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In all of my encounters with voters, I have repeatedly been confronted with two points of critique. First: You politicians are all the same! Second: You politicians may be speaking German, but we still don't understand you!

Martin Schulz

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Martin Schulz
Age: 68
Born: 1955
Born: December 20
Bookseller
German Politician
Non-Fiction Writer
Politician
Two
Encounters
Stills
Voters
Still
Points
May
Politicians
Repeatedly
Firsts
Speaking
Confronted
First
Politician
Critique
Second
Understand
German

More quotes by Martin Schulz

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CDU head Angela Merkel has tried for years to serve two sides: the conservative side by holding up her CDU party membership. But then at the same time she acts as though she were also a Social Democrat. I don't have this hydra-headed nature. In the end, people will vote for the Social Democratic original.
Martin Schulz
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For many people, politics in Brussels and Strasbourg might as well be happening on another planet.
Martin Schulz
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I firmly believe that the inequity [in society] is enormous. The people have the feeling that you are allowed to do anything if you are rich. But if you're poor, you have to pay. We [Europeans] have to counter this.
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Solidarity is the fundamental idea of European cooperation. If a country feels itself to be militarily threatened and calls for soldiers, weapons and sanctions, then that's what it gets. When governments say they need money from the structural funds to stabilize their economy, that's what they get. But you can't cherry pick solidarity.
Martin Schulz
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Political leaders need to formulate long-term EU goals that show: Yes, we want to stay together.
Martin Schulz
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The EU is a community of values, not military buildups.
Martin Schulz
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In all of my speeches I talk about why a strong Europe is necessary in order for Germany to be strong over the long term. I think that I have sufficiently shown over the past years that I have a clear notion of how we can make Europe stronger, more democratic and more inclusive. There is really no competition there with Sigmar Gabriel.
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Donald Trump is withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement because he wants to lower environmental standards for American products and manufacture more cheaply. His reasoning is quite simple, but very shortsighted. It won't succeed because, by doing so, Trump is missing a golden opportunity to modernize American industry.
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It is courageous to occasionally admit that there are certain things one can't do.
Martin Schulz
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I would have oriented myself in case of Donald Trump according to what former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder said to then - U.S. President George W. Bush when the Americans launched a war that was in violation of international law. Schröder showed that a German chancellor can act in a clear and self-confident manner toward a U.S. president.
Martin Schulz
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It's not attractive at the moment to vouch for the European idea. I still do it, because I believe nothing would be better for our continent.
Martin Schulz
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I find it surprising, however, that many German politicians generally oppose referendums, but then when it's an EU matter, they immediately scream for a plebiscite.
Martin Schulz
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I am grateful to the Germans in general, particularly those who displayed unending dedication to the refugees and who continue to do so.
Martin Schulz
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The question of societal fairness is always pertinent.
Martin Schulz
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Keeping quiet and letting the others do the talking. That may be Angela Merkel's method, but it's not mine.
Martin Schulz
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Britain, Europe's second largest economy, a member of the G-7 and the UN Security Council, wants to leave the EU. That weakens us and it weakens Britain.
Martin Schulz
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The construction of social housing and the attempt to support families seeking to buy their own homes are all projects from the 1960s and '70s. It all sounds old-fashioned, but it is actually completely modern.
Martin Schulz
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The EU is an unique project that replaced war with peace, hate with solidarity. Overwhelming emotion for awarding of Nobel prize to EU
Martin Schulz
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Ms. Merkel's attempt to present herself as a Social Democrat was a clever move. But it's not working anymore. The divisions between the CDU and CSU have simply become too great for that.
Martin Schulz
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Europe was founded as a community bound together by solidarity.
Martin Schulz