Quotations of Martin Schulz

Nadia (co-laureate of the Sakharov Prize), you said: the world must know. Yes the world must know. And allow me to add: The world must act. -- European Parliament President Martin Schulz, Sakharov Prize 2016 Award Ceremony, 13 December 2016.

Martin Schulz

By awarding the Sakharov Prize to Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar, the European Parliament asserts its support for freedom of thought as one of the fundamental human rights, a right which must be respected everywhere, with no exception. Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar share a painful and tragic story: both of them have had to witness the atrocities committed by the so-called Islamic State, both of them have seen their closest family killed, and both of them have been denigrated to sex slaves and exploited (...) I cannot put into words the courage and the dignity they represent. -- Martin Schulz, on Awarding the 2016 Sakharov Prize for Freedem of thought, 17 October 2016

Martin Schulz

I am convinced that the worst day of European integration is better than the best day of nationalistic Europe. -- Martin Schulz, The EU and the UK, parting ways but working together, 23 September 2016

Martin Schulz

In some ways Latin America is certainly better placed for integration than Europe was at the time. To mention just one example: In the European Union we have 24 official languages; in Latin America you have two main languages - Spanish and Portuguese - and by speaking “Portuñol” you can even understand each other without much need for translation! -- Martin Schulz, Latin America and Europe: stronger together, Buenos Aires, 22 August 2016

Martin Schulz

Europe today is one of the richest regions in the world. Our citizens enjoy one of the highest standards of living. They also benefit from what is possibly the world’s highest level of protection of fundamental rights. Our businesses, for their part, can conduct their activities in an environment of legal certainty, with an impressive pool of highly educated people to stay on the forefront in their sector. In many respects we are leaders. We must never forget this and we should continue to be proud of this. And yet, despite these achievements, today we are worried. We are worried that we will lose what we have. That we will fall behind. (…) Today I want to tell you that I am convinced that these crises, despite the difficulties they create, have also helped us become more aware of the strength and importance of the EU. -- Martin Schulz, What’s next for Europe?, 2 June 2016

Martin Schulz

Today, Europe is going through turbulent times, and faces what may be a decisive test of its unity. More than ever, we need courageous citizens who are prepared to stand up for the idea of European unity, we need people to shake us out of our apathy and remind us what is really important: peace, solidarity and mutual respect - the need to emphasise what unites us, not what divides us. It is because he has done just that - reminded us what is important - that Pope Francis is being awarded the Charlemagne Prize today. Your Holiness, please accept my heartfelt congratulations. -- Martin Schulz, Award Ceremony of the Charlemagne Prize, 6 May 2016

Martin Schulz

English below -- Le fait d'être à Sienne, de se remémorer l'histoire de cette ville et de sa république, et de contempler les fresques magistrales de Lorenzetti au Palazzo Pubblico nous offre un cours accéléré en politique. Lorenzetti (…) se servait du langage universel de la peinture pour expliquer les effets du bon et du mauvais gouvernement. Le message en guise de rappel était certes destiné au gouvernement local mais il n'a rien perdu de sa force au fil des siècles (…) Prenez garde à ceux qui vous dépeignent l'avenir idyllique du tout-puissant État-nation autarcique. Lorenzetti aurait peint ces démagogues du mauvais côté de la fresque. -- Being in Siena, looking back at its history and its Republic and Lorenzetti’s masterly frescos in Palazzo Pubblico, also provides a crash course in politics. Lorenzetti (…) used the universal language of painting to explain the effects of good and bad government. The message stood as a reminder to the local government, but it remains equally powerful over the centuries (…) Beware of those who sell you an autarchic idyllic future of the all-powerful nation state. For Lorenzetti these demagogues would have ended up on the wrong side of the fresco.

Martin Schulz

I was born in 1955 - in post-war Germany, in a town close to where Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands meet, in a divided country. I know from my own experience how long it takes for the wounds of war to heal and what it means to grow up in a place where borders are an inescapable reality. After the war, the European unification process made it possible for West Germany to rejoin the family of European peoples. Our neighbours chose reconciliation, not retaliation. -- President M Schulz, Speech to the Cyprus Parliament, 29 March 2016

Martin Schulz

I am looking very much forward to your speech today. It is an important speech during these difficult times for Europe, when we are called upon to deal with the epochal challenge of migration. And a timely speech, as this year, we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the signing of the accession treaty of Spain to the European community. Anniversaries are always times of stock taking of past failures and successes but also times for making plans for the future. European Parliament President Schulz welcoming King Felipe VI, 7 October 2015

Martin Schulz

(English below) «Jeden von uns hätte es treffen könne», genau dieses Gefühl, diese Angst wollen die Terroristen in unseren Herzen einpflanzen. Die Attentate von Paris waren ein Anschlag auf die Freiheit. Ein Anschlag auf unsere europäischen Werte und unsere Art zu leben. Ein Anschlag auf uns alle. Wir Europäer stehen in dieser Zeit der Trauer an der Seite des französischen Volkes. Nous sommes unis. ‘Any of us could have been among the victims’ – that is the seed of fear the terrorists want to plant in our hearts. The Paris attacks were an attack on freedom. An attack on our European values and our way of life. An attack on all of us. At this time of mourning, we Europeans stand side by side with the people of France. Nous sommes unis. European Parliament President Martin Schulz, Commemoration of the victims of the Paris attacks, 17 November 2015

Martin Schulz

As a German born in 1955, I did not live through the darkest times in the history of my country. But the mass murder committed by the Nazis in the name of my nation was the reason I became involved in politics, as I vowed: Never again. … I say this as a German, as a politician and as a father: We must keep the memory alive. We must tell our children about the crimes committed in Theresienstadt, in Auschwitz, Birkenau and elsewhere. We must do so for the sake of our children, we must tell them so that their children will tell the next generation. Remembering hurts, but we must teach our children how this unique crime in human history, these barbaric acts of evil could happen in one of the most modernized societies of that time. European Parliament President Martin Schulz, Holocaust Remembrance Day, 27 January 2016

Martin Schulz

In 2050 neither Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom nor any other EU Member States will any longer be a member of the G7; they will be second-tier countries! (…) These figures must give us pause for thought. The world is changing. The 21st century will be the century of world regions. European Parliament President M Schulz, Turbulent Times, London School of Economics, 5 February 2016

Martin Schulz