Progressives from across Europe gathered in Madrid for the opening day of the event, the largest PES gathering ahead of the European elections in May. Tomorrow the delegates will approve the party’s much anticipated 2019 election manifesto: A New Social Contract for Europe.
Today’s programme was based around commitments in three areas which will be crucial for rebuilding citizens’ trust in the EU: A Contract for Fairness; A Contract for Freedom; and, A Contract for Sustainability.
President of the PES, Sergei Stanishev said:
“The May 2019 European elections are our opportunity to show that we are the only political force who will use the EU as a vehicle to build a fair, free and sustainable Europe for everyone. We have an excellent Common Candidate to be the next President of the European Commission – Frans Timmermans – and strong manifesto, which we will unveil tomorrow. As today’s contributions have proven, we are the only party who have a real plan to rebuild citizens’ trust in the EU.”
The event – hosted by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and PSOE – brought together speakers from a range of progressive organisations, including leaders of PES member parties, trade unions, the S&D group in the European Parliament, progressives in the Committee of the Regions, PES Women, the Young Europeans Socialists, Rainbow Rose, trade unionists, and the Foundation of European Progressives Studies (FEPS). A full list of participants is included below.
Frans Timmermans, the PES Common Candidate, will give his rallying call to progressives at the finale of the Election Congress tomorrow.
Follow the Election Congress using the hashtag #ItsTime and #ProgressiveEurope.
The PES Election Congress will be livestreamed on the PES Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PES.PSE
Photos from Congress will be available to download from the PES Flickr account shortly after the Congress sessions: https://www.flickr.com/photos/partyofeuropeansocialists/. They are free for the media to use.
Find out more about Frans Timmermans: www.frans4eu.eu
Event speakers:
A contract for fairness
- Beatriz Corredor (PSOE, Spain)
- Udo Bullmann (S&D Group in the EP)
- Luca Visentini (ETUC)
- Brendan Howlin (Labour, Ireland)
- Pedro Marques (PS, Portugal)
- Nicolas Schmit (LSAP, Luxembourg)
- John Crombez (sp.a Belgium)
- Liviu Dragnea (PSD, Romania) Catiuscia Marini (PES Group in the CoR)
- Lodewijk Asscher (PvdA, Netherlands)
A contract for freedom
- Francisco André (PES Vice President and PS National Secretary for international relations)
- Maria Joao Rodrigues (FEPS)
- Juan Fernando López Aguilar (PSOE, Spain)
- Karl-Heinz Lambertz (Committee of the Regions)
- Zita Gurmai (PES Women)
- Camila Garfias (Rainbow Rose)
- João Albuquerque (YES)
A contract for sustainability
- Iratxe García Pérez (PES 1st Vice-President and PSOE Executive Secretary for the EU)
- Andreas Schieder (SPÖ, Austria)
- Olivier Faure (PS, France)
- Javi López (PSC-PSOE, Spain)
- Fofi Genimata (PASOK, Greece)
- Tanja Fajon (SD Slovenia)
- Jytte Guteland (SAP Sweden)
