02/10/2025 | 17:37:18 Thank you Mister President. And thank you rapporteur Ms Ingjerd Schie SCHOU for an excellent report that could not be timelier. Many of our democracies are experiencing declining voter participation in elections. Then there is "fake news", aiming to sow distrust between our citizens and nations. And corruption scandals and other serious threats. Indeed, we are now facing an existential threat as democracies, in the form of an illegal invasion by a nearby dictatorship into one of our member... 01/10/2025 | 16:07:45 Thank you Madam President [in French], And thank you rapporteur, Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK. I am confident that I speak for all political parties when I say that we all want and need more young people to get involved in politics. And politics have surely become a bigger part of everybody’s life, including young people. The recently murdered Charlie KIRK had made it his life mission to educate young people about politics and gave everybody the opportunity to make themselves heard, no matter what... 01/10/2025 | 10:06:18 Dear Colleagues, The issues we are discussing today are unfortunately not new for us. We are soon coming up on a year since the tragic accident at the Novi Sad train station, when the concrete canopy of the main railway collapsed, killing 16 people and injuring many more. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation. Since I became the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee)’s rapporteur on Serbia... 26/06/2025 | 17:21:17 Thank you, Madam President. Honourable colleagues, Promoting inclusive participation in parliamentary life is not only a question of fairness, it is a fundamental pillar of a healthy, functioning democracy. When politics reflects the diversity of our societies, our decisions become more legitimate, more just, and ultimately more effective. Gender equality, accessibility, and inclusive policies must be more than buzzwords. They should guide our practical actions. We must actively remove the... 26/06/2025 | 15:45:17 Thank you, Mister President. Dear colleagues, For decades, the advancement of women’s rights has helped shape more democratic, just, and resilient societies. We’ve seen growing participation of women in all spheres of life, from parliaments to boardrooms, and this has made our democracies stronger and more representative. But today, those rights are under sustained attack. Across Europe and beyond, we are facing a coordinated backlash, political, ideological, and well-funded, aimed at rolling... 26/06/2025 | 13:38:27 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Mister President, Honourable colleagues, Migration management today is more than border control – it is a test of our shared values, our capacity to cooperate, and our commitment to human dignity. Public and private actors, from coast guards and municipalities to NGOs and shelter providers, all carry an enormous responsibility. But they also face immense challenges. One of the most urgent is the growing strain on infrastructure and... 26/06/2025 | 10:36:48 Thank you, Mme President. Honourable colleagues, The tragic loss of life in the Mediterranean is something none of us can accept. But we must dare to ask the difficult questions: why are so many risking their lives at sea in the first place? Europe’s current approach – built around rescue operations and relocation – has had the unintended effect of encouraging dangerous journeys. Human traffickers thrive on the assumption that Europe will receive all who attempt the crossing. This system... 25/06/2025 | 10:33:42 Thank you, Mr President [spoken in French] Esteemed colleagues, We are gathered here today to reaffirm the vital principle of protecting human rights in and through sport, a mission that speaks to the heart of our democratic values. Sport is more than competition, it is a reflection of the societies we strive to build — inclusive, fair and respectful of human dignity. But as lawmakers and guardians of rights, we must also address the difficult questions. One such question concerns the... 08/04/2025 | 19:23:45 Thank you, Mister President. Dear colleagues, Today, we are asked to consider the idea of putting an end to collective expulsions of aliens. But let’s take a step back and ask, why should we? Collective expulsions allow nations to maintain sovereignty, protect their borders, and ensure security. Without them, governments are left dealing with prolonged legal battles, overwhelmed infrastructure, and the strain of processing each case individually. Mass expulsions serve a crucial purpose. They... 08/04/2025 | 17:42:03 Dear colleagues, Since last November, Serbia has witnessed an unprecedented wave of mass protests following the collapse of the Novi Sad railway station canopy, which killed 15 people. Initially led by students, the protests have spread across the country to include various social groups demanding accountability, transparency, and justice. Protesters denounced the deep rooted corruption in public institutions which undermines the rule of law, public confidence, and and the proper functioning...