Irene MONTERO

Policy topics Irene MONTERO is active on

What Irene MONTERO has said (30)

• 2026-06-24 “Thank you, Tara. I'm going to speak in Spanish. Thank you very much for joining us here today, but I'm worried about the fact that we are still feeding into this idea that the problem of housing in Europe has got to do with immigration, with not enough household. And what we're hearing from the right in Spain is that immigration the immigrants are to blame for this. And, actually, if you look at a big city like Valencia, they're only getting around 12 requests for accommodation for immigrants per year, and the numbers are similarly low. Actually, it's 0.2 consultations or requests per day in a city like Palma. But if you look at real issues, the major issue is sexist violence, and that has an impact as well. You're looking at an average of over 300 consultations every day, calling up the hotline for sexist violence in a city like Madrid where funding is being pulled away from this important area. In Spain, only 1 out of 10 young people can leave their parents' home before the age of 30. They just can't afford a home. And this is not because people are squatting homes. It's not because of organized crime. It's because of speculators that are protected by European laws to carry on doing business with housing. You're looking at people spending up to 70% of their wages on rent. There is a growing number of families, entire families living in 1 room with another family in the room next door because they can't afford a whole flat. Not to mention the fact that, well, if you're worried about your 2nd home being squatted, well, that means that you're the owner of 2 homes or more. And in Spain, only 4% of the population owns more than 2 homes. So the issue of housing is speculation as far as I'm concerned, and that ought to be the crime. But as this is a crime that's being carried out by men in suits and ties, well, they're the finance sharks, and that is problem the that should be addressed in this committee.”
  EU housing policy
• 2026-06-16 “(11:27:35 – 11:28:47): Ladies and gentlemen, what is Europe celebrating? Iran is celebrating that they have won, and Trump is celebrating even, though he, hasn't won, is celebrating as if he were an emperor with his gladiators in front of him. So what is Europe celebrating? Can we celebrate that we have, stopped a, genocide, that we have stopped an illegal war against Iran, that we have broken relations with Israel, that we have stopped the occupation in Israel, in Lebanon. Sorry. No. None of those things we can celebrate. So what can we, celebrate here in Europe? What are you, celebrating, miss Callis? Are you celebrating Donald Trump's birthday? Perhaps we could sing him happy birthday. To Trump, happy birthday. To Trump, happy birthday, mister genocide.”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine
• 2026-03-02 “Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas on behalf of the European Commission 13.5.2026 Written question The High Representative/Vice-President (HR/VP) has been in continuous contact with partners in the Middle East to call for maximum restraint, urge all parties to comply with international humanitarian law and to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as to ensure freedom of navigation and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. On 9 April 2026, the HR/VP on behalf of the European Union, welcomed the ceasefire [1] agreed by the US and Iran. The statement stressed that diplomacy is key to resolve all outstanding issues and parties should continue engaging in good faith in efforts to reach a sustainable agreement on all areas of concern. The EU contributes to all diplomatic efforts in this endeavour, taking into consideration its full range of interests and concerns, in coordination with partners. EU restrictive measures (‘sanctions’) as tools of the Common Foreign and Security Policy are adopted by the Council with unanimity. The Council is empowered to decide on the possible extension of any measure, while Member States are responsible for the effective implementation and enforcement of sanctions. It is for the Member States to decide their own policies within NATO. Membership of NATO, including participation in its integrated military structures, is a national prerogative and decision. As regards the use of military bases by individual Member States, this also remains their prerogative; decisions are taken by national governments in line with their sovereign authority. NATO is a strategic partner for the EU and plays a key role in territorial defence for the 23 common members, while providing crucial deterrence against external threats to Europe’s borders. [1] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2026/04/09/statement-by-the-high-representative-on-behalf-of-the-eu-on-the-ceasefire-agreed-by-the-united-states-and-iran/.”
