“New Party, New Vision”

by Poul Nyrup Rasmussen

The PES is setting out a renewed vision of European social democracy in this new age of globalisation and multi-level politics. We are doing this through a new relationship with political institutions at European level and combined, new efforts to engage in common political work, through timely, agenda-setting initiatives. We are also setting out our commitment to more dialogue with ordinary people on the future of Europe. 

Last year, PES leaders set out our progressive new vision of what Europe should achieve over the next five years in our Declaration “Developing Europe 2005-2009”. European social democrats will now work towards setting rather than reacting to the EU agenda and delivering on people’s hopes and concerns in this way.

These past few months of experience in this new, pro-active political role have already been very positive for the PES. So far we’ve worked hard to achieve a Lisbon Strategy that reflected socialist priorities, during the Strategy’s mid-term review concluded at the March European Council. We contributed to a successful outcome, through the combined efforts of the PES and its parliamentary group in the European Parliament, as the European Council heeded our calls for a balanced development strategy for Europe, which took social and environmental progress as a pre-condition for, rather than a cost to, competitiveness.

Our recent PES Council in Vienna has also taken us a further step forward in giving the PES a pro-active role in relation to the EU Agenda. PES parties adopted seven priorities for the EU Policy Agenda 2006, ranging from the doubling of the target for renewable energy to more effective European anti-discrimination legislation and an appropriate legal framework for services of general interest.

I hope that, through this common work, we will be in a stronger position to achieve progressive policies at European level.

But beyond this political work at EU level, we must start connecting to our party members and our electorates on their hopes and expectations through a new dialogue with them. This was the important decision taken by our Leaders at the Vienna Council. It is time we let people have their say. It is not so much a question of bringing the EU closer to citizens, but about taking the concerns of citizens as our point of departure in governments and at European level.

As a party of parties, this process of renewed dialogue on Europe, internal modernisation and political activity takes place against a backdrop of strengthened relations between our member parties. The reform of the PES, adopted at the Vienna Council, will make the PES more democratic, more effective and more influential. In this way, PES parties will together create a better space of political influence and campaigning in Europe.

The challenge we now face is to communicate our efforts to our party members and the general public. We must show that social democrats are listening and that we can make a difference in Europe.

I am pleased to be able to update you on our efforts through this new newsletter. I hope you enjoy reading it.  

Warm regards,
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen