About: S&D
War in Ukraine highlights need for EU reform with citizen participation
As Russia's war in Ukraine rages on, the need to reform the EU and take citizens' voices into account has become more apparent, according to politicians involved in the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Biggest EU parties strike compromise to create pan-European MPs
The biggest EU party families have agreed on a compromise to push for a change of EU electoral law to allow for so-called pan-European members of the European Parliament, which could further European integration if successful.
Five Star Movement seeks parliamentary shelter among socialists
The recent overhaul of Italy's Five Star Movement (M5S) and its likely stable positioning on the centre-left side of the political spectrum could open the door for them to join the socialist group in the European Parliament.
Major political groups harbour corruption – Greens’ Freund
The major European political groups tolerate corruption and malfeasance among the member parties, says Green MEP Daniel Freund, who also analyses the weaknesses of instruments to fight the misuse of EU funds.
The day after
The EU's next seven-year financial framework will be the budget that rebuilds Europe or shatters it irreparably. And the current proposal on the table is too far from what we really need, write MEPs Eider Gardiazabal Rubial and Margarida Marques and explain the proposals offered by the Socialists and Democrats.
EPP cite controversial PEPP-PT as example for single European COVID-19 app
The controversial Pan-European Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing (PEPP-PT) project provides a good example of how an EU COVID-19 mobile app should function, the European Parliament's largest political group said on Tuesday (21 April), drawing criticism from other parties.
Sassoli shows his differences with von der Leyen over Hungary
European Parliament President David Sassoli has asked the European Commission to assess whether the new laws introduced in Hungary under the disguise of coronavirus emergency comply with the most important text of EU treaties, he said late on Tuesday (31 March).
Brexit redraws European Parliament battle lines
This Friday's (31 January) Brexit and the departure of Britain's MEPs will shake up the balance of power in the European Parliament and could complicate Brussels' reform agenda.
MEPs set to declare ‘climate emergency’ ahead of UN conference
A majority of European Union lawmakers hoped to declare a "climate emergency" on Monday (25 November), a week before a United Nations climate conference in Madrid.
How Italy’s government deal was received in Brussels
After Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was granted a mandate to form a new government with the Five Star Movement (M5S) and Democratic Party (PD), EURACTIV.com spoke with Italian MEPs from the parties involved in the summer political crisis to find out about the reaction in Brussels.
‘Environmentalist’ von der Leyen forgot farming in her speech, MEPs say
Ursula von der Leyen' slip-up on agriculture did not pass unnoticed by lawmakers, who voiced regret that the Commission president-elect did not mention at all the farming sector in the first speech she addressed to the plenary in Strasbourg last Tuesday (16 July).
EU elections in the UK: Probably not a game-changer for the European Parliament
The unexpected participation of the UK in the European elections is unlikely to impact dramatically on the overall result for the mainstream parties, latest opinion polls have shown.
European election candidates consider next steps for EU media policy
Lead candidates for the upcoming European elections are pondering ways of safeguarding the media sector's integrity in light of persistent economic challenges and emerging threats like Russian disinformation.
Liberals and the far-right: A contrasting experience in Spain, Sweden
Four months ahead of the European elections, liberal parties are torn between those ready to engage with the far-right and those opposed to any kind of alliance. Spain and Sweden offer the latest examples.
‘Progressive alliance’ moves a step closer ahead of EU elections
The leaders of the Social Democrats (S&D), Greens and leftist group (GUE/NGL) sat for the first time at the same table to discuss the possibility of a common strategy ahead of the EU elections in May to face down the rise of far-right and neoliberal forces.
Timmermans to be Socialist Spitzenkandidat after Sefcovic withdraws
Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans will be the lead candidate of the Party of European Socialists in next year's EU elections, the party announced on Monday (5 November) after his rival Maroš Šefčovič withdrew from the race and backed the Dutchman instead.
Austrian ex-chancellor Kern to run for centre-left Spitzenkandidat
As expected, opposition leader Christian Kern said yesterday (18 September) he would run as top candidate for the Austrian Social Democrats in the European Parliament elections next year, aiming to help build a strong counterweight to growing nationalist forces.
Sefcovic officially enters the Spitzenkandidaten battle
Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič announced officially on Monday (17 September) his candidacy to be the leading candidate of his social-democrat political group in the campaign for the 2019 European elections.
Bullmann: Macron must decide if he is a ‘real progressive’ or not
French President Emmanuel Macron has to make his political identity clear and clarify whether he is a “real progressive” who wants to contribute to a social Europe, S&D President Udo Bullmann told EURACTIV in an interview.
Pro-Gazprom bias detected in European Parliament vote on PCIs
A motion introduced by the Green group to oppose “projects of common interest” based on fossil fuels was rejected by a large majority of MEPs last week (March 14), but among those who supported it were MEPs who traditionally support Russia.
MEPs grill Romania’s government in absentia
Procedural problems prevented Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader from addressing the European Parliament's plenary session on Wednesday (7 February) and explaining the government’s current judiciary reforms, which many MEPs see as a threat to the rule of law.
New S&D figurehead: We expect the Romanian justice minister to speak in plenary
Maria João Rodrigues, who is emerging as the most prominent figurehead in the European Parliament's S&D group, made it plain on Thursday (1 February) that her political group is quite critical of its Romanian affiliate member, the ruling social-democrat PSD.
S&D chief: ‘Employment for young Africans is a huge challenge’
On the eve of the EU-Africa Summit, Gianni Pittella says that European short-termism in migration policy will not address its root causes, and looks at agribusiness to leverage the continent out of poverty - 'but not at any cost'.