  EU-Iran relations · Relations with NATO · EU-US relations
• 2026-01-03 “P-000001/2026 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas on behalf of the European Commission Following the recent developments in Venezuela, the EU has strongly reiterated that international law and the principles of territorial integrity and state sovereignty enshrined in the UN Charter must be upheld under all circumstances. Members of the UN Security Council have a particular responsibility to uphold these principles. Immediately after the strikes, on 4 January 2026, the EU through its High Representative/Vice-President and supported by 26 Member States called for calm and restraint by all actors, to avoid escalation and to ensure a peaceful solution to the crisis. The EU is in close contact with the United States, as well as regional and international partners to support and facilitate dialogue that reaches all political and social sectors, leading to a negotiated, democratic, inclusive and peaceful solution to the crisis, led by Venezuelans.”
  EU-Venezuela relations · Relations with NATO · EU-US relations
• 2025-11-17 “E-004573/2025 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas on behalf of the European Commission The EU has consistently reiterated its long-standing support to UN-led efforts to find a solution to the Western Sahara dispute. Consistent with this approach, the EU, with the unanimity of its Member States, has updated its position regarding Western Sahara on the occasion of the EUMorocco Association Council held on 29 January 2026 1 , aligning it with UN Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025) which: - supports the efforts of the Secretary-General and the Personal Envoy in facilitating and conducting negotiations, taking as a basis Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal, with a view to achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable resolution to the dispute that is consistent with the UN Charter, while welcoming any constructive suggestions by the parties in response to the Autonomy Proposal. - calls upon the parties to engage in discussions without preconditions, taking as a basis Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal, with a view to achieving a final and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, while recognising that genuine autonomy could represent a most feasible outcome and encourages the parties to submit ideas to support a final mutually-acceptable solution, and - invites all UN Member States to lend appropriate assistance and support to these negotiations and to the Personal Envoy’s efforts. In that framework, the EU stands ready to assist in facilitating the consultations between the parties within the UN framework and to support the efforts of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy. 1 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/it/press/press-releases/2026/01/29/communique-conjoint-de-la-hauterepresentante-kaja-kallas-et-du-ministre-des-affaires-etrangeres-du-maroc-nasser-bourita-suite-a-la-tenue-duquinzieme-conseil-d-association-ue-maroc/.”
  EU policy on Western Sahara
• 2025-07-18 “P-002998/2025 Answer given by Mr Hansen on behalf of the European Commission In the new multiannual financial framework agriculture and rural areas remain a priority, strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy, food security and sustainability. The proposal ensures that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) fulfils its EU Treaty objectives and provides consistent support for farmers, even in the face of geopolitical instability. The Commission proposed a ring-fenced budget of EUR 293.7 billion as a minimum to support farmers’ income and additionally, a twofold increase of the funds to address possible market disturbances under the Unity Safety Net amounting to EUR 6.3 billion, providing predictability to farmers. Member States will also be able to allocate additional funds to the CAP from the non-ringfenced amount within their National and Regional Partnership Fund and identify synergy projects meeting more than one policy objective, thereby further safeguarding sustainability for the sector. To back generational renewal, young farmers will benefit from targeted support and from a wide range of tools including a ‘starter pack’ of measures tailored to their specific needs, supported by a broader set of actions and reforms needed in areas beyond the CAP that the upcoming Strategy for Generational Renewal will lay out. This comprehensive approach will help them address their challenges and promote a more vibrant and diverse agricultural sector.”
