Debate: Review of the Spanish Presidency of the Council
Date: WEDNESDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2023
Speaker: Manfred Weber
Political group: PPE
Country: Austria
Language: EN

So, Mr Sánchez, welcome and congratulations on your election as Prime Minister of Spain. You know, politically I’m not happy, but as democrats we respect the outcome. You are present today to present the main outcome of the Spanish Presidency and you reported today quite technically, but you are not here as an official. You are here as a Prime Minister and politically, I have to say, the EU Presidency is not a success story, and I give you some arguments for this: you spoke about the economic future of Europe, Mercosur, 700 million consumers, the biggest single market in the world. We expected that you make sure that we sign it, that South America doesn’t fall into the hand of China. Have you spoken with Macron about this? Ukraine membership support, you spoke about this. Have you also spoken with Orbán about this? If the Council fails in this historic moment this week, it is also Sánchez’s failure. On the Hamas attacks to Israel, you overshadowed the last Council meeting, you divided Europe when you were applauded by Hamas terrorists, probably to please more the left Sumar, but not to unite Europe. Mr Sánchez, you have spoken and also I have spoken about democracy, and the basic principle of democracy is to tell the people the truth before the elections. You cannot promise not to give an amnesty until three days before the elections, and then give it. You cannot be in power for five years saying that an amnesty is not constitutional, and then you do it. Yesterday, the Spanish Parliament started a debate about the amnesty law, a law which your socialist predecessor, Felipe Gonzalez, opposed publicly and also called a risk for the Spanish Constitution. Europe is worried. The Commission is asking serious questions, Mr Sánchez. Today I only want to prioritise one special point: in the coalition text you signed, you promised Puigdemont a special committee in the Spanish Parliament to check judgements, a special committee on ‘lawfare’ that goes fundamentally against the rule of law, against the separation of power. And yesterday in the Spanish Parliament, when the team of Puigdemont were putting individual judges in the speech, even the Socialist team in the parliament were silent and shocked about what happened there. So I have only one question: will you go with the Socialist team in the Parliament in favour of such a committee, yes or no? And I am sure you will not deliver today, I am sure, and that is then a proof that the investigation from the Commission is urgently needed to have a look at what is happening in Spain. Europe is proud about very strong socialists: Willy Brandt, Francois Mitterrand. And today, Iratxe, we see now the developments in Spain, where people are concerned. We see the problems in Portugal, where the Prime Minister’s chief of staff was caught with EUR 78 000 in his office in bags of cash. Costa immediately resigned. We had this Kaili case now one year ago. And just to remember, to recall ourselves, it is not a Parliament scandal, it is until now only a Socialist scandal which is on the table. We have also Slovakia, where we have a pro-Putin team being there, still a member of the S&D Group in Europe, Pellegrini and also Fico. So I think you have a lot to do in your camp to clarify the situation there. On the European level, Mr Sánchez, I finally want to express one general point. We may have different opinions on content – Socialists, Christian Democrats – but for this European project this was always clear to unite, that Europe can only stand on two feet and not only on one. That’s why Socialists and Christian Democrats must find a common understanding. That was exactly the same as what Alberto Feijóo – together with others, Greens and Renew – was proposing in Spain, to bring the country together, to heal the wounds, to exclude separatists, extremists from left and right from getting power. You refused this. I want to underline that for us as EPP, the next Commission must be based on a cooperation on the centre parties in this Parliament. And I hope that the European Socialists will not do the same as you did: to refuse the cooperation with the centre parties in Europe. You will meet tomorrow in Brussels my predecessor as President of the European People’s Party, you will meet Donald Tusk, now elected Prime Minister of Poland. He defeated Kaczyński and he will restore rule of law in Poland. That is EPP. That is Alberto Feijóo’s party in Europe, and we are proud about this. Tusk will bring back rule of law to Poland, and we will also do the same in Spain. Madam President, as a final point, let me recall the words of Martin Luther King, which should be an inspiration for the upcoming Christmas break. I quote: ‘Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.’ Dear Madam President, Madam Commission President, Ministers, dear colleagues, this is a quote which we can reflect on. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.