Speaking as the PES adopted its manifesto for the 2009 European elections on Monday (1 December), the party leader said he was very confident that voters would recognise the Socialists' credentials for dealing with the crisis. He attacked European conservatives and liberals who, according to him, "are now speaking like socialists".
Schulz argued that voters would "see that old-fashioned neo-liberals and conservatives have not suddenly transformed into socialists," adding: "If they want a real response to the financial crisis, real social democracy and genuine social justice, they should vote for the original and not the copy."
Schulz rubbished persistent rumours in Brussels that the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) may form a post-election pact with the ALDE group of European liberals.
He claimed that a personality clash between the parties' leading lights would scupper any chance of a pact: "I know the parliamentary presidents of both parties [Graham Watson, ALDE, and Joseph Daul, EPP] and what I know of their personal relationship does not lead me to believe that this coalition is possible."
Moreover, he believes that not only is such a coalition unlikely, but it may be rendered electorally insignificant should the Socialists make the gains he expects them to make.
"The Tories will leave the EPP, and the party will lose a number of seats across Europe," argued the PES leader, naming Sweden, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Greece as potential countries where, due to the unpopularity of the current governments, the biggest liberal and conservative losses would be recorded.
As a result, said Schulz, "we are very confident we will be the largest grouping in the parliament after the 2009 elections".
Meanwhile, on the EU's Lisbon Treaty, the PES leader expressed his tentative confidence that a solution could be found to the Irish problem and that ratification would proceed "later in 2009". Schulz doubts that the Treaty will be ratified before June, stating: "I think it's too late to still expect the elections to be fought under Lisbon."
Finally, in a parting shot at outgoing US President George W. Bush, Schulz said: "In a multipolar world, a unilateral approach like that of the 'Bush gang' will no longer work."
"Barack Obama will certainly be a more progressive president than we could have hoped for, and his success shows that there is a new strength for socialist policies in the world today."
