PES General secretary speaking on FTT

Pelas primárias para escolher o candidato do PES a Presidente da Comissão Europeia

Como sabem (e se não sabem, ficam a saber) está a haver um debate no seio do PES (Partido Europeu Socialista) sobre como decidir o próximo candidato do PES a Presidente da Comissão Europeia. Uma das propostas, apresentada por destacados membros do PES Activists (e um deles - o José Reis Santos - escreveu por aqui em tempos) é efectuar esta nomeação por eleições primárias nos vários partidos pertecentes ao PES.

Podem dar uma leitura às notícias sobre isto no NewEurope, no EUObserver, no site do PES, no blog Campaign for a PES Primary criado para o efeito, ou no blog do PES Activist Portugal.

"As soluções da social-democracia para a crise económica", Conferência Internacional

No próxima sexta e sábado, respectivamente dias 9 e 10 de Julho de 2010, irá realizar-se no Museu do Bombeiro em Lisboa, a Conferência Internacional subordinada ao tema "As soluções da social-democracia para a crise económica".

A Conferência é patrocinada pela Fundação RES PÚBLICA e pela FEPS.

Entre os oradores estará Poul Rasmussen, Presidente do PES, a par de José Sócrates, António Vitorino, Edite Estrela, José Lello, Luis Amado, João Proença (UGT), entre muitos outros convidados de renome, nacionais e estrangeiros.

Mais informações no Blog do PES Activist Portugal, aqui.

"My Body, My Rights", International Women's Day 2010

My Body, My Rights:
Together we call for Universal Maternal Health

For International Women's Day 2010, PES Women is presenting its 2010 campaign "My Body, My Rights". Under this umbrella slogan PES Women wants to dedicate its 2010 campaign to the overarching theme of sexual and reproductive health rights. 'My Body, My Rights' will be a one year commitment for PES Women with three windows of action; calling for universal maternal health, combating violence against women and a World AIDS Day action.

The International Women's Day, our first window of action, is set in the context of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action. The aim of the Beijing Platform for Action is to bring a global women's rights agenda with specific objectives in different policy fields. However, fifteen years after its launch, the objectives are far from being achieved in Europe and around the world especially with respect to women's health rights and sexual rights. We even witnessed a backlash. Despite additional efforts through Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which contribute directly to improving women's rights and enhancing gender equality, including maternal health, it seems that our targets will not be reached by 2015. Therefore, PES Women decided to launch a campaign "My Body, My Rights" with a special call on universal maternal health.

To strengthen our position in Europe but also globally, PES Women, ECOSY, the Global Progressive Forum and the Global Progressive Youth Forum, organised a meeting on the fringes of the CSW with our socialist and social democratic ministers and adopted a declaration calling on all governments to reiterate their commitment towards maternal health in order to ensure women's empowerment in health rights, sexual rights, socio-economic and financial development.

Do not hesitate to forward to your contacts.

Haiti Tragety- An appeal from PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen

It is with deepest regret that I have seen the news of the Haiti quake unfold.

The poorest country in Latin America is facing yet another human tragedy with an earthquake leaving thousands dead in the impoverished nation. The PES expresses its full solidarity and empathy with the people of Haiti.

The devastation caused by this major quake has found national rescue operations overwhelmed in managing the consequences of this disaster. Tens of thousands could be dead with up to three million people affected by this shocking event. Buildings and infrastructure have suffered extensive damage. Basic services including water and electricity have been suspended or are only available in short supply. Normal communications have been cut off and transportation is rendered extremely precarious.

The humanitarian catastrophe has triggered prompt reactions from the international community. Haiti is in desperate need of reconnaissance and rescue teams, tents, water purification units and food. There is no time to waste for response. We must show our full solidarity to the Haitian people. This is why the PES supports the Solidarity fund set up by the European NGO Solidar. The PES calls on those willing to help Haiti with a contribution to take part in Solidar’s effort.

In order to respond to this horrifying tragedy, Solidar has launched a relief initiative with a Haiti emergency fund. I invite you to take part in this effort if you can. To help Haiti with a contribution in this moment of desperate need please see http://www.pes.org/en/news/pes-horrified-haiti-tragedy-solidarity-haiti for information on how to donate.

I thank you in advance for giving this letter the attention it deserves because your solidarity counts!

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen

President
Party of European Socialists

Portugal. EUROPA. EUROPE.

