President Schultz must lead fight against Merkozy
Issued : Tuesday 17 January, 2012
Nessa Childers MEP has welcomed the victory of socialist leader Martin Schultz, voted today as the new President of the European Parliament.
"I welcome today's victory for our group leader Martin Schultz as President of the European Parliament. Since the start of the economic crisis, our Group of 190 MEPs has been out front on all the major debates of the euro crisis, and proven right on each one so far. Martin has been instrumental in that fight on behalf of the ordinary citizens of Europe.
"The conservative Merkozy partnership is a complete failure, and only the solutions as articulated by Martin Schultz will work. He must lead this fight now as President of the European Parliament against Merkel and Sarkozy.
"It was our Group which lead the debate for financial regulation, the financial transaction tax and Eurobonds which everyone knows now will be needed to solve this crisis. It is also our Group which is fighting most against the extreme austerity policies of Merkel and Sarkozy, which lack any focus on job creation.
"Martin will also have to fight on behalf of the MEPs in the debate over this new euro treaty. We must save the Euro, but the proposed new treaty fails on two key tests. It does not make Europe more democratic and does not provide fairness for ordinary working people. Anyone who wants a more equal, fair and just Europe cannot support this treaty as it is currently drafted.
"It contains nothing to boost economic growth and the creation of badly needed jobs. It is a one-sided strict rules based system which will strangle economic growth in many parts of Europe, including Ireland. Such an approach condemns us to a decade of depression and despair, with no hope for our young people.
"The dominance of France and Germany during the crisis and the influence of their domestic interests hinders the need to find a real European wide solution. Steps so far have amounted to little more than piecemeal responses to financial market pressure. Such intergovernmental approaches have never worked and will never work."
