Speeches

Madam President, Madam Vice-President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, dear Antonio, ladies and gentlemen, we are living in turbulent times. More than ever, the European Union must resolutely play a key role on the global geopolitical board. Faced with Trump and Putin and their respective European vassal political forces, we Europeanists must unite and rearm morally to defend the sovereignty of the Union and what is the essence of its existence: peace and democracy. Faced with their aggressions against international law, we must act united and with the same standards both in Ukraine, as in Gaza, Venezuela or Greenland. At this point, I would like to express our full support for Denmark and Greenland. To the trade war that Trump has unleashed, we must respond by suspending the approval of the trade agreement with the United States and, if necessary, applying the anti-coercive instruments. At the same time, let's strengthen relationships with partners with whom we share values and a common worldview. Mercosur is today the best response to the so-called Monroe Doctrine. We will come out more politically reinforced and more independent.

Madam President, Commissioner, Madam Minister, it is clear that the current tenants of the White House and the Kremlin and their other acolytes do not like the success of our European Union's model of peace, democracy and well-being. Faced with their aspirations to impose the law of the jungle, we have to rely fully on ourselves, on our values, acting with firmness and unity, but, above all, with political will. We must continue to provide holistic support to Ukraine and use frozen Russian assets to rebuild the country. At the same time, we need to advance energy independence and strengthen our own security and defence. In the face of trade wars, we must strengthen our competitiveness, based on the just green and digital transition, completing the internal market and diversifying our trade relations with reliable partners. In this sense, the agreement with Mercosur is essential. But none of this will be possible without an ambitious multiannual financial framework to ensure territorial and social cohesion; a framework that has a European and not a national imprint. If we trust our strengths and maintain ambition, no one will be able to join us.

Mr President, Commissioner, dear Maroš, housing is not just another market good, as the liberal and conservative forces are trying to put it. For us Spanish socialists, access to affordable and decent housing is a human right, enshrined in Article 47 of the Spanish Constitution, but also in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The housing crisis has spread across the European map, especially for young people and the most vulnerable. And, Commissioner, it is not just a question of finding a solution to the problem of tourist flats. Socialists propose an ambitious European plan against speculation and for tenants' rights and environmental sustainability. A plan involving local administrations with adequate financial means, public investment and a new regulation on state aid for the lower and middle classes. When there is a will, Commissioner, the Union's political action reaches the homes of all European citizens and all European citizens. Go ahead!

Madam President, welcome to the Prime Minister. Your speech was full of hope. Thank you for that. Madam President, Prime Minister, you are leading Luxembourg, a founding country that has always been at the heart of the European project. That heart must continue beating in the face of the forces that want to destroy the European Union, return to nationalism and the worst moments of the past. We Europeans have decided to share a common destiny and that is why, in the face of local, regional and national challenges, there is only one answer: more Europe. More Europe to tackle poverty, the climate challenge, the housing crisis, machismo, the migration challenge, with an ambitious European financial framework ensuring territorial cohesion, the European Social Fund and the common agricultural policy. We have no national plans. It would be a very dangerous paradigm shift. We need a united Europe to maintain peace and democracy in the face of threats, and firm in the face of senseless trade wars. We count on you and your country to keep the European soul.

Madam President, Mrs von der Leyen, the Union is in a delicate state and you are at a crossroads: Either you continue to build Europe with the pro-European forces that supported your candidacy - and I hope Mr Weber will continue to do so - or you get carried away by those who want to dismantle the policies that you yourself proposed and that we have built together, such as the European Green Deal, the Gender Violence Directive or the Digital Services Act. We Spanish socialists ask you for courage and political will to face the challenges that lie ahead. Citizens, especially young people, need to be guaranteed their rights, such as access to decent housing. We already need a European pact for affordable housing. Madam President, allow me to end this message: We citizens want peace. Therefore, I ask you to act and stay on the right side of history, like the Government of Pedro Sánchez in the face of the genocide that is being committed against the Palestinian people. Let us now suspend the Association Agreement with Israel. Count on the determination of the Spanish socialists to continue defending the soul of Europe, as the president of the S&D Group, Iratxe García, has said.

