PES leader plays down prospects of Red-Green alliance

Danish MEP Poul Nyrup Rasmussen has played down the prospects of Socialists forming a new informal alliance with the Greens after June's European elections.

Rasmussen said it was "too early to speculate" on the composition of the new parliament.

He was responding to press speculation that the Socialists will "abandon" the informal alliance it currently has with the centre-right EPP group which sees the two biggest groups dividing key committee chairmanships and presidency of the assembly.

Media reports suggest the Socialist group will, instead, form an alliance with the Greens group in the new parliament.

Rasmussen, president of the pan-European Party of European Socialists (PES) responded by issuing a statement, which said, "It is too early to speculate about the composition of new majorities in parliament.

"We will have to see the outcome of the elections. What is clear is that if a new majority is possible then José Manuel Barroso, who is not the candidate of the PES, would not become commission president."

This was a reference to the current commission president who is seeking re-election for a second term.

Daniel Cohn-Bendit, joint leader of the Greens, said he welcomed the possibility of a so-called 'Red-Green' alliance, saying it would be "best equipped" to help tackle the current economic crisis.

"A Red-Green alliance is the only credible alternative to the 'grand coalition' that is currently paralysing Europe," he said.

"The major challenge after the election will be to secure a majority in parliament around a Red-Green core."

Meanwhile, reports in the media on Wednesday suggest the Socialist group in parliament is set to change its name to the 'Alliance of Social Democrats.'

A PES source said, "No decision has been taken."

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