The Presidency
The Presidency meets regularly (every two to four months) in between Congresses and takes decisions on the daily management of the work of the PES.
The Presidency consists of the President (who chairs the meetings), one representative of each full member party, one representattive of each full member organisation, the Secretary General and the President of the Parliamentary Group of the PES. The President of the European Parliament (if s/he is a member of PES), one representative per associate party/ organisation and a PES member of the Commission also take part in Presidency meetings.
Ad Personam
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen - President
Philip Cordery - Secretary General
Full Members of the Presidency
Alfred Gusenbauer - SPÖ Austria
Elio Di Rupo - PS Belgium
Mia De Wits - SP.A Belgium
Sergei Stanishev - BSP Bulgaria
Vassos Lyssarides - EDEK Cyprus
Jiri Havel - CSSD Czech Republic
Nicolai Wammen - SD Denmark
Katrin Saks - SDE Estonia
Johannes Koskinen - SDP Finland
Alain Richard - PS France
Martin Schulz - SPD Germany
Stavros Lambrinidis - PASOK Greece
Laszlo Kapolyi - MSZDP Hungary
Alexandra Dobolyi - MSZP Hungary
Ruairi Quinn - Treasurer ; LP Ireland
Luciano Vecchi - DS Italy
Ugo Intini - SDI Italy
Janis Dinevics - LSDSP Latvia
Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis - LSDP Lithuania
Alex Bodry - LSAP Luxembourg
George Vella - PL Malta
Marije Laffeber - PvdA Netherlands
Espen Barth Eide - DNA Norway
Andrzej Szejna - SLD Poland
Katarzyna Matuszewska - UP Poland
José Lello - PS Portugal
Adrian Severin - PSD Romania
Borut Pahor - SD Slovenia
Carlos Carnero - PSOE Spain
Carin Jämtin - SAP Sweden
Eric Joyce - LP Great Britain, United Kingdom
Mark Durkan - SDLP Northern Ireland
Full Member Organisations
Martin Schulz - Socialist Group in the EP
Zita Gurmai - PES Women
Giacomo Filibeck - ECOSY
Mercedes Bresso - PES Group Committee of the Regions
Associate parties
Iglika Ivanova - PBS Bulgaria
Zoran Milanovic - SDP Croatia
Igor Ivanovski - SDUM FYR Macedonia
Walter Suter - SP Switzerland
Ahmet Türk - DTP Turkey
To be nominated - CHP Turkey
Associate Organisations
To be nominated - Socialist International
Lluís Maria De Puig - Socialist Group in the Council Of Europe
Kimmo Kiljunnen - Socialist Group in the OSCE
To be nominated - PES Member of the European Commission
Alfred Gusenbauer, SPÖ, Austria
Alfred Gusenbauer was born in Austria on 8 February 1960. He completed his studies in politicial sciences, philosophy and law at the University of Vienna (Dr. phil. 1987). From 1981 till 1990, he was executive secretary for Youth of the Social Democratic Party of Austria. Alfred Gusenbauer was Federal Chairman of the Socialist Youth (SJ) from 1984 to 1990 and Vice-president of the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) from 1985 till 1989. He then became senior research fellow in the economic policy department of the chamber of labour from 1990 to 1999. He is Chairman of the Social Democratic Party in the district Melk (Lower Austria) since 1990 and Member of the Austrian Parliament since 1991.
Alfred Gusenbauer was Chairman of the Committee for development cooperation of the Austrian Parliament (1996-1999). Since 1991, he has been a Member of the Austrian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Alfred Gusenbauer was Chairman of the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee of the Council of Europe from 1995 to 1998. He was Secretary General of the Social Democratic Party in Lower Austria from 1999 till 2000. Alfred Gusenbauer has been the leader of the Social Democratic Group in the Austrian Parliament and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Austria since 2000.
Elio Di Rupo, PS, Belgium
Elio Di Rupo was born in Belgium on 18 July 1951. He graduated as Doctor of Sciences at the University of Mons-Hainaut (highest distinction). He started his professional activities in the scientific domain: Lecture Member of Staff, University of Leeds (Great Britain) (1977-1978); Assistant at the Service of General Chemistry and Material Sciences, University of Mons (UMH) (1978); Researcher at the Institute for Scientific Research in Industry and Agriculture (I.R.S.I.A.) (1979); Head of the Research Department at the University of Mons (1982). Elio Di Rupo started his political career as a Member of the city council of Mons (1982-2000); Alderman of the city of Mons (1986-1987); National representative (1987-1989); Representative of the European Parliament (1989-1991); Senator (1991-1995); National representative (1995 – re-elected in 1999-2000); Mayor of Mons (as from 2001); National representative (as from 2003). His governmental functions were: Minister of Education (1992-1994) and Audio-visual Media (1993-1994); Deputy Prime Minister of the federal Government (1994-1999); Minister-President of the Walloon Government (1999–2000). Today, Elio Di Rupo is Minister of State; President of the Socialist Party (PS); Professor at the University of Mons-Hainaut and Vice-President of the Socialist International Party.