Mr President, Madam Minister, Commissioner, you must continue to negotiate firmly until the end. We are the largest trading bloc and the largest internal market in the world. With the United States we share values and a long history of cooperation, but cooperation does not mean submission. That is why we must have firm and credible countermeasures in place. If the negotiations fail, we also have to protect the citizens and the sectors affected, as the Government of Pedro Sánchez has already foreseen. The United States must respect the sovereignty of European regulation, the most advanced in the social, environmental, digital and health fields. On the other hand, we continue to defend multilateralism and international legality against the law of the strongest. The agreement we reach with the United States has to be compatible with WTO rules, which has also been created to defend the most vulnerable countries. Finally, the United States is a commercial and strategic partner, but it is not the only one. We have to develop our commercial network with other reliable partners, such as Canada, Mercosur, India, Mexico, Japan or the United Kingdom. And just to cheer him up, because he has a very complicated task: We're with you, and go ahead, because we're going to get this deal out.

Madam President, Mr President of the European Council, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the European project that was born after the Second World War and that has brought us to the current European Union is, above all, a peace project. That is why all financial, material and human efforts to strengthen our security and defence - which, remember, are European public goods - must be dedicated to maintaining peace. In the face of external threats, we must strengthen our defence capacity, spending better and jointly through the CEF mechanism and the EDIP Regulation. We also have to fight the internal threat in our societies, precariousness and inequality. To maintain peace we also need to ensure the welfare state, social cohesion and economic development of our countries. As the Government of Pedro Sánchez has done, a balance must be struck between the defence capabilities agreed with NATO and the guarantee of a strong welfare state. Ladies and gentlemen, we have two wars on our doorstep. Peace is also about ending Putin's aggression against Ukraine and Netanyahu's genocide of the Palestinians. Let us use all instruments to achieve this, including the suspension of the Association Agreement with Israel.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen of the right and the far right: There is no point in this debate. Spain is a full democracy, one of the 24 recognised as such in the world, and has a consolidated rule of law, as the Commissioner said. That is why this debate, proposed by you and agreed by your European political groups, has no place in this House. Ladies and gentlemen, We are in Strasbourg, not in Madrid. Make it clear. In addition, look at the European support it has: empty benches, empty chairs. What a backup! But, in short, it is true that they have been cold in the opposition for seven years, denying the legitimacy of the Government of Spain and with a strategy of harassment and demolition in which anything goes: hoaxes, misinformation, false allegations, persecution... Moreover, it is striking that rule of law issues are only debated in this House when they concern social democratic governments: That says it all. Today you have brought to this House, ladies and gentlemen of the right, of the extreme right, the Attorney General of the State. To be very clear: this is a case of a citizen – the partner of the President of the Community of Madrid – who has defrauded the public treasury and an investigator who investigates. Now, you want to divert the attention of the citizen who has committed the crime by focusing on the investigator for an alleged leak of which there is no evidence. Protecting the criminal is a common practice of the PP, which even ceased its own leader, Pablo Casado, for denouncing the corruption of his party. Ladies and gentlemen, the school of corruption is a private enterprise of the People's Party and the far right, its allies. And in that school stand out illustrious and brilliant students, such as the former president of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, who has been the only president of the Government of Spain censored by corruption. Moreover, the PP is the only party convicted of corruption, with numerous leaders who have gone through prison and others on their way. Ladies and gentlemen, no organisation is free from corruption, but the difference between you and us is in how it is tackled. You destroy evidence with a clean hammer and send messages of support to your corrupt. Remember M. Rajoy's "be strong, endure" to the damned Bárcenas? You protect corruption; We fight it. We act with humility and forcefulness. Humility: asking for forgiveness from the citizens, a concept that as Christian Democrats they know, at least in theory, but do not practice. Learn to apologize. Conclusiveness: We immediately cease those who are under suspicion of corruption. In my party we practice zero tolerance for corruption. Zero tolerance. And going back to this House, what do you bring to society and to European citizenship? Nothing. Rather: only noise to cover up embarrassments, failures and frustrations. We do know where we are. We continue to work with the Council and the European Commission, which I remember you did not vote on, to advance this progressive political agenda that has placed Spain at the forefront of social rights, economic growth, job creation, the fight against climate change and gender equality.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, the new American administration has placed us before a worrying and senseless trade war in which we all lose and in which inflation, unemployment and recession will win, if we do not stop them. Unilateralism, autocracy and poverty will break through. Commissioner, in these 90 days we must negotiate on an equal footing, with the certainty that it is the largest trading bloc and the largest internal market in the world. At the same time, we need to prepare proportional counter-attack measures and support plans for sectors that may be affected by the tariffs, as the Pedro Sánchez government has done in Spain, with more than EUR 14 billion. I hope that the People's Party will side with our citizens, our workers and our companies and vote on the plan this week. Finally, we have to diversify our relations with partners such as Japan, China, Vietnam, Canada, Mercosur or Mexico, among others, and use our soft power to become a global bulwark of multilateralism, democracy and international legality.

