Press conference by Manon AUBRY (FR), and Martin SCHIRDEWAN (DE), Co-Presidents of the Left group.This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Briefing The Left: press conference by Manon AUBRY (FR), and Martin SCHIRDEWAN (DE), Co-Presidents of the Left group

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SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Co-President of the Left Group Thank you and good morning all. It's a very busy week, because we are electing the president of the European Parliament. As you've just seen, as I have, Roberta Metsola has been elected at the first ballot. So we congratulate her on behalf of The Left group within the European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Co-President of the Left Group Sira Rego, our candidate, carried forward, as a feminist voice, the right to abortion. I think that's a very important message to get across. On the occasion of this election, Sira Rego obtained more votes of the size of our actual group, which I think testifies to her ability, or our ability, to constitute a progressive group within European Parliament. We are, of course, delighted to work together with Roberta Metsola. We've had exchanges with her. We extend our hand in her direction and are prepared to cooperate together to ensure that European Parliament can ensure its voice is heard in times of crisis in Europe.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Co-President of the Left Group Perhaps I can move on to the second major item on the agenda: during this plenary session of the European Parliament wearing my hat as co-chair of the Left Group within European Parliament and as a French membership in Parliament. Similar lack, of course, will be speaking tomorrow to European Parliament in the context of the French presidency of the EU. It's an opportunity for us to take stock of France's action on the European stage. I have very little doubt that Emmanuel Macron will want to assume a sort of posture as European champion, someone who stands up to protect Europe's interests.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Co-President of the Left Group But I think it's going to be an opportunity for us to remind people that he entered to an agreement with Viktor Orban, who he visited. In fact, just after having presented the priorities of the French presidency. So he visited the Viktor Orban with a view to getting agreement on gas and nuclear. Consider them green energies.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Co-President of the Left Group Also, the sort of men and women parental leave that's taken a knock. Also, negotiations with the DUP when it comes to measures to tackle tax evasion or tax fraud. But in that we're talking about priorities of priorities which are flagged up by the French presidency that are climate issues, of course. But I think the solutions being advocated by Emmanuel Macron in France, well, it's always the same logic if you let the market prevails. Putting a price on each other and exchanging permits to pollute.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Co-President of the Left Group I think that system has shown its limits. It's not at all proven to work. We have to ensure that it's not the poorest who were forced to foot the bill for climate change. Another priority flagged by the French government under the French EU presidency, social issues of major importance given the current crisis we're witnessing in Europe and the issue of a minimum wage, and that's a good idea is back on the European agenda. But through the back door, we're talking about minimum wage, not down prices at a knockdown price. We're not talking about sort of uniformity across the EU or talking about a 60 percent average, which is lower than the French minimum wage.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Co-President of the Left Group And it's a bit of a paradox when this head of the presidency you advocate advancing social issues, whereas you're not in favour of the minimum wage at a national level. And then there's the production of platform workers, Uber and the like. There is a proposal that's being put forward on that by the Commission, that France needs to support one of the other issues raised under the priorities of the French presidency as it borders, like always giving into the sirens, a siren signals of the far right.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Co-President of the Left Group I think in the context of the presidential campaign, we're seeing an increase in the desire for a protective Europe erecting fences, barbed wire fences, the Mediterranean becoming something of a sort of a cemetery for migrants attempting to cross the straits of water, which seems to control much of what's being said at a national level on the issue of migration? So I think we're not taking in those of us who follow what's happening at a national level. We're in the midst of a presidential campaign Emmanuel Macron refuse to postpone the EU presidency.

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (The Left, FR), Co-President of the Left Group It was certainly the case of Germany 2006. The presidency was postponed. But I think Emmanuel Macron is instrumentalizing the French presidency for electoral purposes and indeed has organised more than 400 events. He wanted to avoid a certain of European issues in the French debate. So we're proposing an alternative here within the left were very lucid when it comes to what European rules laid down when it comes to nationalising of freight organic canteens, renewable energy is many of the policies we had created. A national level contradict European rules. But under the French presidency, I think what we need to do is refocus the debate on a certain number of these issues.

Q & A Question concerning a media and political scandal unfolding in Greece at the moment, specifically it is asked wheter or not Manon AUBRY thinks that the rule of law in Greece is being violated. The answer explains that The Left always supports threatened journalists and media freedom.

Q & A Question focusing on the French Presidency, and on the proposed introduction of "mirror clauses" in agricolture with the aim of creating reciprocity between the European internal market and the competitors from outside. The answer acknowledges the limitations of the proposal coming from the French Presidency, nontheless it is also discussed how it can be seen as a good compromise.

Q & A Question and Answer commenting on the agreement reached between Renew Europe, SeD and EPP, and on the official position of The Left.

Dato for begivenhed	18.1.2022
Reference:	I216698V
Format:	16:9 format
Copyright:	© European Union
copyrightYear:	2022

Briefing The Left: press conference by Manon AUBRY (FR), and Martin SCHIRDEWAN (DE), Co-Presidents of the Left group

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