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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT · SITTING

Marc Angel

Member of the European Parliament · S&D · LU

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Mr President, dear all, what do digital tools in our public services, algorithms shaping public debates and the chatbots we use every day to guide our decisions have in common? All too often they are controlled by non-European actors, and that leaves Europeans as consumers of technology rather than masters of their own digital futures.

PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-06-16 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

We need to invest in European innovation and skills and bring key digital infrastructure under European control. Digital sovereignty must go hand in hand with democratic accountability, sustainability and quality jobs.

PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-06-16 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

Madam President, Commission Vice-President, colleagues, yes, we want a stronger single market, and we want European businesses that innovate and that compete globally. But how do businesses want to be competitive without a healthy, skilled and motivated workforce?

PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-05-20 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

Such cherry-picking by the Commission will not lead to greater competitiveness, but to greater inequalities and the loss of trust. Colleagues, companies are at their strongest when they invest in human capital.

PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-05-20 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, one quick, anonymous click for the aggressor has long-lasting consequences for the victim. Online spaces have become a fertile ground for harassment and cyberbullying, affecting children especially.

PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-04-29 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

The Digital Services Act and the AI Act give us means to act against harmful content and unsafe systems, but implementation remains patchy. Why does Europe still hesitate to hold platforms accountable, even when the well-being of our children is at stake?

PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-04-29 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

The complete record

Every one of 79 lines we hold for Marc Angel, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 2.