  Direct payments to farmers (pillar 1) · Agricultural funding
• 2025-04-14 “E-001526/2025 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission Under the Habitats Directive 1 , wolf populations north of the river Duero 2 are currently listed in Annex V. According to Article 14 of the Directive, Member States must take measures to ensure that the exploitation of species listed in Annex V is compatible with their being maintained at a favourable conservation status. According to the information submitted by Spain in the latest report under Article 17 of the Directive for the period 2013-2018, the wolf was in unfavourable conservation status in all three biogeographical regions of Spain 3 . A new report covering the period 2019-2024 is expected to be submitted by July 2025. In Case C-436/22 4 , the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that Article 14 of the Directive precludes Spanish legislation which permitted the hunting of the wolf, since the species was listed in Annex V and the conservation status of that species is classified as ‘unfavourable poor’. Additionally, the CJEU confirmed that if there remains uncertainty as to whether the exploitation of a species of Community interest is compatible with the maintenance of that species at a favourable conservation status, the Member State must refrain from authorising such exploitation. The Commission awaits the up-to-date information on the conservation status of the wolf in Spain, as part of reporting obligations under the Directive for the period 2019-2024. In light of the prevention and precautionary principles, the competent authorities should ensure that decisions related to the hunting of wolf populations listed in Annex V are based on sound scientific evidence regarding the species conservation status. 1 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7–50. 2 Namely in Asturias, Cantabria and Galicia. 3 https://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/Converters/run_conversion?file=es/eu/art17/envxrm14a/ES_species_reports20190723-144539.xml&conv=593&source=remote#1352. 4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:62022CJ0436.”
  Large Carnivores
• 2024-12-12 “E-002896/2024 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission As referred to in the reply to Written Question E-003188/2022 1 , pursuant to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2 , Member States are primarily responsible to ensure compliance with their obligations under EU law. It is for the competent national authorities to determine, prior to granting development consent, whether the project 3 shall be subject to an assessment because of its likely significant effects on the environment. The EIA Directive provides for specific review procedures that allow the public concerned to challenge the substantive or procedural legality of decisions, acts or omissions subject to the Directive’s provisions on public participation. Member States are also responsible under the Habitats 4 and Birds Directives 5 to conduct an appropriate assessment of the project’s implications for the site in view of its conservation objectives. Where the obligation to carry out assessments arises simultaneously from the EIA Directive and the Habitats Directive, the Member State shall, where appropriate, provide for coordinated and/or joint procedures. Based on the available information, the Commission cannot assess the authorities' compliance with the above obligations in the particular case at issue here. Moreover, the Commission’s strategic approach to enforcement action focuses on systemic non-compliance cases 6 . Without prejudice to the Commission’s role as guardian of the Treaties, the most effective way to address an individual case of alleged non-compliance is to use the national review procedures that allow the public concerned to challenge the substantive or procedural legality of decisions, acts or omissions subject to the EIA public participation provisions. 1 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2022-003188_EN.html 2 Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, OJ L 26, 28.1.2012, p. 1–21. 3 Projects for the construction of museums may be considered as urban development projects, which are referred to in point 10(b) of Annex II of Directive 2011/92/EU. 4 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7–50. 5 Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds (Codified version). OJ L 20, 26.1.2010, p. 7–25. 6 As set out in the Communication of 19 January 2017 (EU law: Better results through better application C/2016/8600, OJ C 18, 19.1.2017, p. 10–20) and in the Communication of 13 October 2022, COM(2022)518 final, ‘Enforcing EU law for a Europe that delivers’.”
  Energy (green transition)
• 2024-12-11 “E-002864/2024 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware of the issue raised by the Honourable Member and has taken legal action against Spain to address the problems of water overexploitation and biodiversity loss in Doñana through the correct application of the Habitats Directive 1 and the Water Framework Directive 2 . As a result, the Court of Justice of the EU found in a judgment of 24 June 2021 3 that Spain had failed to fulfil obligations under the above-mentioned Directives. It is for Spain to implement all the necessary measures to comply with the judgment of the Court under the supervision of the Commission. The Commission sent to Spain a letter of formal notice 4 under Article 260(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union on 15 July 2022. Since then, the Commission has held several bilateral discussions with the Spanish authorities to discuss the measures they have taken and plan to take. Spain has put in place a holistic plan to comply with the judgment, including measures in relation to illegal abstraction. The Commission will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the ruling and take any necessary step to ensure that it is fully complied with. EU funding is available to help Spain solve this issue, for instance, both Recovery and Resilience Facility 5 and the European Regional Development Fund 6 can provide support for such type of investments. 1 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7–50. 2 Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1–73. 3 Case C‑559/19: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:62019CJ0559 4 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/inf_22_3768 5 https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/economic-recovery/recovery-and-resilience-facility_en 6 https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funding/erdf_en”
  Energy (green transition)
• 2024-09-24 “E-001808/2024 Answer given by Ms Johansson on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware of the situation which the Honourable Members refer to. It is crucial that all Member States uphold their obligations under the EU acquis, which includes relevant provisions on detention of applicants for international protection, while fully respecting the principle of non-refoulement as a core principle of international refugee and human rights law. The right to asylum is guaranteed by Article 18 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, meaning that everyone fleeing persecution or serious harm in their own country has the right to ask for protection, regardless of where they are coming from. As Guardian of the treaties the Commission is monitoring the effective implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights obligations as well as the EU law in the Member States. Nevertheless, it is for Member States authorities to examine applications for international applications, in accordance with the rules set out in the EU law. The Commission does not intervene in individual cases and as such it is not in a position to assess the specific case referred to by the Honourable Members.”
