New Bureau of the Greens/EFA Group
Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts elected co-presidents
The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament has today elected its bureau for the next two and a half years.
Ska Keller (Germany) and Philippe Lamberts (Belgium) will lead the group until the elections in May 2019. In addition, the following were elected as Vice-Presidents: Josep-Maria Terricabras (EFA), Bas Eickhout (Treasurer / Netherlands) Heidi Hautala (Finland), Bodil Valero (Sweden), Pascal Durand (France) and Julia Reda (Germany / Piratenpartei). Ulrike Lunacek has been nominated by the group to be Vice President of the European Parliament.
Please find below comments from the two presidents on their programme for the coming two and a half years.
Greens/EFA co-president Ska Keller
"We face tremendous challenges. The European Union is under attack from all sides and the right-wing populists are on the rise. We must defend Europe and the idea of European integration. As Greens, we are the natural antidote to right-wing populists and nationalists. We stand for solidarity and for an open Europe. We are against nationalism and oppose the sealing off of our borders to the world. But we also want to improve the European project. Above all, we need more social and environmental justice in Europe and for this we will fight with passion."
Greens/EFA co-president Philippe Lamberts
“The election of Van der Bellen in Austria is something we will strive to recreate all over Europe. Where people reject the traditional parties, they are left with a choice between national populism and the Green alternative. It is our job over the next two and half years to convince them that we have the best answers to the challenges that Europe faces.
“We will push to turn the ideas of social and fiscal Europe into reality. If we really want to kick start the European economy, and give the EU its means of independence, the answer lies in the energy union, with much greater support for energy efficiency and renewables.”
SAVE THE DATE:
On 10 January, the new presidents invite you to dinner with the entire Greens/EFA Group. At 7:30 pm in the Museum of Natural Sciences (rue Vautier 29, 1000 Brussels) in the Dinosaur Hall.