  1. We need to invest in European innovation and skills and bring key digital infrastructure under European control. Digital sovereignty must go hand in hand with democratic accountability, sustainability and quality jobs. It will be delivered by a skilled, fairly paid European workforce and not by precarious labour or imported and outsourced expertise. 2-0056-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-06-16 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  2. Mr President, dear all, what do digital tools in our public services, algorithms shaping public debates and the chatbots we use every day to guide our decisions have in common? All too often they are controlled by non-European actors, and that leaves Europeans as consumers of technology rather than masters of their own digital futures. As S&D, we support strengthening Europe's digital sovereignty and resilience, but technological prowess alone does not deliver sovereignty. True digital sovereignty means that people remain in control and that technology serves democracy and the public interest. That is why we must defend and fully implement our digital rulebook rather than push a deregulation agenda that weakens privacy and protection.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-06-16 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  3. Such cherry-picking by the Commission will not lead to greater competitiveness, but to greater inequalities and the loss of trust. Colleagues, companies are at their strongest when they invest in human capital. This is why we, as the Socialists and Democrats Group, are calling for an ambitious quality jobs act that delivers fair wages, safe workplaces and new, enforceable workers' rights. Quality jobs and competitiveness are two sides of the same coin. This is our European way. 3-0087-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-05-20 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  4. Madam President, Commission Vice-President, colleagues, yes, we want a stronger single market, and we want European businesses that innovate and that compete globally. But how do businesses want to be competitive without a healthy, skilled and motivated workforce? So to those who only see the market, I ask, how can we expect workers to give it their all if their wages do not pay their bills and if their jobs make them sick? As the Socialists and Democrats Group, we support efforts to promote competitiveness and to strengthen the single market, but we will not accept an unbalanced approach. Let's take the 28th regime. The Commission's proposal, regretfully, attacks social safeguards and undermines the spirit of the Letta report, and totally ignores the report of the European Parliament.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-05-20 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  5. The Digital Services Act and the AI Act give us means to act against harmful content and unsafe systems, but implementation remains patchy. Why does Europe still hesitate to hold platforms accountable, even when the well-being of our children is at stake? We call on the Commission and on the Member States to fully enforce existing rules and ensure that platforms take real responsibility. We also want a streamlining of criminal law in the Union and in the Member States. This is about protection, dignity and safety, and our children deserve nothing less. 3-0314-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-04-29 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  6. Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, one quick, anonymous click for the aggressor has long-lasting consequences for the victim. Online spaces have become a fertile ground for harassment and cyberbullying, affecting children especially. Parents feel powerless, children continue to suffer, families are left alone to deal with tragedy. The European Union must respond and must do more. Children across our Union deserve the same level of protection regardless of where they live. That requires a coordinated and consistent European approach. As Socialists and Democrats, we have welcomed the Commission's action plan seeking to build a common understanding of cyberbullying, improving reporting and strengthening prevention. But let us be clear: we already have strong instruments.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-04-29 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  7. Mr President, I think the speaker just mentioned that in the Netherlands they would like to legalise the marriage between man and a beast, and I think this is unacceptable language in this House, and we should report that to the President and see how we can deal with such horrible discourse expressions here in the House. 2-0432-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-04-28 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  8. This month, Hungarians, despite threats and legal obstacles, finally managed to shake off the shackles of autocracy, and I wish them the very best in rebuilding the rule of law and democracy. But let this also be a lesson to all aspiring Orbáns in the European Union: illiberal democracy is a failed concept, and in case you had doubts about it, without the rule of law and fundamental rights, there is no prosperity, no security and no future. 2-0393-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-04-28 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  9. Mr President, dear Commissioner, colleagues, the rule of law is a fragile thing – it takes time to dismantle it, but then one day, you realise it's gone. Ask the Hungarians, they know all about it. They watched judicial independence and media freedom go down the drain. They were stripped of fundamental rights when trying to challenge the system. They saw government accountability and transparency vanish into thin air while corruption reached unimaginable levels. All of this happened one amendment at a time – little by little, year after year – fuelled by constant and shameless disinformation. But most importantly, Hungarians had to live with the economic consequences – because when the rule of law and fundamental rights are gone, economic development also vanishes.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-04-28 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  10. Dear colleagues, fundamental rights are the cornerstone of our Union. The Charter is not symbolic: it is a binding, constitutional pillar of EU law. Defending these rights is not an ideological exercise. It is our duty. And, as Socialists and Democrats, we will continue defending fundamental rights and the Charter. 2-0342-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-04-28 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  11. Mr President, dear colleagues, dear Commissioner, fundamental rights are at stake in our Union. Our democracies are under great pressure and civil society is under attack. Women's rights are being rolled back. LGBTIQ+ people and minorities are increasingly being targeted. But, thank God, recently, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union turned 25: a moment of celebration and reaffirmation. But we as a Parliament uninvited ourselves from the party because, once again, in the European Parliament's Committee on Constitutional Affairs, the EPP voted together with the far right and killed the report on the implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, leaving the European Parliament the only institution turning its back on fundamental rights on this 25th anniversary.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-04-28 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  12. Yet across many candidate countries, inequalities and poverty remain high. We must place social progress at the heart of enlargement, because convergence must not only be economic or institutional – it must also be social. 2-0450-0000 Catch-the-eye procedure 2-0451-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-03-10 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  13. Mr President, Madam Commissioner, dear colleagues, EU enlargement is a historic responsibility, a necessity and a testament to what we can achieve when we stand together. But a Union that grows must also be able to act. In this Parliament, in this mandate, we have agreed to adapt our institutions by expanding the use of qualified majority voting and to make full use of the flexibilities within the Treaty, including passerelle clauses, enhanced cooperation and constructive abstention. We also must have the courage to adopt targeted Treaty changes. Institutional reform and enlargement go hand in hand, but enlargement must also be fair for people. It must serve people in their daily lives. Too often, social reforms are treated as secondary. Too often, the social dimension is underestimated in the accession process.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-03-10 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  14. We will not tolerate a backlash on equality. The facts are clear. Member States that implemented strong legislation after the Commission's recommendation in 2012 brought results – Belgium, Luxembourg. An administrative burden? Come on. There is software, there is artificial intelligence, which calculates this very easily. It's more administrative burden to organise a board meeting than to deal with pay transparency. So don't touch this directive. Don't weaken it. Implement it and work together for fairer salaries in female-dominated sectors. 1-0182-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-03-09 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  15. Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, I remember very well one lesson when I was one of the negotiators for the S&D Group on the Pay Transparency Directive: that when we talk about equality, everybody applauds; but when equality comes with a cost, then suddenly too many become silent. And that is intolerable. To those who are calling to repeal or dilute this directive, we Socialists and Democrats recall that equal pay between women and men for equal work or work of equal value is one of the European Union's fundamental founding principles, enshrined in our Treaties since 1957. So it's not about ideology. We warn: don't mess with women's rights and don't mess with workers' rights. Together with the trade unions, we progressives will not let this directive be thrown away. Enough is enough.