Iratxe García said: “I am very honoured for the trust bestowed upon me by the S&D Group, and I am committed to continue our hard work over the next two and a half years. With an inclusive and collective leadership, our group was able to be the driving force behind the Commission’s work over the past two years. “Despite the difficult circumstances marked by Brexit, and then the Covid-19 pandemic, we were able to deliver on our initial promises - including the first gender-balanced college of Commissioners, the Green Deal, the Climate Law, the implementation of the Social Pillar, and a mechanism to defend the Rule of Law within the EU - and to react to the unexpected challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic and its socio-economic consequences. Unlike the response to the 2008 crisis, we succeeded in delivering a Recovery Plan based on solidarity and shared investments through NextGenerationEU.
“We must now continue, because the crises are not over and we recognise the need to implement such ambitious projects. The Covid-19 pandemic showed us that Europeans want more Europe-wide actions and better public services. It is the time for social democracy, and I am sure that our group will become the largest one in the Parliament after the 2024 European elections. “Our support for the European Commission was never a blank cheque, and together we will continue to be the leading force for a more just, sustainable, equitable and feminist EU.”
