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Poul Nyrup Rasmussen’s speech at the Hungarian Party Congress
(15 October 2004)

By being here tonight you are showing that socialists are coming together. That we’re together and that we’re building a common vision.
We are entering a new positive phase for the European left.

I feel that the pendulum is swinging our way in different parts of Europe.

I am here as President of the Party of European Socialists with the message that socialist must stand together across Europe.

We must be strong partners to achieve the socially just and democratic society at the heart of socialist values.

By standing shoulder to shoulder, we will end the Europe of right-wing governments.

Today is the start of this new era. Together, social democrats will govern Europe and create a Europe of social democracy and justice.

We will be relentless in the implementation of our ideas and values.

In order to do this, we must now be clear about our socialist priorities at home and abroad.

At home, the number one priority of ordinary people, and the number one priority of the PES, is jobs, jobs and jobs.

We must fight to make Europe the first world region with full employment. This is what we have to deliver. More and better jobs.

The right-wing is still trying to convince ordinary people that destroying the welfare state will stimulate economic growth. That taking away workers’ rights will boost productivity.

Our message is that economic efficiency must go hand in hand with fair distribution and a strong, active welfare state.

We must create a fair and sustainable market economy, not a selfish market society.

We must stop abusing our common resources, and start preserving what we have for the benefit of all.

Europe cannot consider itself wealthy until every single citizen can lead a decent life untouched by poverty.

We must think about the future generations, our children, and grand children.

Now it’s time to fight for the European social model.

We must work smarter, not harder. We must make the market economy the servant, not the master, of the people.

Socialists from around Europe must act together. That’s why we need a strong Hungarian Socialist Party. A strong European socialist party. And a strong Hungary in Europe.

Only then can we hope to achieve a social Europe of solidarity and justice that serves ordinary people.

We are the hope and new vision of ordinary people.

At international level, socialists must also fight for justice and have a common vision.

Europe must become a united, progressive force in the world. And it is our duty as European socialists to re-connect to ordinary people in a globalised world.

Everyday there is fresh violence in Iraq.

There are hostage-takings and innocent victims every day.

It’s time to learn from our experience in Iraq.

It is our duty as socialists to fight for pre-emptive policies, not pre-emptive wars.

We must strengthen the UN and create a new globalised world based on respect for international law.

Let Iraq be a turning point. Let Iraq be the case for new progress in strengthening the United Nations.

We must rebuild Iraq and we must help the Iraqis to fight the extremists.

Terrorists are holding the world to ransom. They are spreading their violence in Europe, the Middle East, in Russia.

We should be merciless in our fight against them.

But pre-emptive war does not stop terrorism, as we have seen. We will never defeat them this way because they will convince more young men and women to become terrorists.

Socialists believe in tackling the root causes of terrorism. This is the way to stop terrorism in an effective and long-lasting way.

Poverty fuels terrorism as much as the arms trade. Because poverty creates desperation and hatred.

This is why socialists are calling for the creation of a UN Human Development Council. It should be as important as the UN Security Council.

The Global Progressive Forum, which I launched last year, with the participation of many Hungarian socialists here today, will have a fairer global order as its first goal. It will connect socialist politics in Europe and the world to the deep concerns of ordinary people about globalisation.

It’s about creating true and lasting security, providing people with security in their everyday living conditions.

This is the socialist vision of Hungary, Europe and the world: Putting people first.

Putting people first in Europe by making strong competitiveness and social security not contradictions but pre-conditions for each other.

Putting people first in the world by using Europe’s economic strength to benefit the developing world.

Thanks to our enlargement we are now the biggest economy in the world, 10 percent larger than the US. And we are potentially the strongest political force in the world.

Let’s use this to put people first.

A strong Hungarian Party and a strong European socialist Party, putting people first in Hungary and in Europe.