EUROPE 1945


Europe, Lars von Trier

On October of 1945, the American German descendant Leopold Kessler arrives in a post-war Frankfurt and his bitter Uncle Kessler gets a job for him in the Zentropa train line as a sleeping car conductor. While travelling in the train learning his profession, he sees the destructed occupied Germany and meets Katharina Hartmann, the daughter of the former powerful entrepreneur of transport business and owner of Zentropa, Max Hartmann. Leopold stays neutral between the allied forces and the Germans, and becomes aware that there is a terrorist group called "Werewolves" killing the sympathizers of the allied and conducting subversive actions against the allied forces. He falls in love for Katharina, and sooner she discloses that she was a "Werewolf". When the entrepreneur Max Hartmann commits suicide, Leopold is also pressed by the "Werewolves" and needs to take a position and a decision. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This is fiction; it s a film by Lars von Trier but it could be real:






EUROPE 2008

Europe, PES - Socialist European Party

The day before the beginning of the PES annual Council meeting, FEPS organised a training and information day for PES activists in Madrid in order to provide them with more precise and detailed information on the functioning of the European Union and on the upcoming European elections in 2009. The Forum aimed to bring together political leaders from the PES, intellectuals and PES activists who are interested in exchanging their views and opinions and to find new ways of promoting the socialist and social democratic values and policies all over Europe.

The event was opened by Ernst Stetter, the Secretary General of FEPS. He stressed the need of socialist and progressive ideas to tackle today’s issues and encouraged social democrats to give a new direction for Europe in engaging strongly for the upcoming elections. He invited PES activists to “develop ideas and concepts to meet the challenges that our societies face and assist our parties win the people’s trust to earn the chance to make the social democratic vision again a reality”.

The opening was followed by a general debate on “How to promote the Manifesto?” Zita Gurmai, President of PES Women, Member of the Board of FEPS, was concerned with the challenge “How to get real access to Europe for everyone?” She welcomed the creation of the system of PES activists and its growing success. She pointed out that the socialist party is the only one in the world which is taking care of ordinary people and the national parties have to make people in their country feel and believe that. She also welcomed the section of Gender equality in the Manifesto and urged to make it a reality.

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, the President of PES gave an inspiring speech about social Europe and the Manifesto. He started with a statement “Finishing with the black boxes, coming with transparency!” He welcomed the activists and named them as brick builders across the frontiers, doing the essential and most difficult job. He stressed that we must find answers to the cross-border democracy, especially in these times of crisis when countries are more than ever linked to isolation and nationalism. He noted that the power of the Manifesto is in the technique it has been done: with the input of everyone, elaborating the ideas all together.

Portuguese PES activists participated in this event, learned a lot and exchanged experiences with comrades from other Europeans countries.





EUROPE – PORTUGAL - September / October 2009

First PES exchange campaign in Portugal

Two important elections took place in Portugal in autumn , general elections – Parlamentary Deputies – and local elections – mayors and district members for local assemblies. This was possible due to the strong will of my friend and comrade José Reis Santos, a Portuguese socialist, historian, working at Brussels for one year at the PES.

It was a risky initiative, with week support from the Portuguese Socialist Party that began slowly and carefully – during the first campaign, the one for general elections – and came to her happy end – during the local elections – with glamour and success. We invited PES activist from Hungary, Romania, Poland, Belgium, Spain, Germany and Bosnia and all of us shared wonderful days campaigning and knowing each others both as individuals and as citizens of a Europe we want to build. Both elections achieved their issues: the Portuguese Socialist Party had the majority of votes and many districts went on being politically socialists, namely Lisbon, where António Costa won with a total majority. The presence of PES activists showed – to Portuguese citizens – that Europe shall be a construction of all European citizens and clearly stressed the importance of a socio-anthropological approach to all campaigns in order to deal with each cultural specificity, in each country, in all European Nations.




Being a conflictual and wounded “never land” at the aftermath of World War II, a kind of tunnel with no issues, Europe found a way to became a world of solidarity and the European Socialist party is an important and collective instrument for the construction of this new world. This exchange campaign of PES in Portugal was the beginning of a wonderful friendship between socialists from several countries.

Frase roubada a "OBVIOUS" roubado ao que é (?) óbvio

I think about Dublin!

Por que há coisas que são realmente tarde...

Há certas pessoas que deveriam começar a diversificar as fontes de informação que têm. Porque quando se lembram das coisas... é tarde!

Falar é fácil, trabalhar é que é difícil!

