Valenciano opened the meeting with a rallying call to her colleagues: “It is time to tell our story to the European people about our vision for a different and better EU. We want to win these elections for the families who are experiencing terrible anguish, for working people and those seeking work, and for people who want equal rights again in Europe.”
The PES media network is made up of PES member party press, social media and communication specialists who will operate a seamless online/offline strategy which brings activists and member parties closer together than ever before for the European elections. “The #knockthevote campaign which is spreading organically across Europe among PES grassroots activists is a great example of this crossover”, PES Deputy Secretary General Marije Laffeber said.
PES activists are already sharing ideas and stories online from Athens to Amsterdam, Helsinki to Hamburg, and Sofia to Stockholm. They are even spending their own time and money to travel to each other’s events across the continent, working together to rally support for a revamped EU.
Besides discussing their supporters’ exceptional motivation, member parties also got an update on the campaign plans of common candidate Martin Schulz and the development of the new PES website, which will be launched on 1 March alongside the Electoral Congress in Rome. This new and interactive platform will feature blogs from national activists and a complete pan-European events listing for PES campaign activities, enabling supporters to get involved in the campaign wherever they live, work or study.
Member parties were also excited to hear from Matthew McGregor, an advisor to the UK Labour Party and one of the masterminds of President Barack Obama’s Presidential election campaigns. McGregor praised the new PES website and suggested ways for member parties to make their candidate’s voices heard all across Europe, and not just in the city where they speak on any given day.
The European Parliament elections will take place on 22-25 May, with voters in all 28 EU Member States directly electing MEPs. The European Council must take into account the election results when nominating the new European Commission President, who must be approved by the Parliament by a majority of MEPs.