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear President, ladies and gentlemen, last Wednesday we celebrated the 68th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, with which we Europeans began our journey towards a common destiny, successfully sharing peace, security, democracy and social welfare. Now, the change in the White House has brought us to a turning point, what Habermas calls the moment of existential self-assertion. The Union needs to invest in security in order to give the definitive impetus to its integration and to become a competitive political power with a common defence. From unity, we need a European effort, in which the Government of Pedro Sánchez will participate with responsibility, solidarity and Europeanism, an effort to which I hope the opposition in Spain will join. I am talking about an effort in which European citizens feel involved and do not see their rights or the welfare state or the protection of the planet diminished; an effort to invest in technology, to stand up to American giants, and in development cooperation, to expand our soft power in the world. That is the future path of our common destiny.

Mr. Jaak Madison, thank you for your question. Since the first minute of Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Spain's government has been with Ukraine. We will do everything necessary to bring about that lasting and just peace. We are with Ukraine, we will continue to be with Ukraine and we will put in place the means that need to be put in place. Do not worry that the Spanish socialist government is in it and we will continue to support Ukraine, because it is not only peace in Ukraine, it is peace in Europe, it is the defense of our democracies and that is why we have to remain united. That is why I ask the European far right whether they are with Putin or with us.

Madam President, Commissioner, Mr President of the European Council, I begin by sending, on behalf of the Spanish Socialist delegation, our remembrance, support and affection to the families of the 11M victims. Ladies and gentlemen, war or peace? The Union is in an unthinkable dilemma a few years ago, especially for those of us who have not lived through the war. Disquiet is growing in our societies, especially among young people. We must involve citizens, with transparency and pedagogy, in the changes demanded by the new geopolitical reality. We cannot leave the story in the hands of the far right, which will take advantage of it to continue destroying the essence of the European Union. They have to tell us clearly if they are with Ukraine and with Europe or if they are with Putin. We have to explain that peace and security on our continent depends on continuing to support Ukraine in order to urgently achieve a just and lasting peace in which we Ukrainians and Europeans participate. And, in the medium and long term, we need to rearm Europe and develop a common defence policy that allows us to be autonomous and ensure our own security.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, after the kick that Trump has given to the world trade board, it is even more evident that we have to strengthen economic and political ties with the Mercosur countries, with which we also share values, principles, interests and culture. They are and must remain our allies and never the scapegoat for the contradictions of populists, as CETA once was. This agreement offers immense opportunities for farmers and responds to their concerns with long transitional periods, with certainty and with support for sensitive sectors and products. It opens up a market of 260 million consumers to our businesses and especially to our SMEs. It diversifies our access to critical raw materials and opens up public markets to our companies. Finally, it offers environmental, social and health guarantees that now do not exist in trade between the two blocs. For all these reasons, the Spanish Socialists believe that it is essential to approve this Agreement.