Mia De Wits, SP.A, Belgium
Mia De Vits was born on 31 March 1950. She obtained her degree in social sciences in 1971. She started to work as a freelance journalist with VRT-TV. 1973 she became policy advisor in the Belgian Genral Trade Union (ABVV/FGTB). From 1984 to 1989 she was the Federal Secretary of ABVV. Between 2002 and 2004 she held the position of chairwoman of the ABVV. From 1989 – 2004 she was member of the Executive Board of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and member of the Executive Committee, European Trade Union Confederation. She is Member of the European Parliament and Member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization in Geneva.
Sergei Stanishev, BSP, Bulgaria
Sergei Stanishev was born on 5 May 1966. He started his career as a journalist (1994-1995). In 1995-1996, he was Chief Expert in Foreign Policy and International Relations Department of the BSP Supreme Council. He was then Chief of Foreign Policy and International Relations Department of the BSP Supreme Council (1996-2001). In May 2000, he was elected Member of the BSP Supreme Council and Member of the Executive Bureau, International Secretary. In June 2001, Sergei Stanishev was elected Member of the 39th National Assembly. In December 2001, he was elected Chairman of BSP on the second session of the 44th Congress of the party and Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Coalition for Bulgaria; he got re-elected Chairman of BSP in June 2002. Since April 2004, Sergei Stanishev has been a Member of the Presidency of the Party of European Socialists. He has been prime minister of Bulgaria since August 2005.
Iglika Ivanova, PBS Bulgaria
Iglika Ivanova was born on April, 25th, 1957 in the city of Sofia. She graduated from the Law Faculty of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski in 1980. Until 1993 she worked as a legal advisor and since then she has been working as a barrister. She is a member of the Organization of Barristers in Sofia. Since 1993 Iglika Ivanova has been a member of the Bulgarian Socialdemocrats’ Party. In 2001 she was appointed a member of the Party’s National Committee and its legal affairs secretary. Since 2005 she has been vice–president and international secretary of the Party. She is also president of Women’s Social Democratic Confederation. Since June 2005, Iglika Ivanova has been a deputy at the Bulgarian Parliament. She is a member of the Legal Issues Comission and Citizen’s Complaints and Petitions Comission. In 2005 and 2006 she was an observer at the European Parliament.
Zoran Milanovic, SDP, Croatia
Zoran Milanovic was born in 1966 in Zagreb. He is married with two children. He graduated from the Law Faculty, Zagreb University. He followed postgraduate studies in international law, Zagreb University. He has a M.A. (LL.M.) in European Law from VUB, Brussels. He served as a career diplomat from 1993 to 2004 and as Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Multilateral Affairs. As from 2004, Zoran Milanovic is Member of the Executive Committee of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP).
Dr Vassos Lyssarides, EDEK, Cyprus
Dr Vassos Lyssarides was born in 1920 in Lefkara, Cyprus. He studied Medicine at the University of Athens. He was a leading figure in the anti-dictatorial struggle during the junta regime in Greece. Dr Vassos Lyssarides was President of the Panhellenic Committee in support of the struggle of Cyprus and Secretary General of the Cypriot organisations in Greece. He took an active part in the anticolonial struggle (1955-1959). He participated in the London conference in 1959 for the establishment of Cyprus independence. In 1960 he was elected member of the first parliament of the Cyprus Republic and since then has been re-elected to all the consecutive parliaments. In 1969 he formed the EDEK Socialist Party of Cyprus. He was elected president, a post he held until 2000. Since 2000 is an Honorary President of the Movement. He was the vice-president of the Organisation in solidarity with the people of Asia and Africa (AAPSO) and the international secretary against racial discrimination (ICSA). He was elected President of the Cyprus Parliament from 1985-1991. He has published many studies and articles. He represented Cyprus in many international meetings. He was for many years the Chairman of the Cyprus Arab Association.
Jiri Havel, CSSD, Czech Republic
Jirí Havel was born on 20 August 1957 in Prague. He has a PhD from the Prague Economic University. Since 1992 he has been teaching at Charles University in Prague, working also as head of department of institutional economics and financial economics. He was Vice-President of Czech Economic Society (2002-2004). Until 1989 he was a member of the Communist Party and from 1990 he collaborated with expert teams of re-established Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD). He has been Vice-Chairman of the Party’s Economic Committee since 1998. He was an advisor of the Czech government and Chairman of the National Property Fund (1999-2001). In 2006 he became Deputy Prime minister for economic issues and he is currently CSSD speaker for education.
