International

In his last ´State of the Union´ address as president of the European Commission, delivered today in Strasbourg, Jean-Claude Juncker showed just how trapped he is inside the Brussels bubble. Commenting on Juncker's speech, SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong said, “He's got a cheek, calling himself a friend of Greece while most Greeks have been plunged into deep poverty in recent years as a result of European policies; or calling for more migrants from outside the EU when unemployment in so many member states continues to rise. If Juncker has achieved anything, it's that the heads of governments, like lambs to the slaughter, have given ever more power to Brussels. That's why Juncker feels free in relation to policy areas such as taxation, justice, the euro and foreign policy to demand still more power for the Brussels bubble. Just like our own prime minister Mark Rutte, Juncker loves the EU. And both of them love the multinationals. So the task for the European voter next year will be to burst the bubble in a single blow.”

European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has taken a close look into the appointment of Martin Selmayr and concluded that there have been four counts of maladministration. 'These judgments confirm what the European Parliament itself decided in July, that the Juncker Commission acted incorrectly in the appointment of Selmayr,' says SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong. 'So it's of the greatest importance that the discussion about political appointments in the European institutions is accorded the highest priority. The most recent proposals from Commissioner Günther Oettinger are in danger of being quickly hidden away behind closed doors. We mustn't let that happen.'