“We have committed ourselves to pursue joint policies, but then national governments say, "We aren't bound by that." That is a dramatic situation, because solidarity is a basic principle that cannot be had on an à la carte basis. If we have rules that nobody adheres to, then the community will break apart.” IfsGovernmentCommunitySituationPrinciplesBreakPolicyBasesBoundsCommittedPursueDramaticSolidarityJointsBasic PrinciplesDramatic Situations Author:Martin Schulz
“Referendums have always posed a threat when it comes to EU policy, because EU policy is complicated. They're an opportunity for those from all political camps who like to oversimplify things.” PoliticalOpportunityPolicyThreatComplicatedCampsReferendums Author:Martin Schulz
“European policy is always an interplay of rationality and emotion.” EmotionPolicyRationality Author:Martin Schulz
“We agree: Brussels can't regulate everything. I'm driven by something else: There are forces in Europe that want to generally give national policy priority over a common European approach. We have to prevent this.” WantGivingForceCommonPolicyApproachEuropeAgreeDrivenPrioritiesBrussels Author:Martin Schulz
“I am critical of the fact that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is pulling out of everything - the joint approach to the refugee issue, for example. He cannot disparage his colleagues in the EU either - that's not how we treat each other. We require solidarity: in refugee policies, just as in the financial architecture of the structural funds from which countries like Hungary have strongly profited from for years.” YearsCountryFactsIssuesPolicyExampleApproachTreatsFinancialCriticalArchitectureMinistersFundPrimePullingSolidarityColleaguesPrime MinisterRefugeeJointsHungaryOrbsHungarians Author:Martin Schulz
“We have to engage in a dialogue with Donald Trump because he is the elected president of the United States of America. But we have to emphatically oppose his foreign policy ideas.” PresidentPolicyDialogueForeign Policy Author:Martin Schulz
“I have no illusions. Of course, Russia is massively upgrading its military. We know that Russia is pursuing a policy of expansion. This is of course a cause for concern among Eastern European countries.” CountryMilitaryPolicyIllusionConcernEastern Author:Martin Schulz
“I spoke with Gerhard Schröder about a lot of things, including foreign policy. Schröder knows how important European policy is to me personally. I have worked together with Angela Merkel on European policy for many years, so I was surprised when Volker Kauder who has little experience in European policy, claimed that I had not represented German interests in Europe. That's an example of how the conservatives conduct an election campaign.” ImportantTogetherInterestPolicyElectionForeign Policy Author:Martin Schulz
“We need a comprehensive renewal of the nursing care system in Germany, and quickly. The two-tier medical system must be abolished. Patients with public health insurance are waiting months to be seen by a specialist doctor, while doctors increasingly give priority to privately insured patients. That's unacceptable. We also need an educational revolution. Medicine, nursing care, education: Germany is not a modern country when it comes to these three areas. We have to adapt our policies to the social reality. These are projects that can awaken Germany out of its torpor.” GivingCountryRealityCareWaitingModernPolicyRevolutionPatientEducationalMedicalPrioritiesRenewalNursingPublic Health Author:Martin Schulz
“We need a common European tax policy that closes these tax loopholes. We need a common European social policy that prevents social dumping. We need an effective securing of our external borders and a smart way of fighting terrorism. Acting as a state within a national framework is no longer enough. The German chancellor has completely failed to convey that throughout her years in power. We need a re-start for Europe.” EnoughFightingCommonActingPolicyTaxesSmartTerrorism Author:Martin Schulz
“I want to end tax dumping. States that have a common currency should not be engaged in tax competition. We need a minimum tax rate and a European finance minister, who would be responsible for closing the tax loopholes and getting rid of the tax havens inside and outside the EU. It is also clear that we have to reach common standards in our economic and labor policies. We cannot continue to just talk about technical details. We have to inspire enthusiasm in Germany for Europe.” CommonEconomicPolicyInspireTaxesLaborResponsibleCompetitionRateFinanceEnthusiasmCurrencyBeing Responsible Author:Martin Schulz