Nicolai Wammen, SD, Denmark
Nicolai Halby Wammen was born on 7 February 1971. He studied Political Science at the University of Aarhus. He is mayor of the Municipality of Aarhus as of 1 January 2006. As Mayor he is a member of the presidency of the Business Policy Committee of the Municipality of Aarhus, chairman of the board of the Port of Aarhus, chairman of the board of the Aarhus Festival, chairman of the Local Committee concerning Police Activities, and chairman of the License Commission. Since September 2005 he has been vice-president of the Social Democrats.
He was also member of Aarhus City Council 1997-2006 (leave of absence whilst serving as Member of Parliament 2001-2005), deputy chairman of the Social Democratic city council group and political spokesman, chairman of the Schools and Cultural Committee, and member of the Financial Committee. He was president of Frit Forum Aarhus between 1996 and1997.
He was Member of Parliament for the Aarhus County Constituency (the Skanderborg Constituency) 2001-2005.
Katrin Saks, SDE, Estonia
Katrin Saks was born on 29 November 1956. She studied journalism at the University of Tartu and international relations and diplomacy at the Estonian Diplomatic College. She finished also additional courses in Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the USA. From 1977 to 1997 she worked as a journalist for the Estonian Television. Between 1998 and 2000 she was a lecturer at the Concordia International University. From 1998 – 1999 she was project manager of the Open Estonian Found. Afterwards 1999 – 2002 she became Minister of Ethnic Affairs. She was Member of the Estonian Parliament (2003-2006), as well as, member of the European Union Affairs Committee. She was also vice-chairwoman of the Cultural Affairs Committee. In 2006 she received the Order of the White Star, 4th class. She is Member of the European Parliament and vice-chairman of the SDE.
Johannes Koskinen, SDP, Finland
Johannes Koskinen was born on 10 December 1954 in Janakkala, Finland. He is married with two children. He graduated with a master of Laws. He was a member of Janakkala Municipal Council (1977-1988) and of Hämeenlinna Town Council (since 1989). Johannes Koskinen was presenter in the Administrative Board of Häme (1978-1979), then at the Ministry of the Interior (1980-1982). He worked as a lawyer with the Building Workers' Union (1982-1985) and with the Confederation of Finnish Trade Unions SAK (1985-1987). Johannes Koskinen joined the Minister of Labour as political secretary (1987-1988), where he became ministerial secretary in 1989. He was legislative secretary of the SDP parliamentary group (1989-1991) and has been Member of the Parliament since 1991. Johannes Koskinen was chairman of the Supervisory Board of VR-Group Ltd (1995-1999) and Minister of Justice (5 April 1999 – 23 September 2005). As from October 2005, he is a member of the Presidency of the PES.
Alain Richard, PS, France
Alain Richard was born on 29 August 1945, in Paris, France. He is a senior member of the “Council of state” (Conseil d’Etat). Mayor of Saint-Ouen l’Aumône since March 1977, he was a senior advisor during the five years he spent in the government before resuming his mandate as mayor at the end of 2002. He entered the Conseil d’Etat in 1971, while concurrently teaching at the Reims and Paris I universities and at the Institute of political studies from 1971 to 1978. He was elected MP for Val d’Oise in 1978 and was re-elected until 1993. He was Vice-President of the parliamentary Committee in charge of reviewing legislation from 1981 to 1986, then Vice-President of the National Assembly from 1987 to 1988. He was also General Rapporteur for the Finance Committee in the Parliament (1988-1993); From 1989 to 1997, he was also Chairman of the Cergy-Pontoise New Town association. He then became Senator for Val d’Oise and Secretary of the Senate Finance Committee from September 1995 until June 1997, before being appointed Minister of Defence from June 1997 till May 2002. In this capacity, he carried out a complete re-structuring of the armed forces, and contributed to reorganising all industries related to the defence field (EADS, Thalès, DCN, etc.). As soon as 1998, he set in motion the first steps towards the creation of a Defence Europe. A member of the national board of the French Parti socialiste, he has now become vice-president of the Party of European Socialists since May 2003.
Igor Ivanovski, SDUM, FYR Macedonia
Igor Ivanovski was born on 11 March 1977. He studied economics. He is a junior teaching assistant in mathematics for business and economics. In 2006 he was re-elected Member of Parliament. He is member of the financing and budget committee. Since 2006 he has been holding the position of vice-president of the Socialdemocratic Union of Macedonia and since 2003 he has been member of the Presidency of the the Socialdemocratic Union of Macedonia. From 2001-2003 he was President of the Socialdemocratic Youth of Macedonia and between 2000 and 2001 he was vice-president of the International Union of Socialist Youths.
