STATE OF THE UNION

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Debate: Wednesday

Vote: Aucun

Austerity measures are aggravating the problems the economy is facing and deepening the crisis. This leads to higher poverty, unemployment, more cuts, and privatisations. People can no longer tolerate the harsh realities of the economic crisis. Together we can achieve a better Europe based on solidarity, for a more humane world. Together we must condemn any external intervention in the internal affairs of Syria and any other state, and demand full respect and implementation of international law and human rights. Everyone, including the USA, must respect UN rules. Europe can play an important role by campaigning for disarmament.

SYRIA

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Debate: Wednesday

Vote: Thursday

We oppose the imminent, illegal and criminal military intervention on Syria by the United States and its allies. This intervention without United Nations Security Council authorisation will recreate an emergency situation as happened in Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan. The use of violence will only bring more violence and instability to Syria and the whole region. Again, the main victim will be the civilian population.

BANKING UNION

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Debate: Tuesday

Vote: Aucun

Introducing strong supervision at EU level is crucial to deal with banks with turnovers that can equal the budgets of some member states - but this setup is dissappointing. A dedicated and democratically controlled body should be responsible. However, acknowledgement of Parliament as the relevant body for controlling the ECB’s supervisory branch is now far from happening. Meanwhile, Draghi’s employees reject MEP requests for access to relevant documents and the ECB even tries to prevent MEPs using information arising out of questioning on supervisory issues.

MIRANDA CASE

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Debate: Tuesday

Vote: Aucun

The PRISM/NSA saga certainly keeps on “surprising” us. Not only have the US secret services spied on European citizens, leaders, and institutions, with the complicity of certain governments, but they have put pressure on the journalists (and their families) who dared to expose this scandal. It’s the credibility of those who govern us that has been called into question as it affects the foundations of the democracy they claim to defend.

AGROFUELS

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Debate: Monday

Vote: Wednesday

EU agrofuel policies have a disastrous impact on people and on nature. Agrofuels, especially biodiesel, have a worse ecological balance than fossil fuels, given that they imply indirect land use change and the expulsion of livestock breeding and crop cultivation in favour of new plantations for agrofuels. GUE/NGL opposes agrofuels as they are the wrong solution to tackle climate change. We want an end to the existing 10% blending quota in EU member states.

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

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Debate: Tuesday

Vote: Wednesday

Youth unemployment is a massive problem in the EU. Young people are hardest hit by the destruction of labour rights. Many youth work with precarious contracts for extremely low wages and are often the first to be fired. Schools and universities face an increasingly elitist system, aiming to serve big business interests. Due to these conditions young people emigrate in massive numbers. What young people need is a clear break with neoliberalism. We need socialist measures to redevelop the economy and create jobs.

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

By

Debate: Tuesday

Vote: Wednesday

Youth unemployment is a massive problem in the EU. Young people are hardest hit by the destruction of labour rights. Many youth work with precarious contracts for extremely low wages and are often the first to be fired. Schools and universities face an increasingly elitist system, aiming to serve big business interests. Due to these conditions young people emigrate in massive numbers. What young people need is a clear break with neoliberalism. We need socialist measures to redevelop the economy and create jobs.