Pro-European, pro-Green Social Deal, pro-democratic, and pro-Ukraine – this is the path that Europe must follow in the next mandate, heads of state and government, European Commissioners and leaders from the Party of European Socialists (PES) affirmed today.
Meeting to coordinate ahead of today’s European Council meeting, progressives took stock of the European elections and congratulated Nicolas Schmit on his energetic campaign as PES Common Candidate. Heads of state and government, European Commissioners and leaders also congratulated Iratxe García on her re-election as President of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament.
PES President Stefan Löfven said:
“Nicolas, as our Common Candidate you have been truly impressive. You are a great campaigner with solid social democratic values at the very core of everything you do. Your effort, alongside the efforts of our campaigners, activists and member parties across Europe, ensured an election result we can be proud of. Our political family remains the biggest progressive force in Europe. The S&D group retains its strength. And a pro-European majority stays intact.”
At the PES European Council preparation meeting, the heads of state and government, European Commissioners and leaders also committed to push to ensure progressive priorities were central to the Commission programme for the next mandate.
PES Secretary General Giacomo Filibeck said:
“As Europe’s progressive stronghold, it is more than ever up to our political family to ensure Europe stays on the right track to become more social, democratic and sustainable. There can be no arrangement with the far right and our priorities must be reflected in the next Commission Work Program. It must be pro-EU, pro-democracy, pro-Ukraine and pro-Green Social Deal.”
The PES is committed to the Spitzenkandidat system and we trust the European Council to uphold it and set a pro-European foundation for the next institutional cycle. The package under consideration at the European Council today reflects this commitment. The meeting thanked PES negotiators Chancellor Scholz and Prime Minister Sánchez for their efforts to secure a positive agreement.
Socialists and democrats enter the negotiations for the next mandate as the largest progressive group and the second largest group overall, securing a stable result at the European elections.
Building on the solid performance of the joint Parti Socialiste-Place Publique list at the European elections led by Raphaël Glucksmann, heads of state and government, European Commissioners and leaders expressed their support for the Nouveau Front populaire (NFP) for the upcoming election in France. Working together, progressive forces must defeat the far right.
The PES European Council preparation meeting further underlined its continued unwavering support for Ukraine, peace in Israel and Palestine and progress towards a two-state solution, efforts to strengthen European defence, and a social and sustainable future that benefits all citizens.
Meeting after the PES European Council preparation meeting, representatives of PES member parties and organisations – meeting in the Presidency – also expressed their thanks to Nicolas Schmit for his Common Candidate campaign and congratulated Iratxe García on her re-election as President of the S&D Group.
The PES European Council preparation meeting was attended by:
- PES President Stefan Löfven
- Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen
- Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz
- Prime Minister of Malta Robert Abela
- Prime Minister of Romania Marcel Ciolacu
- PES Common Candidate and European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit
- High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell
- European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič
- European Commissioner Elisa Ferreira
- European Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni
- European Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen
- S&D Group President Iratxe García
- PD Italy leader Elly Schlein
- PS Belgium leader Paul Magnette
- PSI Italy leader Enzo Maraio
- PS Portugal leader Pedro Nuno Santos
- SDP Finland leader Antti Lindtman
- SDP Croatia Peđa Grbin
- Groenlinks-PvdA Netherlands leader Frans Timmermans
- Labour Ireland leader Ivana Bacik
- PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis
- DK Hungary MEP Klára Dobrev
- PES Secretary General Giacomo Filibeck
- PES Executive Vice President Francisco André
- PES Executive Vice President Katarina Barley
- PES Vice President Kati Piri
- PES Vice President Victor Negrescu
- PES Treasurer Caroline Gennez
- PES Deputy Secretary General Yonnec Polet
- PES Deputy Secretary General Saar van Bueren
- PES Deputy Secretary General Thomas Vaupel
- Foundation for European Progressives Studies (FEPS) President Maria João Rodrigues
- PES Women President Zita Gurmai
- Young European Socialists (YES) President Enric López
Pictures from the meeting are available here.