Martin Schulz, SPD, Germany and Socialist Group in the EP
Martin Schulz was born on 20 December 1955. Since 1984 he has been a municipal councilor in Würselen. He became mayor of Würselen between 1987 and 1998. From 1991-1999 he was member of the SPD Party Council. Since 1995 he has been member of the Mittelrhein SPD Executive. He has been chairman of the SPD Aachen District since 1996 and since 1999 he has been member of the SPD Federal Executive. 1994 he has become a Member of the European Parliament. He was the PSE Group coordinator of the Subcommittee on Human Rights (1994 -1996) and PSE Group coordinator of the Committee on Civil Liberties and Home Affairs (1996-2000). He was the first vice-chairman of the PSE Group from 2002 to 2004. Since May 2004 he has been holding the position of President of the Parliamentary Group of the Party of European Socialists.
Stavros Lambrinidis, PASOK, Greece
Stavros Lambrinidis was born on 6 February 1962. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Political Science/Psychology from Amherst College, USA in 1984 and in 1988 he received his Juris Doctor Degree from Yale Law School. He was elected Member of the European Parliament in June 2004. He is the Head of the Greek Socialist Delegation to the European Parliament. He is Vice-Chairman of the Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, and the Parliament’s Rapporteur on the Integration of Immigrants in Europe and on the Protection of Critical Infrastructures. He is member of the PASOK National Council. Between 1999 and 2004, Mr. Lambrinidis was Ambassador ad personam of the Hellenic Republic. He was member of the Steering Committee on the negotiation and implementation of nine bilateral agreements with Turkey in a wide range of fields. He also served as coordinator of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' participation in the preparations for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. From July 2000 to October 2005, Mr. Lambrinidis was also the Director-General of the International Olympic Truce Centre (IOTC). From October 1996 to August 1999, Mr. Lambrinidis was the Secretary General of the Greek Foreign Ministry responsible for expatriate Greeks. From January to October 1996 he served as Chief of Staff to Minister for Foreign Affairs Theodore Pangalos. Between 1993 and 1995 he was Special Advisor to Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and, subsequently, Minister for National Education George Papandreou.
László Kapolyi, MSZDP, Hungary
Dr. László Kapolyi was born on 7 June 1932 in Újpest, Hungary. He is a mining engineer and an economist. He is member of various organisations: Biopolitics International Organisation; the Club of Rome; the Aspen Institute Italia; the Scientific Committee of Instituto de Empresa, Madrid; the Crans Montana Forum; State of the World Forum; the Scientific Committee for Studies of Bauxites (ICSOBA). He is also Honorary Professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy –Boston and member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). He was Deputy Minister for Heavy Industry (1976-80); State Secretary responsible for mining and energy at the Ministry of Heavy Industry (1981-83); Minister of Industry (1983-87); Commissioner of Energy Policy of the Council of Ministers (1988-89). He is a Member of Parliament since 2002 and the President of the Hungarian Social Democratic Party.
Alexandra Dobolyi, MSZP, Hungary
Alexandra Dobolyi was born on 26 September 1971 in Hungary. She studied Social Sciences at Janus Pannonius University from 1994/95 - 1999/2000. In 2000, she started her Ph.d in the University of Pécs than she continued her Ph.d studies at the University Eötvös Loránd. From 1990 to 1998, she worked as an Interpreter (German, English), at the Hungarian Parliament. In 1998–1999, she obtained a scholarship from the Zilk Foundation, and was assigned to the Austrian delegation to the Party of European Socialist. From 1998 to 2002, she was appointed expert on foreign affairs, at the Hungarian Parliament, Hungarian Socialist Party. In 2000, she got a scholarship from Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, followed in 2001 by another one from Karl Renner Institute: both scholarships led her to work at the European Parliament, Brussels. In 2001-2002, she obtained a scholarship from the Party of European Socialists and was assigned to the PES group. From 2002 to 2004, she was the International Secretary of the Hungarian Socialist Party. As from 2004, she is Member of the European Parliament. In 2007 she was appointed as the Foreign Policy Director of the MSZP.
Ruairi Quinn T.D., LP, Ireland
Ruairi Quinn was born on 2 April 1946. He is married and has three children. He studied Architecture and was also a Lecturer in Architecture, Housing and Urban Design at University College, Dublin. He spent all his professional career as an Architect and published numerous articles on housing, urban design, planning and environmental issues. His political career started in 1974 when he became Member of Dublin City Council, which he remained until 1977. He was then Member of Seanad Éireann (1976-1977) and again in 1981-1982. Ruairi Quinn was elected Dáil Éireann in 1977-1981 and in 1982. He was then appointed Minister of State, Department of the Environment (1982-1983), Minister for Labour (1984-1987), Minister for the Public Service (1986-1987), Minister for Enterprise and Employment (1993-1994) and Minister for Finance (1994-1997). Ruairi Quinn was also Chairman Social Affairs Committee, Dáil Éireann (1984), Member of EU Council of Ministers for Social Affairs (1983-1987) and Leader of Civic Alliance and Labour Group (1991-1993). He was Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1990 to 1997 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1997 to 2002. Ruairi Quinn is Member of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland and Member of Amnesty International.
