The group of politicians who will govern the EU for the next five years is currently undergoing lengthy hearings. In light of the US election, who these people will be is of course of great importance.
These 27 so-called Commissioners are politicians, one appointed by each of the 27 member states. They are then given different areas of responsibility, such as the environment, migration, trade, etc.
Before the Commissioners can take office, they must be questioned and approved by us parliamentarians. It is a kind of interrogation that lasts for several hours, during which the Commissioner-designate is expected to be able to answer all sorts of questions relating to the upcoming mission.
Yesterday it was the turn of Commissioner-designate Lahbib. She is supposed to be responsible for the two major areas of crisis preparedness and gender equality. I wanted an answer to the question of how she will work for the rights of women and LGBTQI people.
Our Green Party's demands on the Commissioner for Gender Equality are many and varied. We demand, among other things:
- A consent law across the EU.
- That everyone in the EU receives legal protection against discrimination.
- The right to abortion for all.
- That conversion therapy be banned.
After long and intense discussions, we, the European Green Party, chose to give Hadja Lahbib our support. But our demands still stand, it is now up to her to deliver on her promises. At a time when Trump's US is threatening the rights of women and LGBTQI+ people all over the world, the EU needs to step up and do more, not less, for the rights of women and LGBTQI+ people, and we will not back down.