In "Sciences Po / PS"

La science de la statistique et l’art du compromis

Certains leaders politiques français, par ailleurs anciens membres du Parti Socialiste, ont récemment multiplié les déclarations sur les très nombreux votes communs du Parti Socialiste Européen (PSE) et du Parti Populaire européen (PPE) au sein du Parlement européen. On nous affirme, chiffre effrayant, que 97% des décisions seraient prises d’un commun accord par ces deux formations. En bon sympathisant socialiste, il y a de quoi s’alarmer. Quelques jours plus tard, la terrible statistique vient une fois de plus nous faire sursauter, cette fois-ci de la bouche du chef du Nouveau Parti anticapitaliste. Pas besoin de plus pour dérouter le sympathique sympathisant. Mais qu’en est-il vraiment ?

Reprenons ce chiffre. D’où sort-il ? Comme l’a relevé récemment Jean Quatremer dans Libération, il semble que MM. Mélenchon et Besancenot, car il s’agit bien d’eux, soient allés glaner leur chiffre sur le site « l’observatoire de l’Europe », site eurosceptique proche de la mouvance de Philippe de Villiers. On retrouve ce chiffre dans l’étude d’un chercheur suédois, Jan Johansson mené en 2008 sur les 535 votes finaux de textes législatifs européens. Au-delà de l’étrange mélange des genres, il semble que les dirigeants politiques mentionnés n’aient pas vraiment saisi la manière dont les textes législatifs sont adoptés au sein des institutions communautaires, ce qui est fort regrettable lorsqu’on constate qu’ils sont eux-mêmes candidats à des sièges d’eurodéputés…

Citons Pervenche Bérès, présidente de la Commission des Affaires Economiques et Monétaires et membre de la délégation socialiste française que mentionne le même Jean Quatremer : « La négociation européenne, c’est comme une négociation syndicale : on se bat, mais au final il faut conclure un accord tenant compte du rapport de force ». C’est qu’en effet, les textes votés ne tombent pas du ciel in extenso.

Si la Commission qui détient le monopole de l’initiative communautaire a actuellement, au travers de son président, une orientation plutôt libérale, il n’en va pas de même au sein du collège des chefs d’Etats et de gouvernement du Conseil européen qui décide des grandes impulsions à donner à la construction européenne. Il n’en va également pas de même de l’ensemble des gouvernements représentés au sein du Conseil des ministres de l’Union qui examine le texte avant le Parlement et doit généralement trouver une majorité qualifiée, si ce n’est pas l’unanimité pour l’adopter. De ce fait, avant que d’être examiné par le Parlement, les textes ont-ils déjà fait l’objet de débats parfois très vifs et de compromis souvent délicats, dont les formations politiques respectives doivent tenir compte. Et pendant l’examen des textes mêmes, discute-t-on article par article des amendements proposés par les différentes formations. Si on y ajoute le fait qu’aucune de ces dernières ne détient de majorité absolue au sein du Parlement, on comprend alors aisément qu’au final chaque groupe aura plus ou moins intérêt à voter ou refuser le texte selon les amendements qu’ils ont pu introduire.

Logiques institutionnelles, logiques partisanes, logiques compromissoires. Toutes ces données s’entremêlent et raffinent le mode de prise de décision, rendant réductrice une statistique fondé sur le seul vote final des textes. Va-t-on reprocher aux socialistes de jouer le jeu de la démocratie pour obtenir le plus d’avancées sociales concrètes ?

La statistique est une science bien malléable. Les chiffres semblent ne jamais pouvoir mentir et pourtant on leur fait dire ce que l’on veut. Alors, à ceux qui s’indignent de ces 97% de votes finaux « communs », on a envie de souffler qu’une étude très sérieuse de la LES et de l’Université libre de Bruxelles a démontré que si on inclut à notre étude le vote par amendement, on recense 42% de vote commun des communistes avec le PPE… Bonnet blanc et blanc bonnet, vraiment ?


Simon G.

Appeal to vote

Europe Day: time to put social justice back at the heart of European politics

Message from Poul Nyrup Rasmussen which will be published on his blog tomorrow, May 9.

You can find more information on the PES European Day of Action at Europe Day on the PES campaign blog.

Europe Day: time to put social justice back at the heart of European politics

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen

President of the Party of European Socialists

Today is Europe Day, the annual celebration of European integration.

It marks the day in 1950 on which the Schuman Declaration was signed, launching the Coal and Steel Community: the start of what we now call the European Union. The declaration included a commitment to "the equalisation and improvement of the living conditions of workers". It is this commitment to the welfare of all that makes our Europe unique in the world. Our welfare states, including European-wide rights for consumers and workers, offer a level of protection that exists almost no-where else.

But on Europe Day 2009 Europeans are in no mood to celebrate. The financial crisis threatening our savings and pensions has been superceded by economic crisis threatening our jobs. The rising food and energy prices we suffered before the financial and economic crisis came on top of years of attacks on our social and public services and a widening gap between rich and poor.