Luciano Vecchi, DS, Italy
Luciano Vecchi was born in 1961. Modenese, he is married and has one daughter. In the 80s Luciano Vecchi was an executive of the Italian Federation of Communist Youth (FGCI), first in Modena and, then, nationally. From 1989 to 1999, during his post as Member of the European Parliament, he was also Secretary General of the Democratici di Sinistra (DS) Delegation. At the European Parliament he held several institutional offices as member of various committees. From 1999 to 2001 he filled the post of Senior Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Following the Congress of Pesaro, Luciano Vecchi was appointed Coordinator of the DS International Department and Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs. Luciano Vecchi has been at the head of Foreign Affairs for the DS since February 2005, becoming member of the national party leadership.
Ugo Intini, SDI, Italy
Ugo Intini was born on 30 June 1941. He has a university degree in Law and is a registered journalist. Has been Chief Editor of "L'Avanti" and Genoa daily newspaper " Il Lavoro". He succeeded Sandro Pertini in 1983 as leading PSI (Italian Socialist Party) candidate in Liguria, for which he has been a deputy since 1994. He was member of the secretariat, spokesperson and representative of the International Socialist Part, and worked with Party Secretary Bettino Craxi and Deputy Secretary Giuliano Amato. After the dismantling of the PSI he worked toward a socialist regrouping, running on an autonomous ticket in the 1996 elections. Later, along with Enrico Boselli, he contributed to founding the SDI (Italian Democratic Socialist Party), which was the continuation of the PSI. He was elected to the Lower House during the 9th, 10th, 11th and 14th legislatures. He was Undersecretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the 13th legislature of the 2nd Amato government. He was elected during the previous legislature as a representative of the Olive Branch Party (Ulivo) in the 6th constituency of Genoa (Sestri Ponente-Cornigliano-Sampierdarena). He was President of the Italian Democratic Socialists Group of the Lower House, and member of the 3rd Standing Committee (Foreign Affairs) and the Documentation Oversight Committee. He is currently Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs in the 2nd Prodi government and member of the national board of Socialisti democratici italiani.
Janis Dinevics - LSDSP Latvia
Janis Dinevics was born in Riga in 1948. He graduated from Riga Polytechnical Institute in 1971, becoming afterwards senior lecturer in the Institute. In 1988 he worked in the Latvian People`s Front and was elected as one of Vice-Chairman of LPF; from 1990 to 1993 Janis Dinevics was a member of the Highest Council of the Republic of Latvia from Latvian People`s Front and become leader of this faction. Having become a member of LSDSP in 1988, he was nominated Secretary General of the party in 1991. In 2005 he was elected deputy of Riga City Council; in the same year he was also elected Vice-Chairman of LSDP.
Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, LSDP, Lithuania
Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis was born on 9 August 1951 in Kiusur, Balunsk region, in the Autonomous Republic of Jakutija. His parents were deported in 1941 and returned to Lithuania in 1958. He graduated from Kaunas Medical Institute (currently the Medical University) as a surgeon. He also graduated with honours from Vilnius State University (Department of History). From 1976 to 1985, he worked at Kaunas and Ignalina hospitals. From 1984 to 1990, he was a surgeon at Vilnius Republican hospital. From 1975 to 1982, he participated in the activity of the illegal university of humanistic self-educational thought named after A. Strazdelis and in 1976 he was arrested by Soviet authorities for that activity and sentenced to 3 years of forced registration in Ignalina. Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis was elected to the Supreme Council - Reconstituent Seimas in 1990-1992. He was a member of the group, which prepared the 11 March documents, a member of the National Scientific Conception and National Health Conception Group, and a member of the groups preparing the Constitution. He was Member of the Seimas from 1992 to 2004, worked in the Health Care, Social Affairs and Labour, and European Committees, assisted in drawing up draft laws on social, labour, health care, state administration, and European integration.
Alex Bodry, LSAP, Luxembourg
Alex Bodry was born in Dudelange, Luxembourg, on 3 October 1958. He is married and has two daughters. He got a Masters Degree in Law at the University of Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne) and did complementary studies on Luxembourguese law. He was elected Member of Parliament in 1984, and has been re-elected ever since. Between 1989 and 1999 Alex Bodry was: Minister of the Environment and Planning; Minister of the Police; Minister of Energy, of Youth and Sports and Minister of Communications. He is mayor of Dudelange and a barrister. He is also MP and vice-president of the parliamentary group of Luxembourg’s Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) since 1999. He has been president of the LSAP since October 2004.
