José Socrates
Prime Minister
Portugal

Wednesday 6 April 2005

Re: election results in Portugal and planned referendum on abortion laws

Dear Prime Minister,

I wanted to take the opportunity to congratulate you and your party on your resounding victory in your national elections on 20 February.

The European socialist family is delighted to have a new Prime Minister in Portugal. I look forward to working with you to ensure that we can create more and better jobs for women and men and better living conditions for the many not the few across the European Union. Let’s hope that your victory will trigger other socialist electoral victories in Europe.

On behalf of PES Women, I would like to express my disappointment that there are only two women in your 16-member cabinet and that there is not a minister dedicated to equality issues.

However I do not doubt your good will and I am confident that you are aware of the problem. I hope that you will help to increase women's participation in your party and government in the immediate future.

PES Women is also interested in your planned referendum on easing the strict abortion laws in Portugal. We would be very happy if you or one of your ministers could come to one of our meetings in Brussels to discuss the matter. The next PES Women meeting will take place on Thursday 30 June 2005.

Best wishes

Zita Gurmai
President of PES Women

PES Women brings together female politicians and activists from European socialist, social democratic and labour parties, within the Party of European Socialists.