Madam President, Commissioner, do we want trade wars or trade agreements? Spanish socialists advocate multilateralism and international legality with a reformed and effective WTO: against the law of the strongest, cooperation, negotiation and firm defense of our interests. The trade wars advocated by the United States and China can be an opportunity for the European Union, let us trust ourselves. We are the largest trading power in the world and with the largest internal market: we must strengthen it. We must achieve our open strategic autonomy by rapidly improving our competitiveness. While we have to negotiate firmly with the United States and China, we have to ally ourselves with partners who share our values and principles such as Mexico, Canada, Mercosur, Japan or New Zealand, among others. We know where nationalism, protectionism and imperialism lead: to war. Let us work to ensure that fair and sustainable trade, not armies, continues to cross borders.

Madam President, Mr Prime Minister, welcome back to this House, I wish you progressive success in your Presidency. Ladies and gentlemen, the Union must position itself, more than ever, on the world map not only as an economic power, but also as a political actor that defends democracy, respect for human rights and international legality, against the model advocated by the far-right international. The global geopolitical context – even more convulsive with the new tenant of the White House – puts the European Union before an existential test. From unity, we have to be the counterweight to the explosive mix of nationalism, expansionism, deregulation, protectionism and trade wars. We must continue to strengthen our union, ensure its own defence, implement the European Green Deal now, Mr Tusk, because the planet cannot wait, but also implement the migration pact and protect citizens and democracy. And, above all, we must develop the social dimension, responding to the problem of housing, especially for young people. Mr Tusk, we have a pro-European like you to overcome this existential test of the European Union.

Mr President, Commissioner, Mrs Montserrat, let us make things clear to this House and to the public: the only president of the government who had to leave office for corruption and was removed by the Congress of Deputies is called Mariano Rajoy and is a member of the Spanish People’s Party – by the way, a party that has been convicted of corruption by the Spanish justice system. Everything else is bullshit, lies and noise. It is the only thing that the Spanish right wing proposes to the citizenry: noise, noise and noise. Why? Because Spain is ahead on the left. In front of the fictitious Spain that the Popular Party draws, there is the real Spain of the Government of Pedro Sánchez, recognized by international organizations and praised by the international press as The Economist, bulwark of liberal ideology, which put Spain as a model for other countries, a model to improve people's lives. Spain has the highest economic growth in the European Union, the record active population, inflation and deficit controlled, the price of the cheapest energy in Europe and is at the forefront of renewable energy. It is also a migration management model based on solidarity and respect for human rights and the integration of migrants. It is also a reference to the policies of gender equality and the fight against sexist violence, whose law of the Zapatero Government has been twenty years old these days. These results are the result of the policies carried out by the Government of Pedro Sánchez, such as, for example, the reform of the labour market and pensions, the interprofessional minimum wage, the full implementation of the European Recovery Fund, the Iberian exception for the energy market and the attraction for foreign investments such as battery factories for cars. As it says in its headline The EconomistSpain has a lot to teach. And I would add that the Spanish right, much to learn, because Spain has an active, clean and decent government, which replaced a government of the dirty People's Party, full of corruption. We'll keep pushing on the left. Happy holidays and happy New Year.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, in this turbulent geopolitical and economic context, the European Union must be placed on the world map as a benchmark for peace, stability, democracy, social welfare and protection of the planet. To achieve peace – remember that we have two wars on our doorstep – the Union must be a political and diplomatic actor speaking with one voice and endowing itself with a common defence policy. We must also advocate for fair and sustainable trade, both within the WTO and through trade agreements with partners with whom we share values. Only then will we be able to address trade conflicts with the United States and China and strengthen our economic resilience by diversifying the supply chain. That is why we have to complete the CETA ratification process as soon as possible and approve the agreement with Mercosur. Finally, we need to implement all Green Deal regulations to lead compliance with the Paris Agreements. Only with a holistic approach can we achieve the goal of our open strategic autonomy.