  Asylum & border control
• 2024-07-19 “P-001392/2024 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell i Fontelles on behalf of the European Commission The control on the export of arms by Member States is subject to national legislation, the Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP 1 and the Arms Trade Treaty 2 (ATT). The competent authorities of Member States take final decision whether to authorise or deny an individual export or transit license of military equipment, in accordance with the said legal frameworks. Member States are solely responsible to ensure compliance with applicable laws, including the Common Position and the ATT. The High Representative/Vice-President is not in a position to assess specific export cases against the criteria of the Common Position, nor is mandated, under EU law, to enforce the Common Position or other applicable laws. Notwithstanding the above, it is unlikely that the said transit would be subject to assessment under the Common Position, since it applies to items on the EU Common Military List (ML), and JP-8 aircraft fuel is explicitly excluded from that list 3 . 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32008E0944 2 https://thearmstradetreaty.org/treaty-text.html?templateId=209884 3 See ML8(c)(1), Note 1, https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-5654-2024-INIT/en/pdf”
  EU competences on foreign affairs · Disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons
• “Thank you, Madam President, to President von der Leyen. We can't see that. She can't even stay for a whole debate. Housing not spoken about. That's the main problem that people are facing. But it wasn't spoken about. Imagine you had to pay half of your salary to be able to pay your rent, to have somewhere to live. You know, you can't even put the heating on. You don't have enough money to go shopping. You can't buy everything you need for school. The speculators in Europe are stealing people's salaries with abusive rents. And then they're buying houses without even going to look in them. They're just buying them and then upping the prices. And they're also seeing, um, uh, these same people investing across the board. And this is who we are allowing to rob our families. Madam president, your arms are not being paid for with your work. They're being paid with the theft of people's salaries. What are houses for, ladies and gentlemen? What houses for houses are to live in? I don't know when we started to understand that. They think it's normal that we can use houses just for business, when it's when people need to live. And this should not be something that happens.”
  EU housing policy
• “Thank you very much. Thank you very much. I do feel that, uh, we're speaking about sequestering housing when we speak about short term loans. In other words, turning homes into, uh, tourism accommodation with unbelievable costs. Many people are simply living in mobile in, in, um. In mobile homes of different sorts rather than that, rather than living at homes. So if we don't have some sort of regulation as far as prices of rents and prices of costs overall of housing, then we can forget it altogether, because let's not forget that it is this type of short term rental that actually impedes housing, affordable housing, and the development of it. Uh, now, you, uh, have spoken about climate change or that in countries like my country, there are 4 million empty homes. This is absolutely crazy. In the on the Canary Islands, the coast is being destroyed. Destroyed in order to build right now, 50,000 new types of tourism accommodation. For whom are these particular houses that you propose to build? In Spain, for example, half of homes are already bought without any mortgage whatsoever. In other words, it's not families that are behind these purchases. It's large companies and they're not for living in there in order to reap profits through short term accommodations. So I think we have to do is regulate and simply block any form of speculation on the housing market. There's no other way. Thank you.”
