One year of PES activists: Political history being made

PES activists is a phenomenon – and like all successful initiatives it is growing in ways that exceed our expectations. This is because PES activists is genuinely happening at the grassroots.

PES activists is an initiative to enable the rank and file members of PES member parties – 32 of Europe’s leading socialist, social democratic and labour parties – to become more active at a European level. And how active they have become!

Since its launch in May 2006 almost 6,000 have joined. Envisaged primarily as a web-based community by the Party of European Socialists its biggest success has been the setting up of PES groups in cities across Europe. Ten PES groups have been set up from Paris to Warsaw, from Geneva to Stockholm and another 5 are in the process of being set up in Barcelona, Kopenhagen and elsewhere.

Some groups are members of a national party wanting to promote discussion about Europe – like in those in Paris and Stockholm - others are expatriate members of different PES member parties wanting to get together and get engaged with local as well as European politics – like in Warsaw and Geneva.

PES activists has only started and already the action is on:

Through PES activists website Irish activists traveled to Sweden to help in the general election, and now Irish activists have invited all PES activists to come to Ireland to take part in the Irish elections.

In Poznan, Poland, a PES activists group is planning a summer workshop for activists from all over Europe. This followed a brave initiative when local activists organised a march for tolerance using placards from the PES campaign “Diversity YES Intolerance NO”.  

Portuguese PES activists were engaged in the campaign for a ‘yes’ vote in the referendum to decriminalize abortion.

In Warsaw local elections were the catalyst for bringing together a PES group when expatriate members of various PES member parties realized they could contribute more effectively – and liaise better with the local party – if they organized themselves into one PES group.

In Geneva members of various parties from the large long-standing expatriate community transformed their Euro-socialist group into a PES group – the first to draw up its own statutes.

Over 150 activists came – at their own expense – from all over Europe to the PES Congress in Porto, a lively addition to the over 300 official party delegates.

And it’s only beginning! PES activists is a strong concept – it helps fulfill the need for greater democratic political involvement in EU politics – and brings people together to work for our progressive vision of Europe. Don’t miss the action!

Get involved!

Activists holding roses and PES Women leaflets about the 15% gender pay gap in Poland during the Gender Pay Day

Irish activists in Sweden suporting SAP during the campaign for legislative elections

PES President, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, meeting a group of activists in Varsow, Poland

Activists in PES Congress in Porto, Portugal, show the pannels supporting PES campaign "Diversity YES, Intolerance NO"

PES campaign "Diversity YES, Intolerance NO" - Activists demonstrate in Poznan, Poland