Ahead of the European Council meeting on 26-27 October, Nicola Procaccini, co-chairman of the ECR Group, in the light of recent Islamist terrorist attacks argued that the current world order is in danger and that everything must be done to preserve it, despite its imperfections: “This system of rules, rights and geographical boundaries, which is certainly not perfect and which can certainly be improved, is probably the most just and peaceful the world has ever known,” he told the Strasbourg plenary. Radical Islam is another visible threat to this world order, alongside Russia and China: “For the most radical Islamists, democracy and freedom are the foundations of a civilisation that must be demolished and replaced by another, which they consider to be better”.

Procaccini pleaded for Europe to finally take action and find new ways to effectively stem the flow of illegal immigrants, among whom so-called hidden terrorists could be hiding. But it was also necessary to reclaim urban neighbourhoods where an Islamist climate had already spread, encouraging the restriction of civil liberties and the spread of crime and terror. Deportation decisions against failed asylum seekers should have real consequences.

The speech reads in full:

“Thank you, Mr President, the European Council will take place in a dramatic context. Never before has the ability to see the geopolitical picture in its entirety been so necessary. All the bloodiest crises of our time have one thing in common: the desire of some to undermine the international order. I am referring to this system of rules, rights and geographical boundaries, which is certainly not perfect, which can certainly be improved, but which is probably the most just and peaceful that the world has ever known.

The most recent of these crises, the one caused by Hamas’s attack on Israel, fits precisely into this phase of history. The war that followed served to destabilise relations between Israel and the Arab world, which were slowly and painfully moving towards normalisation. And today, unfortunately, we are back to square one. It is the same paradigm as the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The order in Eastern Europe has been set on fire by Vladimir Putin because he believes he has to change it, even at the cost of thousands of innocent victims. And it is no coincidence that both Russia and China have chosen Hamas over Israel.

Islamic terrorism is part of the same scheme, reappearing cyclically with all its ferocity. For the most radical Islam, democracy and freedom are the foundations of a civilisation that must be demolished and replaced by another, which they consider to be better.

What must Europe, and not only Europe, do? Defend the values that define it wherever they are threatened. To defend itself against mass illegal immigration, but also to reclaim the neighbourhoods, the cities, that it has already lost. The latest terrorist, who a few hours ago murdered two Swedish citizens on their way to a football match, had landed in Lampedusa. Like other terrorists before and after him. And despite a deportation order, he was able to move freely through the streets of Brussels, where the European Parliament is located, but where there are neighbourhoods where Sharia law is in force, where women are not allowed to take the bus, where the police are not allowed to enter.

You see, we call ourselves European Conservatives not because we are against anyone, but because we want to preserve what is good, what is just, what is free, what has flourished in the world and would never have flourished without those roots that many of you here deny.”