Roberta MESOLA, EP President, gives her introductory remarks ahead the plenary session in Strasbourg in memory of the former MEP Veronique TRILLET-LENOIR (Renew, FR) who died on 9 August 2023. The statement is followed by a minute of silence. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

minute of silence

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

TRILLET-LENOIR, Véronique (Renew, FR)

president's agenda

Resumption of session: introductory remark by Roberta MESOLA, EP President, and minute of silence in tribute to Veronique TRILLET-LENOIR (Renew, FR), MEP since 2019

SOUNDBITE (French), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Dear colleagues, I also have the very sad duty to inform you of the death of our dear colleague V&eacute;ronique Trillet-Lenoir. She was a woman who had a strong sense of duty as well as many talents. She had the dignity which was characteristic of a woman who dedicated her life to helping others as a medical doctor, as a teacher, as a member of this European Parliament, and as a pillar of her community.

SOUNDBITE (French), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, She had academic expertise and she was known for her devotion to the health of Europeans. Véronique, as a member of this Assembly, made a contribution which helped establish the foundations of our European Health Union and bore witness to her unstinting commitment.

SOUNDBITE (French), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Dear colleagues, Veronique kept fighting to the end with dignity, a signal to inspire us all. And we are all engaged in the same fight on behalf of the European Parliament, I would like to address my most sincere condolences to Veronique family who are here with us in the hemicycle today.

SOUNDBITE (French), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, You can all be very proud of her. The French parliamentary delegation and the Renew group. We miss her and we will pay tribute to her legacy. She will not be forgotten. I would like to give the floor to Nathalie Loiseau, briefly.

SOUNDBITE (French), Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), Thank you, Madam President, thank you for your touching words. The news hit me like a ton of bricks. Véronique is no longer with us. Most of us ignored that she was has been fighting against an illness throughout her whole life. As a doctor and as an MEP, she was so committed to the cancer plan and we share in her legacy and we would like to take up her work.

SOUNDBITE (French), Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), The discretion with which Véronique decided to face this disease. It shows how invested she was in her mandate, and this speaks greatly of her. She was made to be an MEP, she was made to be a doctor and help others. Her patients, colleagues, friends, we all remember her as someone who was both empathetic and rigorous.

SOUNDBITE (French), Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), She called a spade a spade and she looked reality in the face. She made a clear distinction between science and belief. She never gave up on her patients despite being elected as an MEP. She arrived in the Parliament with a strong conviction that it was a time to build a Europe of health.

SOUNDBITE (French), Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), We also know the strength of her convictions and we also were able to see her ability to listen, to hold a dialogue and to find a compromise. Very quickly Véronique realised that here, we don't win any battles alone, we must do it together, both those within and outside our political groups.

SOUNDBITE (French), Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), We all grieve her today, not only the French delegation, not only members of Renew Europe, but colleagues from across the different Member States and nearly all the political spectrum. I say nearly because she disliked the political extremes and conspiracy theories which she committed till the very end.

SOUNDBITE (French), Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), She was not afraid of a fighting, especially for the rights of women. She was a strong and fragile woman. She was determined always with a smile. She was a philosopher on human nature and always rigorous. Our Parliament, our delegation, our political group, we were all very lucky to have her as a colleague. And as many of you, I was lucky to call her my friend. Thank you, Mademoiselle.

SOUNDBITE (French), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We now obsent a minute's silence in her memory and in memory of all those who lost their lives.

Minute's silence to remember V&eacute;ronique Trillet-Lenoir and the people who died because of natural disasters last week