The President of the S&D Group (Socialists and Democrats) in the European Parliament, Iratxe García, said this Thursday at the Forum Europa in Brussels that the "future must be and will be social" and pledged to defend the social model of the European Union.
This is what Iratxe García said during the meeting organised by the New Economy Forum in the EU capital, where she introduced the Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Esther Lynch.
García said that when we talk about a social Europe, it means that we are looking for quality jobs that offer decent wages and a work-life balance.
She also called for gender equality, explaining that "gender equality means equal rights, equal opportunities and equal pay for men and women".
She also called for safe workplaces that protect the physical and mental health of workers.
The Socialist MEP thanked Lynch for her "courage" and said that gender equality and protecting those who suffer is necessary. "Building the pillar of social rights is a great team effort," she said.
She also pointed out that we are at a crucial moment in the history of the European Union and stressed that after the pandemic we have learned clear lessons, such as that we are stronger together and working together.
She therefore declared that her group in the European Parliament will be "the indispensable force to protect our social model". "No force will be able to stop us from striving for gender equality between men and women," she said. "Let us fight with all our courage", because "the future must be and will be social", García concluded.
Iratxe García affirms that the future of the EU "must be and will be social"
