Former social democratic prime minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven, has today been elected President of the Party of European Socialists. PES delegates cast their ballots on the first day of the PES Congress, which takes place in Berlin today and tomorrow, hosted by the German Social Democratic Party.
PES President Stefan Löfven said:
“We live in troubled times. The very serious security situation, the climate threat, the growing divides, the high energy prices, and the threat to democracy are some of the major challenges we collectively face. In these times, Europe’s social democrats have a decisive role. I will take on the task as President of PES with the conviction of Europe’s importance for global peace and security and to ensure that all people can face a brighter future.”
Stefan Löfven was Prime Minister of Sweden from 2014-2021 and Leader of the Social Democratic Party from 2012-2021. Löfven’s commitment to democracy, European values and human rights is well known across Sweden, Europe and the world. The European Social Pillar was established through his political leadership and it remains a defining moment for a more social, fair and sustainable Europe.
Former PES President Sergei Stanishev said:
“With Stefan Lofven taking over the PES leadership, the PES family is in safe hands. He was not only a successful party leader and Prime Minister, but is also a committed European. He worked hard for the 2017 proclamation of the European Social Pillar and I believe he will work just as hard to implement all these principles into a reality at European level.”
President Löfven takes over from Sergei Stanishev, the former Prime Minister of Bulgaria (2005-2009) who has been president of the PES since 2011. During Stanishev’s term as president, the PES launched its first pan-European campaign for a common candidate for president of the European Commission, and Stanishev was again central to the next PES common candidate campaign of Frans Timmermans in 2019. Stanishev was a leading voice for ending austerity politics, launching the European Youth Plan in 2016, and was one of the first high-level European figures to call for a massive EU recovery plan to respond to the social and economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Party of European Socialists (PES) brings together the socialist, social democratic, labour and democratic parties from all over the European Union, the United Kingdom and Norway.
Results: 2022 PES Congress presidential election
Do you confirm the election of Stefan Löfven as PES President?
YES: 255
NO: 0
ABSTENTION: 7
Photographs from the event are available on the PES Flickr.