Mr President, Commissioner, the best way to celebrate this important anniversary is to act and invest. The most urgent thing is to invest in the fight against child poverty: almost 20 million children in the European Union – one in four – are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. In addition to the material aspects, we must consider the lack of opportunities for educational, physical and socio-emotional development. We also have to deal with situations of mental fragility that, after the pandemic, have become even more worrying among young people. Ladies and gentlemen, a few weeks ago we enthusiastically welcomed the Draghi report to invest in the competitiveness of the European Union. Even more important is to invest in people, especially children and young people, and lift them out of poverty; also invest in education and training to develop their skills, talents and aspirations. Let us move forward on this path to ensure a hopeful future for children and, ultimately, for our European Union.

Madam President, Madam President von der Leyen, the Spanish Socialist delegation will vote in favour of the College of Commissioners following the agreement reached between the pro-European forces in this House. I am glad that the European People's Party has returned to the pro-European fold with the joint political declaration and I hope that it will not surrender again to the siren songs of the far right in this House. I am also glad that the European People's Party has supported its first vice-president, Teresa Ribera, and has abandoned the Spanish People's Party in the coldest solitude with its noise, its hoaxes and its failure. Mr. Weber, you're on the right track. Ladies and gentlemen, the new European Commission must start now. In a turbulent geopolitical context, in the face of a rising extreme right, we must fulfil our commitments to European citizens, to guarantee peace, democracy and social well-being and also to turn the European Union into a competitive world leader that protects the planet. In this work, Madam President, you have a world reference: First Vice-President Teresa Ribera.

Mr President, Mr Vice-President, we start this legislature with two wars at our doorstep and in a turbulent geopolitical and geo-economic context. The European Union is at a crossroads. The 800 billion euros proposed in the Draghi report and also initiatives such as the European Competitiveness Laboratory proposed yesterday by the Spanish Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo, are needed to reactivate its economic potential, be competitive and put it back as a power on the world map. However, we need to advocate for social and sustainable competitiveness. We have to invest in people, in their health and well-being. If it's okay for us to invest in artificial intelligence, more important still is human intelligence. Invest in education and training to create quality jobs and ensure social inclusion and cohesion. In short, invest in equality and, especially, in gender equality. Ladies and gentlemen, let us also advocate sustainable competitiveness, investment in clean energy and technologies. The Green Deal is not a brake, but an opportunity for innovation and sustainable economic development. European competitiveness without human beings and without a planet would be of little use.