There is a growing belief among citizens that Europe, which has had a conservative majority in all EU institutions for the last five years, puts the market before people. I believe that we must put workers rights and social rights before competition rules.

With unemployment looming towards 27 million next year, and 74 million Europeans already living below the poverty line, Europe's future is at the crossroads. There is a real risk of deep and permanent divides in our societies. We must put the fight for social justice back at the heart of European politics. We need to do much more to tackle the worst inequalities, protect and create jobs and actively support those without work.

The European conservatives say in their manifesto that a high level of social contributions "is a handicap for the creation of wealth". We disagree and we can prove it: the most competitive economies in Europe are Sweden and Denmark, with the highest levels of social protection and the highest taxes. According to the World Economic Forum, they are the third and fourth most competitive economies in the world. They are the first and third most income-equal societies in the world. They come fourth and seventh on the Global Innovation Index. They consistently top quality of life rankings.

Conservatives have made it quite clear that they think globalisation means we need to work longer hours, lower costs, slash spending and dilute social services. We disagree.

Our manifesto for the European elections promotes social justice by making 12 concrete proposals for a 'New Social Europe' including decent minimum wages in all EU countries, protecting public services, strengthening rights to collective bargaining, and fair tax policies to guarantee the financing of our welfare states.

It is not just a difference in rhetoric. Take a look at the votes in the European Parliament. When European Socialists voted to exclude social services from the infamous Services Directive, the conservatives voted against. When European socialists voted for an average 48 hour working week with no opt outs the conservatives voted against. When European socialists voted for a new directive against discrimination outside the workplace the conservatives voted against. Just this week Conservatives refused to vote for strengthening rights to maternity leave.

To highlight the need to put social justice back at the heart of Europe the PES is organizing, today on Europe Day, a 'Day of Action' across Europe on the theme 'giving people a fairer deal' with meetings, debates and street campaigning in at least fifteen countries. You can follow action via live blogging and twittering on our website http://elections2009.pes.org/

In the European elections in June you can express your choice of the direction you wish Europe to take. Our future is at stake…

With socialist regards,

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen

President Party of European Socialists (PES/PSE)

A direita e a diferença de opinião na família socialista

Parece que o facto de José Sócrates e Vital Moreira terem opiniões diferentes em relação ao apoio a José Manuel Barroso para Presidente da Comissão Europeia está a deixar alguma direita em polvorosa. Basta ver o que dizem por aqui Nuno Gouveia ou Vasco Campilho. No entanto não é de estranhar este facto no Partido Socialista: se há algo que tem sido marca do PS é o pluralismo de opiniões. Foi assim no tempo de Soares (com Guterres), no tempo de Guterres (com Carrilho) e está a ser no tempo de Sócrates. Claro que quando se tenta passar a imagem de que o Partido está devoto ao líder, a possibilidade de haver mais uma opinião que a do líder tende a ser explorada para demonstrar divisões.

Mas percebe-se: tanto tempo a colar um rótulo em José Sócrates que há pormenores que passam ao lado. Pormenores como o facto de nas últimas Presidenciais terem surgido dois candidatos da área socialista ou, sendo mais sectorial e falando de questões europeias, ter sido uma militante socialista (Ana Gomes) uma das impulsionadoras da comissão de investigação do Parlamento Europeu sobre os voos da CIA. São dois casos onde militantes do Partido Socialista, com cargos públicos eleitos nas listas do próprio partido, tiveram opiniões divergentes do seu dirigente máximo. Diz o José Reis Santos nos comentários deste texto, e bem, que a posição de Sócrates é enquanto Primeiro-Ministro e não como Secretário-Geral do Partido. Porém, também não me parece que se vá saber a opinião de José "Secretário-Geral" Sócrates. Ninguém espera nem deseja que José Sócrates peça um desconto de tempo de Primeiro-Ministro para opinar enquanto Secretário-Geral do PS. Mas mesmo esta situação, das bases do PS (ou de parte da classe dirigente) terem opiniões diferentes do seu Secretário-Geral e Primeiro-Ministro e afirmarem-nas publicamente, não é uma situação nova no PS. Já com António Guterres e o primeiro referendo da Interrupção Voluntária da Gravidez isto se passou, embora essa questão fosse de âmbito pessoal.

Tudo isto para dizer que acho esta questão de uma importância menor, nesta altura. Haverá uma altura para isto se discutir, a seguir às eleições. Mas certamente, pelas notícias que se vai sabendo, o PES irá apresentar um candidato ao cargo.

