Nothing can be more dangerous for our Union than politicians trying to distort history,” said PES President Sergei Stanishev after the Kamall incident that shook the European Parliament in Strasbourg today.
The leader of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the European Parliament Syed Kamall attacked the President of the S&D Udo Bullman and all socialists and democrats by saying: “When you talk about right-wing extremists, we have to remember that Nazis were national socialists. It’s a strain of socialism.” in the plenary.
The PES expects swift reactions to similar insulting and dangerous remarks by the President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, if he is to be among the defenders of European Values.
“Although Mr. Kamall apologized after his offensive remarks, it’s clear that conservatives are using all sort of weapons in their effort to discredit progressive forces in Europe. This is aiding the destructive narrative of the far-right, the nationalists and the populists. Just a few weeks ago the British Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, also a conservative, compared the EU to the Soviet Union, a narrative used by the nationalists and populists all over Europe”.
“As we have proved in the past, it’s always the social-democrats to be the first going into battle against any anti-democratic force and any totalitarian regime. And social-democrats are among the first casualties of the battle for democracy. This time it is no different. It is our MEP Cécile Kyenge who was brought to court by the far-right party in Italy. It is our MEP Istvan Ujhely whose effigy was hanged in Hungary by Victor Orban’s supporters. But in the end, it is always social-democrats who are the first line of defence against all evil – be it from the right or far right. And democracy always wins.”, Sergei Stanishev added.