  EU regulation of short-term rentals
• “Gracias. Presidente. Comisario. Thank you. President. Commissioner. Colleagues. One in every five children in Europe is a victim of sexual abuse. And that's why we look forward to this directive improving the penalties applied. This is one of the most serious infringements of human rights. Possibly. But I have to stress the importance of this directive for mothers defending their children, mothers defending their children against perpetrators. And very often justice, instead of protecting them, actually arose against the mothers putting at risk the rights of children, forcing them to live with their fathers who mistreat them. And in many cases they use the right to visit, to abuse or even kill their children where it most hurts the mothers. So we cannot continue looking the other way because we have to defend protecting mothers and their children while they're still alive. If we want to avoid further further problems, we need to ban the visits system against the most dangerous people. And we need to protect these mothers and this childhood. We welcome this directive and we want to see these children live.”
  EU policy on victims' compensation rights
• “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I apologize for what I'm about to say, But we are having a debate here today. And at the same time in Spain, there are politicians from groups represented in this committee. They're voting for 60,000 families to end up in the street. These can be women. These can be disabled people. They can be families. And often they talk about defending families. But these 60,000 people are going to end up on the streets. I don't know if anybody is wondering where they're going to eat, how the children are going to go to school the next day, how are they going to heat themselves in a wave of cold? You're talking about the lack of evidence to support housing policy. You have the evidence, but the institutions are leaving people in the street. People can't pay the price of rent. And I'm sure that you agree with me, and I'm sorry for being indignant, but people need to know what institutions are for. If at the time of their need, nobody protects them, nobody helps them get a roof over their head. If no institutions can do anything. It has to be people who buy houses who live in them, not to speculate on housing prices. And everybody knows that if we really wanted to, we could do something. Housing prices can be brought down by law. Evictions without providing an alternative can be banned. And I think that people are seeing more and more that this is not being done because housing is a business. So beyond the data and beyond the research, it's the moment for action because we have the evidence. There are thousands of families that don't have enough money to pay the rent and who are threatened with homelessness throughout Europe and particularly in Spain. And this is a political decision that's being taken by institutions.”
  EU housing policy
• “Thank you very much. President. Commissioner, a month ago, an 80 year old man in Molinos shot himself because he was threatened with eviction by the bank. I don't know whether his flat has now become a tourist flat rented out at great expense, or whether it just belongs to the bank and is empty. But the problem is that you defend speculators, but you never take on board the consequences that this has for people's lives. Property speculation kills. Last year, the profits from Spanish banks grew by 20%. Those are the macroeconomic figures that the government announces, but the people cannot pay their rent and evictions have increased by 20%. Does anybody care whether those people end up living? Where are they going to spend Christmas? Where are they going to dine on New Year's Eve? If somebody rings at the door of an empty flat. Then you complain about squatting as if the squatters were in the wrong. The problem is that the housing business is property violence. You are endangering people's lives for the few to earn money. That is a form of violence. However much people wear expensive suits and ties. And what we need, Commissioner, is to get back our moral compass. Reduce the prices of housing by low Expropriate houses which are taken by mutual funds, who give them to the people, and those who want to speculate can go to rob somewhere else. Thank you.”
  EU housing policy
• “Thank you. Chair. I will speak in Spanish. Mr. Baldwin, I wanted to ask you a question. Are you working with the idea of the fact that housing is a right, or that it is a business? Because the housing crisis that we're seeing is a essentially it's a crisis based on speculation. It's because of the illicit ways in which we're seeing speculation taking place. People are using housing to make money. It's a completely unproductive form of economy. It gets people rich without producing anything. And it's also leading to social inequality. So my question is why is this proposal to build more housing rather than redistributing what we already have? I would like to see a number of best practices. For example, could we increase the number of public housing available and getting rid of the housing that speculators are acquiring? What about empty housing as well? Why don't we ban people buying houses for non-residential purposes and ensuring that houses are for people to live in, rather than for speculation? The other question I have is this problem that is at the heart of all of this is you want to spend Europeans monies, money on arms rather than houses. Those are going to be 8 billion spent on this rearmament program. And then when it comes to resolving the housing crisis that would take it would require half of that amount. So I think that that is a question that I have. We we want people to make sure that they have houses.”
