The leader of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Iratxe García MEP, will pay a two-day visit to Berlin on 14-15 March. At the invitation of Rolf Mützenich, the chair of the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Iratxe García will address the SPD bureau on Monday, accompanied by the head of the SPD delegation in the European Parliament, Jens Geier, and by S&D Group vice-president Gaby Bischoff. She will also meet with Lars Klingbeil, co-chair of the SPD party, and with Achim Post, secretary general of the Party of European Socialists.

On Tuesday, she will hold meetings with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Minister Wolfgang Schmidt, and former European President and current chair of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Martin Schulz.

Iratxe García said:

“I am looking forward to being back in Berlin and speaking with Chancellor Scholz at this very crucial time for Europe. Over the past two and a half years we have worked together to give a strong and historic European response to the Covid-19 crisis and its socio-economic consequences, a very different response compared to the 2008 financial crisis.

“The fact that there is now a progressive government led by Scholz has brought a new dynamism to the European Council and to the whole Union. The first clear and strong example has been the European answer to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is precisely the kind of commitment and leadership that we need to face not only the geopolitical, security and energy challenges posed by the war, but also its enormous humanitarian and economic impact.”

Jens Geier said:

“For a few days now, we have been living in a changed Europe. The will to cooperate among the member states is stronger than it has been for years. The new German government is closely coordinating its policies within the EU, which strengthens Europe’s overall ability to act. As social-democratic actors in the Council and Parliament, we are also working to strengthen the European Union’s energy independence.

“Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine also has immense consequences for the EU’s energy supply. Many Europeans are already affected by rising energy prices. We need to work with new partners to prevent further price hikes. Now is the time for climate and energy diplomacy. Building hydrogen partnerships with third countries must be a high priority. In the medium term, expanding renewable energies is the only way to reduce our dependence on energy imports from Russia. The Fortschrittsregierung coalition in Berlin is opening the way to more and better European cooperation. And that’s exactly what people in Germany and Europe are hoping for.”