GUE/NGL MEPs criticise more of the same during this evening's debate on the EU’s Economic Governance review.

Speaking at this evening's debate reviewing the Economic Government framework, GUE/NGL MEP Rina Kari (Denmark) commented: “You might think that the importance of the current situation of poverty suffered by millions of children, and unemployment, might be taken into account when the Parliament was drafting its opinion. Well, you’d be out of luck because all this report offers is more of the same; Europe says we need to spend less and take money from the poorest.”

MEP Kari continued: “We need an alternative approach, not more austerity that will hit the poorest hardest. This kills hope; we need to make new proposals here, to give hope, not kill it off.”

Portuguese MEP Marisa Matias said: “We had a simple but important task and we failed. This agreement was formed behind closed doors, it was not democratic. It was made by the same grand coalition which governs Europe with terrible results.

“They have also succeeded in making the role of the Parliament obsolete, giving more importance to the document by the five Presidents than to this one which was prepared by the whole Parliament; this is a disgrace and this report is a waste of time.”

Greek GUE/NGL MEP Dimitrios Papadimoulis added to the debate saying: “We need change but this report doesn’t put forward policies for change. It is a result of pressure from the European right who want an à la carte Eurozone that will just serve the wealthy and powerful.”