PES

Welcome to my blog! Over the coming weeks this is where I will be publishing my thoughts and comments on the campaign; especially, of course, on the topic of gender equality and women’s rights.

As President of PES Women, I am proud that it is the Party of European Socialists and our member parties who lead the way when it comes to these issues. And that’s not an empty boast. Just look at the evidence:

• So far seven of our member parties have confirmed that women will head their lists for the European elections;
• It was the PES which fought attempts by the right-wing Czech Presidency of the EU to water down child care targets, in the face of opposition from other parties;
• It is invariably PES MEPs who stand up for gender equality in the European Parliament;
• The PES manifesto dedicates an entire chapter to the issue, including nine concrete proposals.

Indeed, if you haven’t yet read our manifesto then I urge you to do so. Read it, then have a look at the EPP and ELDR manifestos. I challenge you to find any serious reference to women’s rights in either of the latter two…

That’s not just disappointing: it’s an absolute outrage. Women make up 52% of the EU’s population, yet they remain underrepresented, underpaid and underestimated. It’s high time the conservatives and liberals recognise that these injustices will not self-destruct. It takes serious political action and real resolve to make gender equality a reality.

Our PES campaign begins officially in Toulouse this Friday, where our launch event is being hosted by Martine Aubry. Martine is a very good friend of mine and one of a growing number of PES women party leaders (including the new leader of the Hungarian Socialist Party, Ildikó Lendvai).

With a strong, clear, practical manifesto with a real roadmap to take Europe in a new direction, a PES-led progressive majority in the European Parliament is a goal worth fighting for. This is a historic opportunity, and I’ll be doing all I can to keep you up to date with the PES’s work and initiatives to secure a socialist landslide on 7th June: we’re in it to win it!