This week, the European Parliament will be holding the last Plenary Session of this legislature. In her address, President Roberta Metsola referred to the achievements of the Parliament in the last 5 years, and appealed to Members to encourage people to go out and vote in the European elections in June.
Dear colleagues,
As this is the last plenary session before the European Parliament elections in June, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your tireless work over the past five years.
It has been challenging but this Parliament has delivered. Over the last years we have navigated our way out of COVID restrictions. We have led the European debate that has made people’s lives a little bit easier, a little bit safer and little bit more secure. We have passed ground-breaking legislation on artificial intelligence, on migration, on asylum, on climate, on creating jobs and safeguarding European industry and agriculture, on new tech, on digital services and digital markets. We have passed huge files on equality, and reinforced the social pillar.
We have doubled down on making this Union of ours a super power of rights. Everywhere.
We have faced the invasion of Ukraine, de-coupled from Russia and created new Energy and Health priorities. We have stood up for humanity in the Middle East and around the world. We have given new life into our mandate to promote Parliamentary diplomacy and freedom.
We have listened, we have learnt and we have burst through the Brussels and Strasbourg bubble to engage with and reach out to people across Member States.
We have worked hard to ensure that this House is more efficient, more effective and fit for purpose. We have made it more open and more independent. We have negotiated and balanced budgets. We have ensured that this is a place of work that people feel proud of and feel safe at.
We have done all of this together. We have debated, we have acted and we have delivered for people.
And for that I want to thank all of you, all your staff and all the Parliament’s services. I am so proud to be here and I am so proud of the work we have done. And I hope you feel that I repaid your trust and faith in me.
I also want to pay tribute to the legacy to my predecessor, President David Sassoli, who gave so much for this Parliament and for Europe. And I hope he would be proud of us too.
Our work does not end here.
In just over 6 weeks’ time, EU citizens in all Member States will be called upon to elect the 720 Members of the European Parliament that will make up the 10th legislative term.
Now is the moment to speak up for Europe. To call upon people, especially young people, to vote. To invite them to shape the future they want to see. Because every voice, every vote, every choice matters.
Dear colleagues, together I am confident that we can do just that.