About the PES

The Party of European Socialists (PES) brings together the Socialist, Social Democratic and Labour Parties of the European Union (EU). Its aims include:

the strengthening of the socialist and social democratic movement in the Union and throughout Europe;
the development of close working relationships between the national parties, the national parliamentary groups, the Parliamentary Group of the PES, PES Women, ECOSY, and other socialist and social democratic organisations;
the definition of common policies for the European Union; and
the adoption of a common manifesto for elections to the European Parliament.

There are 33 full member parties from the 27 EU member States and Norway. In addition, there are twelve associate and five observer parties. The PES was founded in 1992 following the Treaty on European Union and the recognition of the importance of political parties at a European level in Article 191 of the Treaty. It succeeded the Confederation of Socialist Parties of the European Community, which had been set up in 1974.

PES leaflet , December 2007