Debate: This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo
Date: WEDNESDAY, 13 MARCH 2024
Speaker: Iratxe García Pérez
Political group: S-D
Country: Germany
Language: EN

The European people learned through great suffering that hate and fear are dangerous to democracy, a hate and fear that the far right has against those who they consider to be different, a hate and fear that are affecting the centre right within the European Union, where the far right has been allowed to be part of five national governments and hundreds of regional and municipal governments. Dear Members, Finland is another example of the regression and the decline represented by the alliance between the European People’s Party and the far right. Mr Orpo, do you believe that the best way to defend workers’ rights is to promote dismissals, undermine social dialogue and restrict the right to strike? Do you think that the best way to eradicate poverty and inequality is to reduce public spending on pensions, unemployment benefits, housing and parental allowances? Are you proud of your Finance Minister when she posts on social media with large scissors, expressing satisfaction at cutting people’s income and social security? Do you feel comfortable governing with a minister who declared himself a Nazi? And this person is still a minister. Mr Orpo, your alliance with the far right is the real threat to our democracy and to the European project. This is why the future of the European Union is at stake. And the question that we must ask our citizens is clear. What kind of Europe do we want? A Europe hostage to climate change denial or a Europe committed to fight against it and that makes the green transition an opportunity to create wealth? A Europe that undermines the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women or a Europe that defends the feminist cause and the achievements of women? A Europe of the elites or a Europe that protects workers in the face of the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and protects families in time of crisis, as we did during the pandemic on the war? Dear Members, in times of uncertainty and great transformation, it is not enough to simply try to resist the reactionary wave. We have to move forward. We need a European project that makes citizens proud again to be European, a project that is not guided by the fear, hate and pessimism of the right and the far right. Mr Orpo, Mr Weber, put an end to your alliance with those who want to destroy Europe. Let us continue building a Union that will be a beacon to inspire the world through its example of integration and progress; a Union with more democracy and more equality; a Union that makes the social pillar a reality with decent jobs and affordable housing; a Union that is more united and also more open; a Union at the forefront of the fight against climate change, committed to human rights, and that places people at the centre of the digital transformation. Mr Orpo, Mr Weber, your only enemy is the far right. In the last century, your political family made a mistake by opening the door to the far right, and Europe and the world paid a high price. Now, let us say no to the darkness and yes to more years of hope and progress.