Consultation archives :
The PES manifesto consultation has ended but our dialogue on 'Yourspace' goes on! We will continue to debate the hot issues that will shape the 2009 European elections - migration, climate change, rising food and energy prices, jobs, equality, the EU treaty - as well as getting ready for the elections and keeping you informed about the preparation of the PES manifesto.
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Published Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 16:27
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Editor
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After a successful workshop on online campaigning at the Vienna Forum, several activists offered us their ideas. Jon Worth pointed to the need for further online debate and commentary in the run up to the 2009 elections. Aidan O’Sullivan highlighted the need for grassroots activist to activist campaigning using all available media. One activist suggested the creation of a Europe wide holiday.
Published Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 15:53
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Editor
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How best to “Save Our Planet”? What contribution can the EU make to this global challenge? In Vienna, PES activists from across Europe had their say on this crucial issue. Anton Muyldermans encouraged innovation in combining social and ecologic measures in efforts against climate change. Jan Hofste suggested the foundation of a European institute to coordinate these efforts and an innovative way to finance it.
Any suggestions on how to balance social and ecological policies? Would you like to see a new European institute to fight climate change?
Tags: activists, energy, environment, forum
Published Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 10:29
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Editor
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During the forum activists showed their interest in a number of round-table discussions, one of which on ‘EU in the world.’
On development, Laura Sullivan said that aid must be “genuine” and “effective.” EU aid policy must take into account the positions of NGOs and trade unions. Also on the subject of development, Emmanuel Drouin expressed the urgent need for a European policy on Africa in order for development to be socially just and democratic.
Barbara Revelli highlighted the importance of the Mediterranean in external relations and asked what contribution the EU can give to the Mediterranean Union. This, of course, is... » read more ...
Tags: activists, Africa, China, development, forum, Mediterranean
Published Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 17:24
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Editor
(108 views and 1 comments)
Often people complain that Europe is not democratic. But is this the case? At the Vienna Forum, Florent Bernard rejected this commonly held view, stating that there are indeed existing democratic mechanisms available to activists in the EU. Rather than complaining about a democratic deficit, activists must use these mechanisms to their full potential in the fight for a better Europe.
Julia Raptis highlighted the role of fear in European politics, particularly in the debate on immigration. She argued that the EU must foster an image of “the good guy” in the form of a Social Union.
What is your image of the EU in the context of globalization? What can Europe do to... » read more ...
Tags: activists, democracy, forum, globalization
Published Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 12:04
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Editor
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Didn't make it to Vienna Forum? Miss it already?
Relive the moment and check out comments and interviews from the Vienna Forum with PES activists from across Europe on our Youtube page and stay tuned to Yourspace for more forum videos on themes such as online campaigning, emocracy and diversity, Europe in the world and Saving our planet.
Tags: activists, campaign, democracy, environment, external relations, forum
Published Monday, July 14, 2008 at 16:28
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Editor
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In the panel
on “Save our Planet”, keynote speaker Michael Mueller, State
Secretary in the German Environment Ministry, explained that a
social-environmental policy could potentially garner support of
55-58 percent of voters. When social democrats and greens in
Europe achieve less than this result, this is due to the
outdatedness of the majority of the programmes of the political
left. According to him, the current environmental challenges need
to be combined with the legacy of left-wing policies. We must
take the lead in designing new strategies, following long-term
tendencies.
The classical welfare state was linked to the national state and to an immense exploitation of nature. Now, we have to construct a new vision on how a better life is possible. The Greens are focusing on how to combine ecology and economy, but the real challenge is of a social nature. In an increasingly unequal world, the richest fifth of the population spends only 2.5% of their income on energy; the poorest fifth spends 9%. Given these facts, Europe should not orient itself towards an American or Asian model.
Louis Lemkow, director of... » read more ...
Tags: climate change, energy, environment, forum
Published Monday, July 14, 2008 at 15:24
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Editor
(224 views and 5 comments)
What should Europe do to deal with migration? And what should be the PES position on the issue? After the adoption by the European Parliament of the directive on the return of illegal immigrants, the question became (even more) crucial!
António Vitorino, former Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs, defends that there is a need to have a “balanced migration policy”. That is to say that, on the one hand, Europe should “fight illegal migration” and, on the other hand, it is necessary to establish long term cooperation agreements with the countries of origin of immigrants. And let's not forget the humanitarian factor: immigrants should be treated with dignity!
What do you think Europe should head for on this issue? In your opinion how can Europe... » read more ...
Tags: development, employment, equality, migration
Published Monday, July 14, 2008 at 09:43
by
rikkeindenmark 
(198 views and 1 comments)
Think Obama,
not Blair!
Be careful with negative campaigning, but not afraid of it!
Online campaigning is as much hard work as traditional
campaigning!
Keep moderation of online fora to a minimum, but make sure
that 'trolls' don't spoil the fun and limit participation!
These were just a few of the conclusions from the workshop on online campaigning at the recent PES activist forum in Vienna.
The workshop's panel consisted in four PES activists sharing
their experiences with online tools: Jon Worth from the UK,
Esteban Romero from Spain, Victor Negrescu from Romania and
myself, Rikke Skovgaard Andersen from Denmark. All speakers are
heavily involved in online campaigning activities.
The presentations varied from general advice on online
campaigning and use of social networks to presentations of
concrete, online activities and tools that PES activists can use.
The panel answered several questions from the audience - among
other things the debate adressed topics such as 'critical mass'
for an online debate forum, advantages vs. disadvantages of
online polls and the feasibility for 'Obama-style' fundraising
via small, online donations.
There's a lot of potential in online campaigning - something which... » read more ...