Madam President, I speak very briefly to thank all the speakers for their interventions and I would like to say that the success of the review of the single permit is the success of the entire negotiating team. The shadow rapporteurs have undoubtedly improved my initial proposals. We have given a European and pro-European response to a European challenge. The far right has shone through its absence in the negotiation process. At least it has not hindered the negotiations, which is to be welcomed. But, Commissioner, we need to further develop the instruments of regular migration, above all by ensuring consistency between them. And, on the other hand - as I said in my first speech - we need to give it visibility so that these instruments are attractive and useful for both our businesses and migrants. I want to thank you for my birthday, but I'm going to ask you for a gift and that gift is not for me, but for migrants and for our companies: tomorrow we will have broad support for this revision of the directive.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the common migration policy remains an unfinished business of the Union. But we're moving forward. We will soon vote on the agreement reached after several years of negotiations between the Council and this House on the Pact on Migration and Asylum. This is certainly a necessary step, but it is not enough because we need a comprehensive approach that covers all dimensions. A holistic approach that manages not only irregular migration flows while preserving the lives of migrants with a European Maritime Rescue Mechanism, in particular by respecting their fundamental rights, but also promotes coherence between the different instruments of regular migration and the full integration of foreign workers into our societies. And all this in cooperation with countries of origin and transit, promoting circular migration. Ladies and gentlemen, it is only in this way that we will get through this unfinished business. Because, let us not forget, conflicts, humanitarian crises and the consequences of climate change will continue to push people to seek a better future and no wall or fence will be able to stop them. In this regard, I want to be very clear with those – especially from the far right – who feed fear and hatred with and towards migrants and corner progress on regular migration. While acknowledging this, regular migration is the best tool to combat irregular immigration and human smugglers and is therefore necessary and positive. It is necessary because demographic trends clearly show that the population of the European Union is declining and aging rapidly. And as we saw during the pandemic in health, agri-food and transport, many employment sectors depend on the presence and availability of migrant workers. And it is positive because migrants are a clear economic, social and cultural enrichment for our societies. Ladies and gentlemen, in the face of this reality, the European Union must be able to offer a common harmonised European framework on regular migration based on trust between the Member States and to become, as Commissioner Johansson says, a normal Union policy. In this legislature we have moved in the right direction with the reform of the Blue Card, the still pending revision of the Long-Term Stay Directive and the project called Talent Pool and, of course, the proposal for a Directive that we are debating here today in this House: the achievement of a more effective single work and residence permit. The first objective and achievement of the reform of this Directive has been precisely to improve it. It seems obvious, but in these times, with an extreme right that does not recognize reality and shoots the balls out, it is not easy to join efforts to encourage a more orderly, regular and safe migration. That is why I thank the shadow rapporteurs for their commitment and work, and the Commission for its constructive vision in the trilogues. Also to the Spanish Presidency for its efforts to take forward this legislative file, and to all the technical teams of the three institutions for their work and dedication during these intense months. The second achievement has been to obtain a simpler and faster procedure to acquire this unique permit. We have imposed, as we did with the blue card, a maximum specific period of ninety days to complete the procedure compared to the current 120 days. This reduces costs for administrations and employers, who will be able to count and hire with clear and determined times. In short, the Directive is more attractive to all. Moreover, we have ensured equal treatment of these migrants vis-à-vis workers in the European Union by strengthening their rights, improving their protection against abuse or facilitating access to private housing. In this way we not only avoid and prevent labour exploitation, but also combat the risk of social dumping. In addition, workers will be able to change employers and sectors of work through a quick and simple procedure. And this novelty is important because it will help speed up the labor market and considerably reduce the risks of exploitation and abuse. We have also managed to recognise the possibility of applying for this single permit both in EU countries and from countries of origin. On the other hand, we have extended the period of stay in case of unemployment to six months to give them a better chance of finding a new job, especially in case of abusive working conditions. And finally, ladies and gentlemen, it is important to give visibility to both the single permit and the other legal migration instruments. And that is why I call on the Commission and the Member States to launch information campaigns both in the Union and in the countries of origin, because only then will we have a win-win situation: workers, who will be able to reach Europe regularly, and our companies, who will be able to find the labour they need.

Mr President, Commissioner, you said it, Jörgen said it, Bernd said it: in such a complex and turbulent geopolitical context, there is a need to focus more than ever on strengthening multilateralism and international organisations, including the WTO. Many considered her dead, but she responded successfully two years ago to the two major crises: the pandemic and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, ensuring access to vaccines through patent liberalisation, on the one hand, and securing the supply chain and food security, on the other. In addition, it is developing a key role for the sustainability of the seas with the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement. It is now time to proceed with the pending institutional reform, streamlining the decision-making system and establishing a binding dispute resolution mechanism. We need to promote sustainable trade that integrates the gender dimension and development of all countries, and especially the most vulnerable, by completing the Doha Agenda. Finally, it is essential to give it a genuine parliamentary dimension. In Abu Dhabi we have a lot of work ahead of us.

Mr President, Mr Vice-President, Madam Minister, in December the European Council concluded the successful Spanish Presidency of the Union. We closed more than 70 legislative files, which allowed for such important reforms as the electricity market, the Green New Deal, the New Pact on Migration and Asylum and the first Regulation on artificial intelligence. We also opened the door to enlargement and resumed and restructured our relations with Latin America. Ladies and gentlemen, European citizens are calling for more Europe and less nationalism. We belong to a club called the European Union in which we share rules and values but, above all, a common destiny. And whether the far right likes it or not, we will remain committed to the pro-European path of progress, social justice and equality. And they will not stop us in our efforts or frighten us with their provocations, insults and threats. We know where involution, denialism and nationalism take us: to war, as President Mitterrand said a few decades ago before this House.