Presseschau: Progressive Caucus
28. November 2018
EURACTIV
‘Progressive alliance’ moves a step closer ahead of EU elections, by Sarantis Michalopoulus
„The leaders of the Social Democrats (S&D), Greens and leftist group (GUE/NGL) sat for the first time at the same table to discuss the possibility of a common strategy ahead of the EU elections in May to face down the rise of far-right and neoliberal forces.
Speaking at a conference organised by Progressive Caucus, an informal group of MEPs from the three political groups, Udo Bullmann (S&D), Ska Keller (Greens) and Gabi Zimmer (GUE-NGL) underscored the need for a progressive alliance.
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Leftist Zimmer, who recently said that social democrats are not the “enemy” of the leftist parties, referred to the manifesto of Ventotene, a pro-EU federalist political statement written by Altiero Spinelli and Ernesto Rossi when they were prisoners on the Italian island of Ventotene during the Second World War.
“We need a new Europe of real socialist nature, which could bring together what we mean on social rights, ecological standards and democracy,” Zimmer noted.
Zimmer said the progressive alliance should not be limited to political parties but also reach out to civil society organisations; Otherwise, the fight against extremism will be lost…“
The full-text article can be found here.
La gauche européenne tente de mettre en place une alliance progressiste
S&D, Grüne, Linke: Ein Annäherungsversuch
Zusätzlich: „…Özlem Alev Demirel wird voraussichtlich neben dem Abgeordneten Martin Schirdewan als Spitzenkandidatin für Die Linke zur Europawahl antreten. Im Interview mit EURACTIV spricht sie über ihre politischen Schwerpunkte.
Die Fraktionschefin sagte weiter, das angedachte progressive Bündnis sollte sich nicht auf politische Parteien beschränken, sondern auch zivilgesellschaftliche Organisationen einbeziehen. Andernfalls drohe der Kampf gegen den Extremismus verloren zu gehen…“
Auch erschienen im Tagesspiegel
25. November 2018
ATHENS NEWS AGENCY (ANA)
‚We need a new economic and social model that works for the many – not just the few‘
„The time of the ‚Grand Coalition‘ with the centre-right is past and Europe needs a radical change in policy, with a new economic and social model that does not only work for the few, the head of the Socialists & Democrats group in the European Parliament Udo Bullmann said in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) correspondent Christina Vasilaki.
The interview was given ahead of an event planned by the „Progressive Caucus“ (Socialdemocrats, Greens and the Left) next Tuesday to analyse the differences and build bridges between the progressive allies in the European Parliament, entitled „European Integration: The role of Progressive Forces“.
Participants will include the leaders of the European Parliament’s S&D group Udo Bullman, of the Greens/EFA group Ska Keller and the GUE/NGL group Gabi Zimmer. The opening speech will be delivered by European Parliament Vice-President and head of SYRIZA MEPs Dimitris Papadimoulis…“