  EU housing policy
• “Thank you very much indeed, Madam President, Mrs. von der Leyen, while she isn't here. But some was in her place. Packages of sanctions against Russia? Yes. How many against Israel? Zero. So, you know, the genocide is ongoing and no support for sanctions. Same for Gaza. And you just support the bombing of any country. As you wish. I mean, exactly how many packages of sanctions has Europe applied against the US? Again, zero US is bombing ships in the Caribbean and is supporting this blockade against Venezuela. So, you know, sanctions against the US? Well, none at all. Of course, we've seen manipulation of elections in European countries and we only have one US ambassador in European territory who has called out that interference in our elections and we are talking about upping military spending at the behest of Donald Trump. But our sons and daughters are going to be embroiled in US driven wars. We believe that security equals a welfare state.”
  Foreign interference in Europe
• “How can we defend human rights from Europe if it's the actual union countries of the Union who do not accept the arrest warrants against those who are responsible for genocide? In this report we talk about women's rights and LGBTI people. But within EU we have racist policy and criminal policy and does not allow safe pathways for LGBTI persons and many other people, above all, women whose lives and security are and their rights depend on these pathways. There's criticism of Hungary, but there's many people voted in favour of, including the far right in the European Commission. I don't think we can defend human rights if we govern in Europe with those who are attacking rights. We have a we have a complicity with those who say we have a major coalition of war, austerity and complicity with genocide. And these are the people that are leading Europe. And now this is a red carpet to the systematic violation of human rights both within and outside of the EU. The dangerous thing is not that Europe is incredible when it says we want to defend human rights. The most dangerous thing is that Europe does not comply with human rights. It systematically violates human rights that we say in this report that we defend. So Europe. And I think we need to recognize this. Europe is not a safe place for many women and for many people. Many LGBTQ people. And this should be our main concern at this moment.”
  EU competences on human rights
• “Thank you, Madam President. Israel is continuing with its extermination plan. And just like the Nazis, it is imposing its final solution on Palestine, on the ruins of Gaza. It wants to build a concentration camp. It was called a ghetto in Warsaw. It was what the Nazis were doing. There are legal implications here. There are treaties on arms trading. We should not be selling arms to those engaging in genocide. We should not have trade relations or investment in Israel. There are legal rulings to that effect. So why are EU countries still buying and selling arms with Israel? Why are we still trading with companies who are supporting the illegal occupation of Palestine and genocide now Alongside the US in NATO, the main Netanyahu client launching attacks on Iran. Together, these are the main threats to peace and security in the world. Rearmament is complicity with genocide, ladies and gentlemen. The Spanish rearmament plan includes buying Israeli military equipment. We should comply with international legal rules. But what you're doing is being complicit in genocide, which converts you into criminals.”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine
• “Thank you. President. Commissioner. You want to teach us lessons or teach teaching lessons about values and democracy. You've left Europe at the feet of Donald Trump, a criminal who has unleashed a war on thousands of workers, a sentence, a sexual aggressor who is increasing the war in Ukraine. We're seeing the ruins of genocide in Gaza, assassinations of fishers in the Caribbean, a criminal blockade on Cuba, threats to Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, the United States, despite its enormous wealth, doesn't even provide health or housing or proper jobs to its own people. Poverty there is increasing. So as regards China, you are embroiling us in a war that we can't win. Trump is ordering Europe to continue its trade war with China and you are obeying that. We depend on US gas, we pay tariffs and we pay for endless weapons for NATO. We feed the war in Ukraine so that the US then gets the rare earths. China is a global power because they control and plan their economy. They lead in Asia. They look after relations with Africa and Latin America. And at the same time, Europe is sinking its economy and its welfare state to save the US. The commercial war with China is not going to gain anything for Europe. If we're to be autonomous and sovereign in Europe, then we need to be closer to China and not depend on the United States. And to understand this, you don't even need to be a Democrat. You just need to be pro-European because Trump is not going to rescue anyone and not you either.”
