By Martin Banks - 27th April 2009
We must have the necessary time to form our parliamentary group in order to exercise our full democratic functions
PES declaration
Socialist candidates for the European elections from all over Europe have issued a series of demands for the first 100 days in the newly-elected parliament.
Meeting in Toulouse on Friday for the launch of the PES European elections campaign, socialist, social democratic, labour and democratic progressive candidates from 20 EU countries agreed a declaration urging the EU to "change course".
It said, "The European elections on 4-7 June will be fundamental for people’s future. We are in the deepest global recession since the 1930s, mass unemployment could reach 27 million. In the space of two years, we will have lost 10 million jobs, with dramatic social consequences for people all over Europe.
"In addition, we have a global climate emergency and a humanitarian crisis in the developing world. The EU urgently needs to change course.
"This crisis is a test for European leadership.
"We demand that in the first 100 days following the European elections, seven steps are taken to fight the recession and mass unemployment and to ensure social security."
It said these include formulating a "new, strong recovery plan for Europe, with coordinated investments in jobs and green growth".
"The PES has proposed a European recovery plan, which could stop mass unemployment and create a new direction," it says.
The pan-European party also calls for "effective regulation and supervision of the financial markets, covering all financial actors and instruments, including hedge funds and private equity.
"The PES has made clear proposals on what to do to avoid devastating new financial bubbles in the future."
A new "women’s rights charter" to improve women's right and opportunities is also on their wish list as is "an urgent, common European roadmap for a global new deal, to be agreed at the G20 before the end of 2009".
The declaration states, "The European elections of 4-7 June will be the occasion for Europe's citizens to exercise their democratic right to determine the future course of the EU.
"For this reason, we demand that member states respect and agree on ensuring the newly-elected parliament plays its full democratic role in consultations on the new leadership of the commission.
"We must have the necessary time to form our parliamentary group in order to exercise our full democratic functions.
"The economic and financial crisis is far from over. Men and women across Europe face a choice in these European elections: between a progressive EU which puts people first in tackling the crisis and the real challenges we face; or a conservative EU which is passive in the face of worsening recession and mass unemployment, leaving our future in the hands of the market.
"This crisis must be used to turn the future into a new opportunity for people. New European leadership must ensure that no effort is spared to bring an end to the recession.
"We commit to the men and women across Europe to put their interests first and take Europe in a new direction in June 2009."
Among those taking part in the campaign launch in the French city were several Socialist party leaders, including Martine Aubry (France), Poul Nyrup Rasmussen (PES), George Papandreou (Greece, Socialist International), Ilkka Kantola (Finland), Monika Lamperth (Hungary), Vittorio Craxi (Italy), Juri Pihl (Estonia), Ivans Dainis (Latvia), Yiannakis Omirou (Cyprus), Joseph Muscat (Malta) and Laszlo Kapolyi (Hungary).
Martin Schulz, who currently leads the Socialist group in parliament, was also present.
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