PES

I want to clear up one thing.

We want the European Union to take a new direction. We want a European Union that does what is needed to create new jobs and tackle the economic and climate crisis in a decisive way. That is why the PES cannot support Barroso as President of the European Commission. He represents the conservative majority that has failed Europe over the last five years. He represents the Europe that puts markets before people.

I would have preferred the PES to have a candidate for the President of the European Commission, but we do not, and we will not before the elections. Who becomes President of the European Commission now depends on the result of the European elections. This is the one thing that everyone agrees – Governments are free to nominate who they like - the shape of the new Parliament will determine the next President of the Commission. If there is a new majority in the European Parliament Barroso will not become Commission President.

Until we know the outcome of the European elections it is too early to speculate on the composition of a new majority.

Our demands for the European Union are clear and are about tackling the crisis and putting social justice back at the heart of European politics. PES leaders, meeting last month in Toulouse, agreed seven steps we expect to be implemented in the first 100 days of the new Parliament:

1. A new, strong recovery plan for Europe, with coordinated investments in jobs and green growth.

2. A European Employment Pact to safeguard employment, create new and better jobs, fight mass unemployment, and strengthen workers’ rights, working conditions and equal pay.

3. A new Women’s Rights Charter to improve women’s right and opportunities.

4. A Social Progress Pact to tackle the full social consequences of the crisis, preventing a rise in poverty, inequality and exclusion.

5. Effective regulation and supervision of the financial markets, covering all financial actors and instruments, including hedge funds and private equity.

6. New mutual solidarity across European member states – between East and West, North and South.

7. An urgent, common European roadmap for a global new deal, to be agreed at the G20 before the end of 2009.