  EU-China relations
• “Yes, thank you very much. President. The blackout. Ladies and gentlemen, has shown that we have an energy system that has been designed to fill the pockets of an energy oligopoly. And in order to serve the interests of their shareholders and not those who need electricity. It's a shame it's a scandal because the families are paying enormously high energy bills. And then €11,000 million, which are paid out in dividends to shareholders, rather than being ploughed back into the grid to guarantee stability and the policies of the. Partido popular were quite scandalous, served as a revolving doors for the friends of the previous governments and the electricity grid was exfoliated. It has to be nationalized again, so that the if that all the profits of energy production are paid back until the cost of the blackout have been offset. And then what we have seen is when you have a blackout, it's teachers who do overtime to make sure that the children get to the school and be taught, and the hospital staff that carry on working despite the blackout.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “Thank you, Madam President. Commissioner, in Spain, there are a lot of people who earn €1,800 and if they're lucky, they pay 1000 in rent, 400 for food. And then there's internet, gas, insurances, insurance 250 and €100 for petrol. And all you have left is €100 and still have to buy clothes for your children and just hope that nothing extra comes up. As you can see, people cannot make ends meet. People are working but they're not really earning anything because every euro they get is to pay someone else. And where does the money end up? In the European Commission. Now the big companies have just raked in record high profits. Airbnb say that for 2026 there should be two digit rise in profits. Other people don't have homes. Investment funds buy these houses without even viewing them. And this money? The profits go into the arms industry to wage war. All these US vulture funds should be thrown out of our country and Europe. This is what invasion is like. And do you know why this grand theft is happening? This is because you European Commission are not doing anything to spellcheck.”
  Taxation of windfall profits
• “Thank you. President. President. You said that Europe fights for freedom. Are you willing to go to war to defend Europe's freedom? Buying weapons. What? Imagine what Israel is doing to Palestinian children dying of hunger. You are subjugating Europe to the two greatest threats in the world. The US, for example. And you did a deal with the US president in a private golf course. You are supporting a terrorist action by Israel. You are not supporting sovereignty. You are bowing to Donald Trump. And what about the vessels bringing medicine and food to Gaza? They are turned back. You said that this fleet of vessels was escalating the conflict. This is civil humanitarian aid. Are you going to support civilian, civil and humanitarian aid or a terrorist state in Israel? Are you collaborating with genocide? You should stand for humanitarian international law.”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine
• “Thank you very much, president. Ladies and gentlemen, you and von der Leyen want Europe to be part of an illegal war led by the US and Israel. Of course, you don't want your own kids to go to the war. Well, if you want a war, then you should go. But keep our sons and daughters at home. Who is miss von der Leyen speaking on behalf of. She's speaking on her own behalf, not on mine. Given the situation in Palestine, this woman should be judged or tried as a war criminal. Iraq. Afghanistan, Syria. These are wars for oil, for power, and it is putting us in danger so that Trump can create a luxury resort on the ruins of Gaza, so that his kids can make money investing in oil. Two days before bombing Iran. Ladies and gentlemen, while we're in NATO, whether we want to or not, we are complicit in these illegal wars. We need to act now. We need to control food, energy and transport prices. We need to make note of what a reality. Socialist liberals, Greens who have voted for her. Let's isolate her. Let's get out of NATO. I don't know what we're waiting for.”