Tags: activists, campaign, European elections, forum
File:
jon.zip,
rikke.zip
Published Friday, July 11, 2008 at 17:46
by
Editor
(265 views and 2 comments)
The last war on Iraq
showed until which extent Europeans may become divided when it
comes to external policy. Core theme of the manifesto, “Europe in
the World” was also one of the topics discussed in one of the
sessions during the Vienna Forum!
Jean Asselborn (LSAP, Luxembourg), key-note speaker, stressed the role played by the Balkan region to stabilize Europe. The region must be stabilized in the frame of a peaceful Europe. Moreover, the failure of the “Balkan project” will have as a consequence the failure of Europe as a peace project.
Asselborn defended that the EU must assume a role in the Middle East. On the one hand Israel has the very right to exist, but it must stop its settlement policy and the blockade of the West Bank. The key to world peace lies in this region of the globe.
Piero Fassino (DP, Italy), the second key-note speaker on this session, underlined that what is lacking in Europe is not transparency – the procedures are very clear – but democracy! Citizens feel that they do not participate in the construction process of the EU.
» read more ...
Tags: Africa, Balkans, EU, external policy, forum
Published Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 12:41
by
Gregory
(300 views and 1 comments)
Commençons par une
bonne nouvelle : les européens vivent de plus en plus longtemps.
En moyenne, l’espérance de vie augmente de trois mois par an en
Europe. Une société qui vit plus longtemps ne va, a priori, pas
si mal.
Continuons par une moins bonne nouvelle : les européens n’assurent pas le renouvellement des générations. En effet, il faudrait une moyenne supérieure à 2 enfants par femme pour que cela soit le cas et nous en sommes loin. Avec des taux de fécondité de seulement 1,25 en Espagne, en Italie, en République Tchèque et en Pologne, la situation est parfois très inquiétante.
Le vieillissement de la population européenne aura dans les prochaines années des conséquences économiques et sociales très lourdes. Une pénurie de main d’œuvre et de matière grise qui fragilisera la croissance économique. L’augmentation du coût des soins médicaux et des retraites et les inégalités qui en découleront.
Face à ce défi... » read more ...
Tags: equality, immigration, workers
Published Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 17:35
by
Editor
(294 views and 1 comments)
Some of our
activists are already started spreading the voice about the
Vienna Forum! Here are some of their reactions:
- More than 10 posts have already been published by activists on YourSpace.
- Nils, from the PES secretariat, created a Facebook group.
- Aleksander, from Paris, posted photos on Flickr. And so did Francisco and the PES Secretariat
. You can also find photos on Emilio's Picasa web albums.
- Paula, from Brussels, posted photos on Facebook. And so did » read more ...
Tags: blogosphere, forum, manifesto, PES
Published Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 14:41
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Editor
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Video presented in Vienna during the first PES activists Forum. Read other posts on the Forum submited by participants here and leave us your contribution!
Tags: blogosphere, forum, manifesto
Published Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 09:52
by
carlosmoret
(271 views and 0 comments)
The
Vienna forum was a very rich encounter. As for me the
presentation of activist campaigning was especially interesting,
since I tend to get easily involved. On the one hand there is the
manifesto2009, well under way that gives us a common platform for
the parliamentary elections, but that does not give me clues as
how to campaign. The Manifesto is an excellent tool, but we have
to sell it.
In the presentation "Experience Europe - Cross-border campaign exchanges" the panel was formed by four activists presenting different aspects of their campaigning in Ireland, Spain, Portugal and France.
Adrian O'Sullivan presented us his experience with PES activists
coming to Ireland to help in their election. I wasn't planning to
make a report, and therefore took no notes, just took pictures.
Adrian mentioned that... » read more
...
Tags: activists, campaign, forum, PES
File:
J_Reis_Santos_vienna.ppt
Published Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 09:33
by
desmondotoole
(273 views and 5 comments)
Immediately
following the NO vote in the recent Irish referendum activists
from the Irish Labour Party, French Parti Socialiste and others
have set up PES activists Dublin. We were
already planning such an initiative but the referendum result
gave added urgency to our work. We recognise that this is
potentially a defining moment in Ireland's relationship with the
EU and as a consequence in the structure and dynamics of Irish
politics.
The inaugural meeting of PES activists in Ireland was held on
Tuesday 24th June in the Labour Parliamentary Room in Leinster
House, Dublin - the home of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament). We
met below a mural which showed the early and more modern leaders
of the Irish labour movement grouped around an image of Marianne
leading the French people in the Revolution of 1830. Ireland's
republicanism and our socialism owe much to the example of the
French revolutions and meeting beneath this mural was our way of
paying homage to that tradition.
Our aim is to build European Left politics on the ground in
Dublin. Since June, more than 70 activists have joined our city
group. There is enormous interest both in Dublin and across
Ireland in what we are proposing. PES people are "on... » read more
...
Tags: activists, ireland, PES, political parties
Published Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 16:47
by
Editor
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The PES manifesto consultation has ended – after over 300,000 visits to Yourspace and more than 600 contributions posted! But our dialogue on ‘Yourspace’ goes on! We will continue to debate the hot issues that will shape the European elections – migration, climate change, rising food and energy prices, jobs, equality, the EU treaty – as well as getting ready for the elections: presenting PES candidates from different countries, discussing campaign activities, hearing about your events, exposing opposition parties and candidates, drawing the dividing lines between the PES and the other European parties, and keeping you informed about the preparation of the PES manifesto.
We will kick off the post-consultation dialogue with a debate on migration – kicked off by Portuguese socialist and former European Commissioner Antonio Vitorino – as well as reports from the... » read more ...
Tags: blogosphere, forum, manifesto, PES
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