing of children, and that's what our colleague has just said. I want that – according to our internal rulings – our colleague is sanctioned for justifying the killing of children. There's no justification for the killing of children. And this cannot be allowed in this Chamber. Please, Madam President, do not allow this in this Chamber.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the Second World War did not come because of the madness of a couple of dictators: It was also the short-sighted calculation of those who, in order to stop the advance of social demands, preferred to give way to the fascists. Liberals and popular thought they could use them as a barrier and use their violence for their own momentary profit. Capital has chosen to support them. But the embankment has succumbed and they have found themselves complicit in a catastrophe, the price of which has been paid by millions of people. Those who went on strike or dissented were prosecuted. Police entered universities, journalists were spied on. Hate became political language, rights a temporary concession, women even more discriminated against, homosexuality increasingly illegal. The race to rearmament was called justified, inevitable. And then the darkest page: genocide, covered by complicit silence. Never again, we said. Yet this description could be today's news. Against that war, against those horrors, fascism is born this institution; An institution that was to protect peace, disarmament, unity among peoples, fight for international law and against any genocide. Are we doing this? Colleagues, let's reread the story and look inside and tell me if you think this is the right direction. Whenever you choose to be on the side of those who deprive freedom and the rule of law, the side of Meloni, Orban, Trump, Putin and everyone else, you are selling off freedom, peace and democracy.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, without a clear strategy, energy-intensive industries in Europe risk becoming a thing of the past, squeezed between unsustainable energy costs and a transition that is still too slow, not the other way around. We cannot afford to be left behind, we need significant investments that must be linked to a just transition, which protects our people, improves the quality of work and does not allow relocations. In this sense, a clear roadmap is needed to get out of fossil fuels, with related technologies and investments. Every new euro invested today in fossil gas is a euro wasted on decarbonisation, which instead is a huge industrial opportunity for competitiveness and transition, as Draghi said before. Just chase after false solutions: Blue hydrogen and carbon capture will not save us. Efficiency, direct electrification and circularity yes, because the best material is what we have already produced and the best way to use less energy is to use it better. But the energy market is holding back this change. We need a system that makes the right choice convenient: separate the price of electricity from the price of gas; making long-term supply contracts more accessible; ensure stable prices for businesses; improve the electricity grid and adapt tariffs according to consumption times. The CBAM is a fundamental tool and must be improved and strengthened and, above all, the tax system must stop rewarding the past. European industry can and must be the engine of the transition, but we need courage and political vision.

I want to call for Rule 10(4) of the Rules of Procedure. This is inappropriate behaviour. Offending another member on no stance, just for the intervention we have done is completely unacceptable and we would like the presidency to do something about it.

You talked a lot about all the faults of Hamas, you didn't say a word about the faults of Israel. So for her, the fact that Israel is bombing hospitals, putting them under siege and not allowing health protection; the fact that it has killed tens of thousands of children; the fact that it does not allow the entry of humanitarian aid; the fact that it resumed the siege and genocide of Gaza, after failing to comply with the ceasefire; the fact that they are colonizing the West Bank and are taking people's lands and also doing ethnic cleansing; Isn't it a problem to be violating every comma of humanitarian law?

Mr President, rapporteur, ladies and gentlemen, the European Semester is a crucial time to find ambitious answers to the current social crisis. Amid rampant poverty, wages that do not keep up with inflation, loss of purchasing power and an unprecedented housing crisis, we must have the courage to come up with common answers. Only there are two weights and two measures: Everything from the Stability and Growth Pact to even considering a common debt is questioned for the race to rearmament. What about social spending? Nothing. On the contrary, we must constantly fight against a right that tells us to be at the side of the people but then opposes our demands on employment and social issues. Some examples? A directive on minimum wage and inclusion income would be a ballast; a directive protecting workers from the use of artificial intelligence, too. As Greens, we fought to ask the Commission for recommendations on the right to housing and to propose investments within the European Semester, and then to find ourselves with an amendment from the People's Party that wants to eliminate these demands. The same people who call for a European Year for Demography but then want to cancel the allocation of a fund of 20 billion for child poverty. Who can have children in poverty and without a home? Colleagues, I address you: We need legislation and resources at European level to reduce internal inequalities and make our societies safe and resilient in a broad sense, building on rights and equitable access to essential services.

Thank you for your question. Have I ever said that? Have I ever said that we shouldn't have a common defence? Have I ever said that Europe should not try to build a common defence and a defence that is democratic? I have not said that. I've just said that we spend on weapons already, but we do not co-ordinate weapons. We do not have energy security, we do not have energy independence. If we got cut out from US and Russia, which is happening at the moment, and we do not invest in our welfare and in our energy, how do we make defence? We cannot make defence – we need a union, we need to invest in our people, we need to invest in a Europe, but especially we need to have a more democratic and federal Union. Otherwise the dream of Europe will go away from our population – and if that goes, no one will fight for Europe.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, 'ReArm EU': When did we disarm? We spend more on weapons than Russia and China; Yet no one feels safe. And instead of coordinating, we now want to throw more resources into a dysfunctional system, tying ourselves to a war economy with subsidies for the already high profits of the military industry. Trump and Putin laugh at our disorganization and impose their rules on us: an increasingly poor, disorganised Europe without a governance Politics and common defence is what they want and what we are giving them with our idea of defence: 800 billion for 27 armies, without a common mission and without scrutiny by Parliament. More security is one governance unique and democratic, not 27; Interoperability, not other weapons; infrastructure, rights, welfare and renewables, do not cut these investments; diplomacy, peace corps, new allies, no escalation of conflicts. We are born to build peace: It is not our weapons that are scary but our potential as a political, federal and democratic union. Spinelli said: A united Europe is the best way to guarantee freedom and peace.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, we are witnessing an attack on international law and democracy. The new "black axis", composed of Trump, Musk, Netanyahu and Meloni, is dismantling the rule of law. The attack on the International Criminal Court is a first step in a methodical plan to legitimize violence, abuse of power and genocide in Palestine. Because the rules have always been tight for the far-right oligarchs, they must be progressively destroyed in order to consolidate their power. I feel anger because my country, Italy, did not have the courage to oppose President Trump's reckless actions. More than sovereigns! They are genuflecting to the excessive power of the United States, which arrogantly defends criminals wanted by the International Criminal Court. I am disgusted to know that those who in the election campaign promised order, legality and severe punishment for smugglers, freed and brought home Al Masri, as did Giorgia Meloni, who is a rapist and torturer of adults and children, in defiance of an international arrest warrant. Europe can choose to remain silent or be complicit. We have learned from history to oppose authoritarian regimes, resisting, fighting and building democracy together.