  Relations with NATO
• “Thank you. President. Commissioner. Why is president von der Leyen not here? Why is she evading democratic scrutiny? It's because you are simply awaiting approval from America, not us. You don't care whether people perpetrate genocide or sexual abuse. You don't feel that they need to be held to account unless they might be threatening you. Specifically, what about all these deportations of people from the country? What about undermining women's rights and trans rights. What about what is happening to the Cubans? What is happening to the Gazans? Trump didn't come from nowhere. He has simply been enabled by the elites of Europe and the elites of America, who have enabled him to get to power. You've applauded the racist policies of Meloni, and you have simply turned housing into a negotiating matter. You've undermined the independence of Palestine and our energy security, all in the interests of cozying up to the US. The end result is war. Fewer rights, less economic prosperity, and more suffering on the part of the vulnerable, the women. We need to have power to defend ourselves also from you.”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine
• “One minute, ladies and gentlemen, this year Spain was on fire because of the heat wave. And we see the climate change and abandonment of rural areas is a danger. But we also are in danger because of improper public services. I want to express solidarity with people who are affected and ask you whether you know that. In October this year, um, people are other people are going to lose their jobs. And we know that the EPP has cut 28% from the prevention budget. And this is affecting fires. A lot of services are privatised now. There's a small group of companies in Spain called the um Fire Cartel. And these have not, uh, these are not public, um, involved in fire protection. Um, these are merely pouring fire on the flames. Fires have always existed, but not like we're seeing today. We need to be better prepared. Preventing and extinguishing fires should remain public. It's key. It cannot be seen as business. It has to be nationalised. These. We need to ensure that these people have the material that they need. And. People are spending money on Re-arming and instead they should be invested in our firemen.”
  Cohesion and rural funding
• “Thank you, Madam President. Commissioner, in Spain, there are a lot of people who earn €1,800 and if they're lucky, they pay 1000 in rent, 400 for food. And then there's internet, gas, insurances, insurance 250 and €100 for petrol. And all you have left is €100 and still have to buy clothes for your children and just hope that nothing extra comes up. As you can see, people cannot make ends meet. People are working but they're not really earning anything because every euro they get is to pay someone else. And where does the money end up? In the European Commission. Now the big companies have just raked in record high profits. Airbnb say that for 2026 there should be two digit rise in profits. Other people don't have homes. Investment funds buy these houses without even viewing them. And this money? The profits go into the arms industry to wage war. All these US vulture funds should be thrown out of our country and Europe. This is what invasion is like. And do you know why this grand theft is happening? This is because you European Commission are not doing anything to spellcheck.”
  EU housing policy
• “Thank you chair. I'm going to speak in Spanish. Well, I'd also like to start with the positive points. I think it's a good news that we've been able to find agreements on this report so that we recognize the Srhr as human rights, especially sexual education, as a right for children. And it's also a best way of stopping, um, um, male violence also recognizes a right, recognizes abortion as a right, and and not providing abortion would be violence against women also. This report also rejects uh. Cuts for um LGBTI and and trans people. We would love to go further, but we think the agreements were important. But hopefully you know these report these rights are not reality around the world, not reality in Europe. And the question is, is this report going to actually be useful, or is it just a way of maintaining this appearance of democracy in the EU whilst the same institutions, the EU institutions, are responsible for systematic violations of human rights both within and outside the EU borders? I don't know who's going to believe this report. Another EU report on human rights. While we continue to support militarily, economically and politically speaking, the largest genocide of this century. Who will believe that? Who will believe that? The Europeans defending human rights while we allow them that via our ports. Weapons are being shipped to the terrorist state of Israel to kill a Palestinians. We have a criminal complicity with the terrorists that we're removing their hospitals, their schools, energy, food. And this is, as we know, in Palestine, above all the women and children of Palestine.”
  EU competences on human rights
• “Thank you, Madam President. Council president von der Leyen. It seems that, um, what you're doing is more in the service of Trump than the EU. Israel is bombing Gaza as the cease fire hasn't been respected. One single day, um, Trump sent his best weapons to the perpetrator of genocide and is slapping himself on the back. The photos of the European presidents shaking hands with Trump with a smile in Egypt is something that will pursue us forever. Uh. Did you really think there would be a peace? Did you really think that, uh, um, with this move, there would be an end to genocide? Um, Europe stayed on the sidelines. Uh, you can only put a put a stop to war if you call those responsible for genocide to account, just as we did with the Nazis, we have to stop diplomatic and trade ties with Israel. The the responsibility lies with fair and square with the EU for supporting this genocide.”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine