PES

Bonjour, Nous devons nous rendre compte que pour gagner la majorite au parlement europeen,chaque parti socialiste doit d'abord convaincre dans son pays. Pour cela il doit y avoir une unification le plus possible de la gauche.sans cela le PS français ne gagnera pas,du a l'emiettement par la multiplication des listes de gauche Cela veut dire que des accods doivent être negociés entre les partis de gauche, et cela veut dire que la representation au parlement ne peut pas etre que de socialiste. Peut etre faut il definr un nom specifique de la representation de gauche au parlement europeen. amitie socialiste Manuel Navarro NB:j'étais au meeting à la halle au grain à Toulouse

Let's not pretend the 2009 Manifesto, as it emerged was Great. It was good... but not Great. And it should have been better after the consultation, but something happened. It got "neutered" It contained vague commitments to "review" neo-liberal policies. After all that, the Manifesto ended up full of Wonk-Speak. Not good enough. Wonkers Wonk ! If there is a programme that would say clearly - that the PES wants public utilities to STAY PUBLIC AND LOCAL - that would be a start. Add to this an increasing emphasis on "humanising" the work of the ECB. Democratising workplaces. Giving guaranteed access for workplace representatives. Supporting young college and school-leavers. Finding a way round the pensions crisis. Encourage localised food sourcing and helping upgrade the infrastructure for long-life exports. One more time. PUBLIC. LOCAL. That has to be the future of the PES - and it may happen. In the next elections, our national parties will look different. By the way, Please don't rename the PES to Democrats. Please don't.

Well, I am very disappointed with the results in Portugal not so much for the Socialist results there but for the number of people who didn't vote. People don't see how being part of the EU affects their every-day life. My suggestion is a "Without the EU- Day"...A day where everything we have that is a direct or indirect result of being part of the EU would be "withdrawn". People might then see the full extenct of the priviledge! As for the results of Socialist party in Portugal, I must say it does not surprise me. I for once don't recognize people in the party as people who represent the Socialist Party I belong to. People with personal interests and actions that go gainst everything the Socialist party stands for. They have no respect for the founders nor the ideas for which the party is supposed to stand for. They are all merely using the party's name as a cover for their own private enterprises. And still, the main bodies of the party have no action against these people who stain the name and destroy everything that was built. These young in age but old and narrown-minded politicians... they care for nothing else but their own interests and have no care for the job they are supposed to do has representatives of the people. My vote is locked but many who usually swing around may have preferred to stay home than to vote for something else. It may be it is the same everywhere else in Europe...The Socialist Party should sit down and find a way to have a better grip on its members, because in the end of the day, it is the grassroot politician who has the first contact with the voters. And it is this politician who will represent the Socialist Party for the voters. How they perceive this person will influence everything else. And right now, people perceive socialist politicians has negatively as the the prejudiced prototype of "the politician" could be. That has to be changed and it should start with the higher levels of the party paying closer attention to the ones who really transmit the message... But then again, this is just my opinion...Still, I would hope that the nowadays socialist party in Portugal would be more of a reflection of the Socialist Party founded by Dr Mário Soares and others. That's the PS I belong to. That's the PS people trust and vote for. This PS is being used, abused and destroyed by those taking advantage of the good name it built...and people are not stupid...They can see through the curtains! So, in a way, hurray! At least it's a wake up call! So wake up! And do something! At the local level and at the EU level. The PES has imense potential but it has to define itself, and stop seeking this externalized locus of attention and start focusing on itself and its members more and on what it means to be a socialist. Only when politicians start embrassing their work as a job with rules and guidelines will they start doing a good job. A job for the people who elect them. Saudações Socialistas/Socialist Greetings, Rita Bento

I think that the PES should become a true sovranational European progressive party, also with the contribution of other external (non traditionally Socialist forces: democrats, greens and far left too) efforts: the party of European citizens and workers, with common European politics (that are not negatively influenced by national interests) and common leaders, too. President Obama has won the election with a political agenda which is storngly inspired to an "European way of life": the necessity of a national, public and free health care system, of new foreign politics based on diplomacy rather than war, the end of the myth of a self-ruling economy. Our identity lies in the French revolution ideals of freedom, equality and fraternity, in struggles for workers and civil rights, in the fight against nazifascism, tyranny and discrimination. We have to renew the "challenge" of an open welfare state based on solidarity and above all equality of changes. We have to understand that the unique true solution to globalization and open job market is not protectionism but the globalization of workers rights and incomes. We need common European strategies for the evironment with strong investments on the new sustainable sources of energy. We need to manage immigration at an Europan level, without leaving the single states alone.

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