Left in Government in a majority of EU countries

23 April 2006
 
Commenting on Ferenc Gyurcsany's election victory in Hungary, giving the Hungarian Socialist Party the first second-term in Hungary's post Soviet history, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, President of the party of European Socialists said:  
 
"The Hungarian people have voted for a social democratic path to renewal and modernisation. It is a well deserved vote of confidence in Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany."
 
"The European left is on the move. With victory for the left in Hungary hot on the heels of victory in Italy, the Party of European Socialists is in Government (power or coalition) in 14 out of 25 member states. The fact that the left is in power in a majority of states is deeply significant for the future direction of Europe."
 
"A new, modern European left is emerging from these election victories. A left that stands for a Social Europe. A left that believes that it is possible to combine a free market economy with good public services, decent social protection and high environmental standards. A left that has moved away old policies but that has drawn a clear line between itself and the right, between social democrats and free market liberals, between social democracy and neo-conservatism."
 
"This progressive momentum needs to be maintained with elections in June in the Czech Republic, where I believe Jiri Paroubek's Social Democrats deserve another term in office, and Slovakia where the Social Democrats led by Robert Fico can reform the flat rate tax fiasco which has created unacceptable inequality and unfairness. With Social Democrats looking capable of winning the Austrian elections in November, there is potentially a big shift in the political complexion of central Europe, with obvious implications for the whole of Europe."

Following the recent elections in Hungary and Italy there will be Socialist, Social Democratic and Labour Prime Ministers in seven EU countries - UK, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary, Czech Republic and Lithuania -  with a further 6 countries with PES member parties in coalition Governments - Germany, Italy, Belgium, Finland, Luxembourg and Cyprus.

There will be national Parliamentary elections later this year in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden and Austria.

The next three EU Presidencies - Finland, Germany and Portugal - will also feature Social Democrats and Socialists in Government.

For more information: Julian Scola, Press Officer, Party of European Socialists, mobile +32 486 117 394,