Iratxe García Pérez is president of the S&D group in the European Parliament and first vice president of the Party of European Socialists. Nicolas Schmit is the common candidate of the Party of European Socialists for the 2024 European election. Stefan Löfven is president of the Party of European Socialists.
Last week, nearly 200 million citizens cast their ballots in the European Parliament election. Most voted for pro-European and democratic forces, making it clear what type of society they want to live in for the years to come.
Their choice was between fundamental principles: being pro- or anti-democracy, being for or against freedom, being for or against solidarity, being for or against the European project of social and economic progress and shared prosperity. And now that the votes have been cast, it’s time for representatives to deliver — and to do so responsibly.
We’re now entering a period of negotiations, where we’ll discuss priorities and a road map for the next five years. As the socialists and democrats, we’re ready for dialogue; we’re ready to debate and build alliances in the interest of Europeans. We’ve appointed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to represent us, to ensure that — as the political family with the second most votes — our priorities are respected.
And we have an absolute redline: We won’t negotiate with the far right.
Today, the dangers presented by the far right are more alive than ever. Europe’s far right has learned to become more presentable, better at pretending to represent working people, better at using their presence in the Parliament to undermine the EU’s very existence from the inside.
We stand by the common candidate principle, but our support for a European Commission presidency candidate isn’t a blank check. We, socialists and democrats, are ready for discussion and compromise based on the program we presented — a program in which millions of citizens put their trust, making us the largest progressive group in the Parliament.
We’ll stand for a Green and Social Deal and demand the EU does more to support the transformation of its industry into a leading global player, built on quality jobs, a skilled workforce and enhanced workers’ rights. This requires us to close the investment gap and develop a sustainable and inclusive economy with a “Made in Europe” approach, delivering fully-fledged strategic autonomy. The EU also needs to tackle its housing crisis and invest in accessible public services.
And finally, it needs to continue supporting Ukraine and upholding the rule of law.
The current challenges Europeans are facing are exceptional. Democracy and rule of law remain under attack, and climate change is accelerating. Russia continues its brutal aggression against Ukraine, threatening Europe’s security and integrity. And innocent people keep dying in a war between a far-right Israeli government and the terrorist group Hamas.
Meanwhile, millions of Europeans still face excessive living and housing costs, precarious working conditions, discrimination, social exclusion and poverty. Women keep fighting for real equality, and the LGBTQ+ community continues to struggle for rights.
Our priority is to answer these challenges. Europe’s destiny must be to remain a beacon of peace, a thriving democracy where rule of law is observed. It must remain the continent of freedom, individual rights and equal opportunities, with a social market economy that reconciles social justice, progress and economic growth, so no one is left behind. It must become a global leader on climate policy.
As socialists and democrats, we’ll continue to work for our citizens and for unity. We stand together for a Europe that’s social, democratic and sustainable.
The promise of our union lies in the strength, diversity and potential of our citizens. It’s time to act responsibly. It’s time to deliver.