Socialist MEP Pedro Marques argued on Wednesday that the Commission President’s State of the Union speech did not pay attention to people suffering from the rise in the cost of living.
“I think the speech is politically significant in what it has and what it doesn’t have”said Pedro Marques at the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg (France).
The Socialist MEP, who is part of the Social Democrats (S&D) political family, added that Ursula von der Leyen’s intervention there was a “total lack of concern among those suffering from the crisis of the costs of livelihood, among those suffering from rising housing costs.”
“This absence of the social dimension is of great concern to us”he defended.
Pedro Marques recalled that just over two years ago, during the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), a “very ambitious” agenda was defined and that today, as many families suffer the consequences of the increase in the cost of living should have been consistent with Von der Leyen.
‘It’s a missed opportunity’he considered.
Still, Pedro Marques stressed that the Commission president has shown that she wants to “resolutely go along with the Green Pact”, in contradiction to the “long-standing hassle of the European People’s Party, the PSD and the CDS-PP”.
PSD sees a clear sign of Von der Leyen’s continuity
Social Democratic MEP Paulo Rangel believed that the Commission President has shown that she knows what “needs to be corrected on the European path” and that there is a “clear sign” of Von der Leyen’s desire to remain in office to stay.
“It was a mature speech, from someone who already has a lot of experience with what European life is and what needs to be corrected on the European path,” said Paulo Rangel at the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg (France), after his Ursula von der Leyen speech on the State of the Union.
However, Rangel admitted that the Commission chairman “could have gone further” on issues such as inflation, because “with interest rates so high, policies are needed” to alleviate them.
The PSD member, who is part of the European People’s Party (PPE) faction, added that in the speech there is “a clear signal that Von der Leyen is prepared to continue” as President of the European Commission after the June elections. .
“I have no plan b, for me there is only one plan a” and that is Von der Leyen, said Paulo Rangel, recalling that today the European Union occupies a relevant position in the international geopolitical context and that the President of The European Commission played a major role in this perception because of the 27’s unwavering position in supporting Ukraine and tackling the Russian invasion with sanctions – more so than the United States of America, the Social Democrat said.
“If the European Union is of geopolitical importance today, it is thanks to Ursula von der Leyen, so I think for another five years we need a leader with this maturity, with this vision for Europe, who must also translate in well-being. for the citizens,” he added.
The lack of word on housing did not surprise Paulo Rangel as this was “not a competence” of the European Commission, with Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa accused of trying to shift the blame for what his government should do. doing.
Bloquist José Gusmão says Von der Leyen ignored family problems
For bloc member José Gusmão, the President of the European Commission acknowledged that monetary policy is failing and that it is ignoring the problems that families are experiencing with the increase in the cost of living.
“It was a very smug speech that ignored a large part of the economic and social problems facing the European Union,” argued José Gusmão at the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg (France), after Ursula von der Leyen’s speech . intervention in the debate on the State of the Union.
The BE MEP, who is part of the left-wing political family, said Von de Leyen “implicitly acknowledged that monetary policy is not working when he said it will take a long time to achieve the objectives” outlined, as “What is really happening? The price drop is the drop in energy prices.”
José Gusmão regretted that the President of the European Commission had “said absolutely nothing about the economic and social crisis that families are feeling”.
“I have not said a word about housing, which is the biggest problem young people face today in accessing independent living,” he added.
Source: DN