Dr George Vella, PL, Malta
Dr George Vella was born in 1942. He is married and has three children. He has been a doctor by profession since 1964. He was elected as a member of the Maltese parliament in 1978 and headed Malta’s delegation at the local and regional authorities conference in the Council of Europe. He was also a substitute member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and of the Council’s commission for the relations with the European Parliament. Between 1996 and 1998 Dr George Vella was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. In April 1997 he was appointed honorary President of the second Euro-Med Conference which was held in Malta. As Malta’s Foreign Minister, Dr Vella made official visits to China, Italy, Belgium, Tunisia, Austria, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Greece, Germany and Egypt. He representaed the Malta Labour Party at various meetings of the OSCE, IPU and Socialst International. Dr Vella was also the Malta Labour Party’s substitute member at the Convention for the Future of Europe. Today he is the Malta Labour Party’s main spokesperson on European Affairs.
Marije Laffeber, Netherlands
Marije Laffeber was born on 21 June 1974 in Dordrecht, the Netherlands. She studied Dutch Law (University of Groningen) and Journalism and Communication (Windesheim academy Zwolle). She was member of the Young Socialists in the PvdA (1993 – 2001) active as chair of both the international and the feminism and multiculturalism committee. She was member of the presidium of the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) from 1997 – 2001. She started her professional career as press and Communications officer for the PvdA and she worked for Socialist International Women in London. Marije Laffeber is presently member (since 2003) of the executive committee of the Dutch Labour Party (PvdA), elected by the PvdA congress in the position of International secretary. Furthermore she is member of the board of the Alfred Mozer Foundation, member of the board of the Evert Vermeer Foundation, member of the PvdA election manifesto committee for the European elections, member of the PvdA South North Committee for development as well as member of the Ethics Committee of the Socialist International.
Espen Barth Eide, DNA, Norway
Espen Barth Eide was born on 1 May 1964. He studied political science at the University of Oslo and Ciencias Políticas, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. He started his professional career as Project director and acting secretary general of the Norwegian European Movement during the campaign preceding Norway’s 1994 referendum on membership in the European Union (1991-1993). From 1993 to 1996, he was Researcher then Director of NUPIs UN Programme (1996-2000). From 2000 to 2001, he was State Secretary (Deputy Foreign Minister) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 2002, he has been Director of the Department of International Politics at Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. Espen Barth Eide is an active member of the Labour Party since 1979. He has held several positions in the Labour Party Youth (early 1980s), later Labour Party particularly in relation to the international work of the party.
Andrzej Szejna, SLD, Poland
Andrzej Szejna was born on 28 April 1973 in Konskie, Poland. He studied Law and Economics in Vienna and Warsaw. He started his carrier in 1996 as an assistant at the department of international law at the Warsaw School of Economics. From 1997 to 2000, he was deputy chairman of the board of the Warsaw School of Economics Foundation. From 2001 to 2003, he was nominated advisor to secretary of State in the Ministry of Finance. From 2003 to 2004, he was undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Economy, labour and social policy in charge of foreign investment and export promotion and Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency (PAIiIZ). In 2004, Andrzej Szejna was undersecretary of State in the office of the committee for European integration (UKIE). As from 2004, he is member of the European Parliament, vice-president of the legal affairs committee. Regarding his public activities, he was chairman of the students' Parliament of the Republic of Poland and member of the presidium of the supreme council for higher education from 1997 to 1999. From 1998 to 2002 he was member of the commission for student credits and loans in the ministry of national education. Andrzej Szejna is also vice- president of the international secretariat of Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) and member of the national board and the national council of Democratic Left Alliance.
Katarzyna Matuszewska, UP, Poland
Katarzyna Matuszewska was born on 11 March 1974. She has been Member of the Polish Labour Youth since 1995. As from 1999, she has been Member of the international team of the Falcon Educational Center Kurt Loewenstein, Werftpfuhl, Germany; she is a Lecturer and manages international training programs. Between 1999 and 2001, she was International Secretary of Polish Labour Youth. In 2001, she co-founded the Foundation for European Education Stefan Okrzeja, where she does volunteer work on the projects for democratisation of East Europe, especially in Belarus and Ukraine in co-operation with the Forum for Democracy and Solidarity. From 2002 to 2004, she was Political Adviser to the Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Chairperson of Unia Pracy/Union of Labour, Responsible for International Relations. Since 2002, she has been Member of the PES Presidency and International Secretary of Unia Pracy/Union of Labour (UP). As from January 2005, she is President of the Council of the Foundation for European Education Stefan Okrzeja.
José Manuel Lello Ribeiro de Almeida, PS, Portugal
José Manuel Lello Ribeiro de Almeida was born on 18 May 1944. He is an engineer and Enterprise Manager. He has been Member of the Portuguese National Parliament since 1983. He was Chairman of the National Parliament Administration Minister of Youth and of Sport from 2000 to 2002. He was appointed Secretary of State of the Portuguese Communities from 1995 to 2000. José Manuel Lello Ribeiro de Almeida is International Secretary of the Portuguese Socialist Party. He is also Member of National Parliamentary Defence Committee; Member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly – Vice-President of Science and Technology Committee. He is Vice-President of the Luso-Arabic Institute for Cooperation.