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-03-09 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  16. As socialists and democrats, we call for a directive that includes: a full-chain liability, where the client and its subcontractor are liable for labour and social rights violations; a limit on subcontracting layers; and a strict framework on intermediaries, which must be registered in the European Union and subject to clear standards and obligations to avoid any risk of gangmaster practices. 3-0508-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-02-11 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  17. Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, across Europe, subcontracting chains have become a blind spot in labour law, in construction, agriculture, transport and logistics. Some chains reach even 6 or 7 levels, leaving workers unprotected. When wages go unpaid and accidents happen, all responsibilities vanish. Millions of mobile workers and migrant workers are affected and often forced to pay illegal fees through unregulated intermediaries. The result is shameful: social dumping, unfair competition and systematic violations of basic labour and social rights. This is not an enforcement problem. This is a rules problem. As long as responsibility can be diluted, exploitation will continue. The Commission faces a political choice: either we tolerate a two-speed Europe of work, or we adopt an ambitious directive on subcontracting chains.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-02-11 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  18. We need simplification through harmonisation rather than deregulation. We need European rules rather than the labyrinth of national legislation. Member States are fond of underscoring the importance of the single market and competitiveness. The question is, are Member States ready to politically do what is necessary and commit on deepening the single market in these areas? All eyes are on 2028. Let's deliver together. 3-0112-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-02-11 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  19. Madam President, 2028 – both the Commission President and the European Council declared 2028 as the deadline to complete the single market. Yes, the single market is an undeniable economic success story. But today, we need to reignite the fire of the single market to bolster our competitiveness and to allow Europe to politically stand firm in today's adversarial world. Like it or not, as long as a certain strategic areas are excluded from the single market, Europe will not reach its full potential. We need an investment and savings union to unleash capital in the real economy and innovation. The long-awaited energy union can finally bring down energy prices for families and companies. Integration of telecommunications can lower prices and improve infrastructure and connectivity.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-02-11 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  20. Cyberbullying is a crime only in some Member States. We need a clear, EU-wide definition of cyberbullying, and a common legal framework to ensure equal protection for every child and every citizen in Europe. Thank you to Commissioner Micallef and Vice-President Virkkunen for this excellent action plan, which we must translate into reality in the 27 Member States. 2-0430-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-02-10 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  21. Mr President, behind the statistics and the reports on cyberbullying, there are real people – children, young adults and families – whose lives are deeply affected, sometimes irreversibly. Some are especially exposed: girls, children with disabilities, queer youth, migrants, just to name a few. For them, the online world too often becomes a place of fear rather than freedom. This is why we, as Socialists and Democrats, welcome the Commission's action plan – an instrument of prevention, protection and empowerment to safeguard children and youth in the digital sphere. Dear colleagues, let's remember that cyberbullying does not end with age; it follows victims into adulthood, leaving lasting scars in our societies. This fight is about the kind of society and values we choose to defend. Yet protection remains unequal in our Union.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-02-10 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  22. 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. 4-0095-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-01-22 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  23. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-01-22 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  24. 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. 2-0527-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-01-20 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  25. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-01-20 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  26. 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. 2-0060-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-01-20 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  27. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2026-01-20 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  28. 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. 3-0461-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-12-17 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  29. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-12-17 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  30. 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. (The speaker declined to take a blue-card question from Petras Gražulis) 3-0362-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-12-17 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  31. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-12-17 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  32. 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. 3-0235-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-12-17 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  33. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-12-17 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  34. 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. 3-0363-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-11-26 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  35. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-11-26 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  36. 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. 2-0446-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-11-25 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  37. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-11-25 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  38. 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. 1-0268-0000 (Ende der spontanen Wortmeldungen) 1-0269-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-11-12 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  39. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-11-12 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  40. Hier dans notre résolution pour le budget, il y avait pas mal de votes de votre groupe qui allaient à l'encontre de l'égalité hommes-femmes. En ce qui concerne la GPA, si elle est éthique, s'il n'y a... J'ai une amie. Elle ne pouvait pas avoir d'enfants. Sa sœur lui a proposé une GPA. Elle l'a fait et ils sont tous très heureux. Donc je n'ai pas de problème avec la GPA quand elle n'est pas commerciale. 4-0050-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-10-23 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  41. Je siège au groupe des conservateurs. Je suis une femme politique. Je ne suis pas dépendante de l'avis que mon mari pourrait avoir sur moi, pour m'interdire ou m'autoriser à être engagée en politique. Je voulais faire cette première remarque et vous poser ensuite une question. Vous avez omis de parler de la dépendance des femmes, de l'esclavage des femmes concernant la GPA. Je voudrais connaître votre avis là-dessus. 4-0049-0000 Marc Angel (S&D), réponse carton bleu. – Certainement. Vous êtes une femme, vous êtes élue, mais vous appartenez à des groupes politiques qui votent toujours contre les droits des femmes. Quand on a voté la directive sur la transparence salariale pour avoir le même salaire pour les hommes et les femmes, votre groupe politique a voté contre. Et je pourrais citer d'autres exemples.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-10-23 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  42. 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. (The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question) 4-0048-0000 Laurence Trochu (ECR), question «carton bleu». – Monsieur le député, vous avez accusé les conservateurs d'être prisonniers ou prisonnières du système patriarcal. Je suis une femme.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-10-23 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  43. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-10-23 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  44. 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. 3-0387-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-10-08 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  45. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-10-08 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  46. 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! 3-0200-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-07-09 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  47. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-07-09 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  48. 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. 4-0067-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-06-19 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  49. 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.

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-06-19 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT

  50. Dear Commissioner, Article 7 and infringement procedures are not optional tools, but essential duties. Our Union's credibility depends on the Commission's action and willingness to uphold democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law. European citizens, including the Hungarian people, count on you. I will march in Budapest to protest against the love story between Putin and Orbán. 3-0236-0000

    PLENARY SITTING OF 2025-06-18 · READ THE VERBATIM REPORT