Como tenho deixado claro, olho para a Europa como um espaço uno e não como uma soma de países. Nessa óptica, não apoio José Manuel Barroso por ser português. Preciso de mais do que simplesmente essa razão. E mesmo admitindo sem reservas que Barroso fez mais do que era por mim expectável, também é verdade que acho que poderia influenciado mais a agenda política europeia. Fico, portanto, à espera de ver a alternativa que irá ser apresentada pela área socialista, dizendo também desde já que tenderei a apoiar esse candidato.

P.S. - Também publicado no blogue do Eleições 2009 do Público

Highlights PES Council in Madrid

Parece que além das fotos lá em baixo, também houve tempo para outras coisas em Madrid

PES activists Portugal in Madrid (mais)

PES em Madrid

Foto de uma militante convicta do Partido Socialista Europeu - PES

Autor da foto: Pedro Cardoso

Dia Mundia contra a SIDA - 1 de Dezembro

Qual é o papel dos partidos europeus? (parte 2)

Como o Rui amavelmente aqui referiu, publiquei recentemente no site da RES Publica um pequeno discussant paper sobre o papel dos Partidos Políticos Europeus hoje. É um texto de reflexão critica (construtiva e prospectiva) que pretende lançar um debate e propor algumas ideias. Em breve transportarei o que lá escrevi para a nossa Loja. Até lá podem ver no Fórum da RES Publica o meu texto. Aproveito ainda para vos comunicar (não vá o Rui chatear-se) que uma versão revista e aumentada será publicada na revista Finisterra.

PES Activist Hungary. Welcome

Dear Friends,

we are glad to inform you, that PES Activist Hungary Association is about to be officially formed and registered.

PES Activist Hungary was set up with the clearly defined aim of giving a common platform for young and talented people with left-oriented thinking to improve their knowledge and skills in the field of culture, economics and business management for the purposes of contributing to social development under the umbrella of the Party of European Socialists.
Our members undertake different tasks in various subject-matters having the opportunity to gain professional experiences abroad. After all, participants shall affect society and the European political culture in a very positive manner by using their skills, experiences and contacts gained in the framework of PES Activist Hungary.

PES Activist Hungary takes a follow-through part of cooperation among regional PES offices in Hungary organizing conferences, seminars, discussion panels and camps. These events are essential and indispensable in developing our member's talent.

We would like to get in touch with you and your associations, networks in order to develop or take part in a Europe-wide co-operation, based on common values and aims.

We are really interested in your work and your plans! Our aim is to develop a partnership with the PES Activists groups in Europe and to some common projects in the future.
In order to be able to achieve this, it would be nice to keep in touch. We would like to ask you, to send us some information or a short introduction of yourselves – to get to know you and your organizations better.

Looking forward to hearing (reading) from you!

Best regards,
Matthias Gáti & Susanna Nagy-- PES Activist Hungary

PES conferences

Dear friends,

“The young socialist dream” is the motto for a series of conferences that the Socialist Group in the European Parliament is going to hold in Brussels. In four sessions between December 2008 and March 2009, young socialists from all over Europe are invited to discuss on important political questions: Intercultural Dialogue, Globalisation and climate change, Social Europe, Peace in the World.

This is a great opportunity for young socialists to gather and get to know the work of the PES Group in the European Parliament. Getting an inside view of the work of the Socialist Members of Parliament will certainly be a great motivation to get engaged in European election campaigning. Therefore please spread the word about “The young socialist dream” to all young socialists in your party.

I’m happy to inform you that following the conferences organised by the PES Group in the European Parliament, the Party of European Socialists is going to offer information and training sessions for the young socialists coming to Brussels. We will offer “after-hour” seminars on the functioning of the PES and on the PES contribution to the European election campaign. Participants who are registered for one of the four PES Group conferences will receive a more detailed briefing about all activities on offer.

With socialist greetings,

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen

PES Newsletter alert

Global Financial crisis: act now!

Avaaz.org - a new global web movement with a mission to close the gap between the world we have, and the world most people want - has launched a petition to be delivered to PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen next Tuesday. The petition 'Global Financial crisis: act now!' calls on European, US and world leaders to fix the fundamental flaws which made the global financial crisis possible. The petition is being delivered to our PES President because of his work over the last eighteen months on financial market reform, and because the reform package he has steered through the European Parliament will be voted on Tuesday 23 September.

Let's help make this timely and important initiative a success!

Please sign the petition and forward it to you friends.

Learn more on the PES' work on financial market reform

(see also this post)