PES Newsletter n°15 – December 2006

Put children First – Make Childcare available for everyone

Support the new PES campaign!! Launched at PES Congress by Ségolène Royal and José Socrates the campaign encourages all European Governments to commit to the aim of making pre-school childcare a basic public service for all who want it. Sign our childcare book, watch the movie – pass the word to friends and colleagues.

Europe’s centre-left comes together at PES Congress

Over 1,500 people took part in PES Congress in Porto December 7-8 including over 600 voting delegates, 100 activists, 100 journalists and many guests including Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, Serbian President Boris Tadic, former European Commission President Jacques Delors, top US Democrat Howard Dean and Lebanese leader Walid Jumblatt.  See the photos, read the blogs.

10 Principles for a New Social Europe

Ten principles for the creation of a ‘New Social Europe’, a roadmap for social and economic reform, were adopted by delegates from Europe’s socialist, social democratic and labour parties at PES Congress. The 10 principles are the product of over a year of seminars and discussions across Europe involving all PES member parties. Also presented to Congress was a longer, detailed report on New Social Europe by Jacques Delors and Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.

President Rasmussen re-elected

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen was unanimously re-elected President of the PES for a second term of two and a half years. Also re-elected were Zita Gurmai, President of PES Women, Philip Cordery, Secretary General of the PES and the new PES Presidency 

We, the European centre-left, resolve ….

Common principles for a social democratic approach towards a European Energy Policy were among the resolutions adopted by PES Congress. Other resolutions voted at Congress included ones on Our Common Ambitions (a framework for PES action s 2007-2009), Belarus, the Middle East and media diversity.

More member parties for PES

New PES member parties and organizations agreed at Congress were PSD of Romania and BSP of Bulgaria (now full members of the PES), the DTP of Turkey (Associate party), the DS of Serbia and SDP of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Oberserver parties), and the Rainbow Rose - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual Network – (Observer Organisation).

A real political family

PES Congress 2006 was the first to be attended by PES activists, the first with a programme of fringe meetings and the first with stands and exhibitions. This is just the start of a much more active PES political family involving not only our Prime Ministers and Ministers but also grassroots members and elected representatives from local, regional, national and European levels. Latest in the PES activists web pages are Commissioner Margot Wallstrom’s answers to questions put by PES activists.

In memory of  Robin Cook

Articles by the President of Austria Heinz Fischer, former Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan, and European Commissioner Laszlo Kovacs are just three of the fascinating insights into Robin Cook – the European politician – contained in the new PES brochure “Robin Cook PES President 2001-2004” published in his memory.
For a free copy write to Kamilla Golonka, PES, rue du Trône 98, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.