Adrian Severin, PSD, Romania
Adrian Severin was born in Bucharest in March 28, 1954. He graduated in Law in the University of Bucharest and pursued his studies, having post-graduate diplomas in economy, management, marketing and industrial property rights. Mr. Severin has been a Member of Parliament, Chamber of Deputies, since 1990; moreover, he was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs (1996-1997) and, at international level, he was elected President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (2000-2002). Given his effort and determination in Romania’s access to the EU he was the Head of Delegation of Romanian Observers in the EP. Since Romania’s accession, in January 1, 2007, he is a Member of the European Parliament. Presently, Mr. Severin is Director Coordinator of the “Ovidiu Sincai” Institute as well as President of the Advisory Board of the “Ovidiu Sincai” European School.
Borut Pahor, SD, Slovenia
Borut Pahor was born on 2 November 1963 in Postojna. He is married and has one child. In 1987 he graduated in International Relations from FSPN with highest award (Faculty of Social Sciences in Ljubljana). In 1990 he was elected as a delegate to the Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia. From the year 1992 until 2004 he was four times elected as a member of Slovenian National Assembly. In the time frame 2000-2004 he was President of the Slovenian National Assembly. Among many , he was Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee (1990-1992), member of the European Affairs Committee (1992-1996), Chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee (1995), Vice-President of the National Assembly (1996-1997), member of the Foreign Relations Committee and the Constitutional Commission (2000-2004). From the very beginning he participated in, and subsequently headed, the Slovenian Parliamentary Delegation to the Council of Europe (1993-2000). In 1996 he was appointed one of the Delegation´s Deputy Chairman. He was member of the Assembly of the Western European Union (1993-1997) and member of the Executive Committee of the Interparliamentary Union (1995-1996). Since 1997 he is the President of the Political Party United List of Social Democrats who renamed in April 2005 to Social Democrats (SD). In June 2004 he was elected as a member of the European Parliament. Since then he is member of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, Member of the Committee on Budgetary Control, Committee on Constitutional Affairs, and substitute member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chairman of the Delegation to EU-Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee.
Carlos Carnero, PSOE, Spain
Carlos Carnero was born on 24 November 1961. He has been a member of the European Parliament since 1994. Carlos Carnero is a member of the Parliament's Constitutional Affairs committee and is the spokesman for the PES Group of the European Parliament's Delegation to the EMPA. He is a member of the Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries; the Delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly; and the Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee. He is a Member of the Partido Socialista Obrero Español Council on International Relations, where he directs the Working Group on Mediterranean Affairs. He was a Member of the Partido Socialista Obrero Español Federal Committee (2001-2004). He is also a Member of the Steering Committee of the European Movement. Carlos Canero was the Nueva Izquierda European Policy Secretary (1998-2001) and IU External Policy Secretary (1992-1997). He was the Chairman of the Parliament's team of observers at the parliamentary elections in Lebanon. He is a Member of the Federalist Intergroup for the European Constitution. He is a Member of the editorial team of the Spanish political review 'Temas'.
Carin Jämtin, SAP, Sweden
Carin Jämtin was born in Stockholm in 1964. She is married and has two children. She studied at Stockholm University (1987-1989). She started her career as Treasurer, Swedish Social Democratic Youth League (1992-1994). She then became Chairwoman of the National Council of Swedish Youth Organisations (1993-1995). From 1994 to 1995, she was Acting Secretary of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League. In 1995-1996, she was Swedish Social Democratic Party official. In 1996-1997, she became Member of the Reference Group on a New Swedish African Policy. From 1996-1999, she was Policy Officer at the Olof Palme International Center, of which she became Deputy Secretary General (1999-2003). Since 2001, Carin Jämtin has been Board member of Stockholm Consumers Cooperative Society. From 2003 to 2006, she was Swede’s Minister for Development and Cooperation.
Walter Suter, SP, Switzerland
Walter Suter was born 1943 in Zurich, Switzerland. He graduated from the School for Public Administration of the Canton of Zurich, joined the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1964 and after his training he was successively transferred to Paris, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Santiago de Chile, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Mumbai and Freiburg in Breisgau. From 1989 onwards, Walter Suter served as Head of the Swiss Diplomatic Missions in Paraguay and Lebanon, and as well as Consul General in Vancouver. In 1999 he becomes a member of the Socialist Party of Switzerland (SPS). He is then one of the co-founders of the International section of the party and the next year, he integrates the SPS Group of Experts for Foreign and Security Policy. In 2003, Walter Suter is nominated Ambassador of Switzerland to Venezuela, as well as to Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Kitts and Nevis. In August 2007 Walter Suter ends his mission in Venezuela, retires from the diplomatic career and becomes the President of the International Section of the SPS. He is the permanent representative of the SPS to the PES.
Ahmet Turk, DTP, Turkey
Ahmet Türk was born in the Mardin region in 1942. He studied at the Academy of Economical and Commercial Sciences of Ankara and entered the Parliament in 1973 as a deputy of Mardin for the CHP (Party of the Popular Republic).
After two supplementary parliamentary mandates, he was arrested in 1980 following the coup d’état and he was condemned to 22 months of house arrest. Due to a political ban he could not have access to politics until 1986. In 1987 he became deputy of Mardin in the Parliament for the SHP (Popular Socio-Democratic Party).
He was ousted from the Parliament together with other 6 members of the SHP for having participated to a Kurdish Conference organized in Paris. He was among the founding fathers of HEP (Popular party of Workers) and he also was its President for a while. Afterwards he found the DEP (Democratic Party of Work) and HADEP (Democratic Party of People), whose he held the Presidency. After the coalition between DEP and SHP, he entered the Parliament again in the list of SHP at the elections held in 1991.
In 1994 he was deprived of his immunity and therefore put under house arrest. He was released after 22 months of prison.
He was elected Co-President and founder together with Aysel Tugluk at the Congress of DTP (Democratic Society Party) on 24-25 October 2005. On 25 June 2006 at the ordinary Congress he was unanimously elected President.
Zita Gurmai, President of PES Women
Zita Gurmai was elected as President of PES Women on 21 October 2004. Her ambition is to work with PES Women members to strengthen PES Women’s activities within a reinvigorated PES. Zita has been active in Hungarian and international women’s movements since the early 1990s. In 1995, she became involved in the women’s section of the Hungarian Socialist Party, after which she was elected President of the organisation in 2001. One of her first major initiatives as President was to launch the “Women for Change” movement, often referred to as “yellow scarf movement”, which was successful in advocating the introduction of gender quotas in the Hungarian Socialist Party. Zita was instrumental in establishing and directing three foundations (Women in Public, Our Future, the Europe of the new Millennium Foundation and the Real Equal Opportunities Foundation) in Hungary which seek to improve gender equality in different areas. Zita plays an important role in the activities of the Central and Eastern European Network for Gender Issues which was set up in1998. The mission of the network is to assist progressive women from socialist and social democratic parties and NGOs in organising and promoting gender equality campaigns and initiatives. Elected as an MP in April 2002, Zita worked on the Hungarian Parliament’s Committees on European Integration and Foreign Affairs. In the first European elections of the EU of 25 member states (June 2004), Zita was elected Member of the European Parliament. She is currently Vice-President of the Parliament’s Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee and a member of Regional Development Committee. In the period preceding Hungary’s accession to the EU, Zita was an observer to the European Parliament. Zita is also active on a global level. She is vice-president of Socialist International Women (elected in 1999). Amongst other activities, Pia Locatelli, President of Socialist International Women, and Zita are currently working on a Global Progressive Forum project on women and globalisation.
Giacomo Filibeck, President of ECOSY
Giacomo Filibeck was born in Italy in 1978. He is studying political science in Rome. He is currently the President of ECOSY – Young European Socialists. Giacomo Filibeck is politically involved in youth NGO’s since high school, holding leadership positions both at the national and international level. He has acquired a vast expertise on youth issues, as well as on the processes and actors in the youth field. He has provided political input on behalf of youth in many of the most relevant national, European and world processes related to youth policy. He has been President of the Youth convention on the future of Europe and a first line observer of this constitutional process. As a board member of Sinistra Giovanile, he was ECOSY vice president from 2001 till 2003. After his commitment in ECOSY, he became President of the European Youth Forum, the European Platform of National Youth Councils and International Youth NGO’s, with 93 member organisations. Giacomo Filibeck has been active, especially in the field of Education and Human Rights and Equality. He contributed to many seminars, conferences and working groups at the EU level, the Council of Europe and the UN.
Mercedes Bresso, President of the Socialists Group in the Committee of the Regions
Mercedes Bresso was born on 12 July 1944 in Sanremo, Imperia (Italy). She is married and is Doctor in Economics and Commerce. She has been a University professor of economic institutions at the Polytechnic of Turin - Faculty of Engineering since 1973. She has brought the centre-left back to power after almost 15 years of right-wing government in the Piedmont Region. Mercedes Bresso became President of Piedmont in April 2005. She resigned as an MEP and returned to the Committee of the Regions. From 1995 up to 2004, Mercedes Bresso was President of the Province of Turin and President of the Union of the Piedmont Provinces, as well as a member of the Presidency Office of the Union of the Italian Provinces (UPI) in charge of European and international affairs. She was a member of the Committee of the Regions from 1998 to 2004, leading the delegation of the Italian provinces. From 1985 to 1995, she was regional Councillor of Piedmont and in 1994-1995 Regional Minister for Territorial Planning and Parks. She has been PES Group’s President of the Committee of the Regions since 3 February 2006.
