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The Party of European Socialists, European Greens and European Left Party Respond to the Crisis1
All anti-neo-liberal now? The Party of European Socialists, European Greens and European Left Party respond to the crisis1 Luke March University of Edinburgh [email protected] Paper for PSA 2013 Draft version 1.0. Work very much in progress. Please do not quote without author’s permission. Why has the left failed to benefit from the post-2008 economic crisis? This is a common, but perhaps slightly unfair question. It is difficult to see any one political family as a unique beneficiary, and indeed the right’s apparent earlier ideological hegemony has become unstuck with the ‘austerity medicine’ having consistently failed to revive the European patient. Nevertheless, there is still something remarkable about socio-economic conditions that should be a ‘perfect storm’ for left-wing politics regularly failing to produce anything like a clear boon for the left. The February 2013 Italian elections are just the latest that may mark a ‘no- confidence’ vote in the Centre-Left (McDonnell and Bobba 2013). The social democratic Democratic Party (PD) and its more leftist ally, the post-communist Left Ecology Freedom threw away an apparently unassailable lead to squeak ahead of the right and Beppe Grillo’s Five-Star Movement. This paper aims to contribute to answering this overarching question by comparing the policy and ideological response to the crisis undertaken by the three ‘left’ transnational party federations (TNPs) at European level, the Party of European Socialists (PES), European Green Party (EGP) and European Left Party (EL).2 Comparing the three TNPs is an apposite approach. Although TNPs are ‘timidly rising actors’, relatively weak formations that fall far short of being fully integrated parties, they at the very least aspire to a minimal level of ideological and policy co-ordination (Bardi 2004; cf. -
“Green Policies Are About Our Entire Way of Life”
“Green Policies Are about Our Entire Way of Life” Article by Inés Sabanés August 31, 2021 The Covid-19 pandemic is the latest in a string of crises Spain has faced in recent years, which have left the country weakened and many worried about its future. With elections on the horizon, Member of the Spanish Parliament Inés Sabanés explains how an all-encompassing Green vision can transform every aspect of society, and why Europe has the potential to help Spain overcome many of its difficulties. Green European Journal: From the perspective of the Greens (Verdes Equo), what are the key political issues facing Spain in 2021? Inés Sabanés: The pandemic has reset political priorities at both the Spanish and European levels. Three fundamental issues stick out; they were important during the 2021 Madrid elections and are present throughout our daily political life. First is the economic and social recovery: in response to the crisis caused by the pandemic but also in connection to the climate emergency. The distribution of projects arising from European funds needs to bring us out of this crisis through a fundamental structural change to the way our country works. Spain today is too susceptible to crises – our economy is overdependent on tourism for example – and needs to build its future on a more solid, productive, and better developed economic model. The second major issue is the rise of the far right. Frequent elections have been a fundamental error and a lack of consensus between parties in government has led to a rise in the number of far-right members of parliament. -
The Future of Europe - Perspectives Debate Was Moderated by Political Journalist Fernando from Spain Berlin
sociologist and expert from the EQUO Foundation. The The Future of Europe - Perspectives debate was moderated by political journalist Fernando from Spain Berlin. The conclusions of the seminar are presented below, after an introduction to the Spanish political system and the particularities of the economic crisis in Spain. The European Union is in The Spanish Party Political System a vulnerable situation. The project that started half a Spain is currently governed by the conservative party century ago is now (Partido Popular - PP) that holds an absolute majority staggering. (186 of 350 parliamentary seats since the 2011 elections). The landslide electoral win of the conservatives was the While its primary objective of ensuring peace on the result of a massive protest vote against the Socialist continent has been a success, subsequent Party (PSOE) for its inability to address the economic expectations of greater political integration beyond a crisis after 8 years in power. mere common market are not accomplished. The EU project itself is now in question, not only from the The Spanish party system was created with the intention outside, where the markets doubt and test the to provide on the one hand political stability to the young viability of the Euro - its economic flagship, but also democracy trough a nation-wide two-party system (the from within Europe whose citizens are beginning to electoral system making it virtually impossible for any doubt the direction of the project and the legitimacy other party except the PP and PSOE to govern) and on the of EU policies. Even in countries traditionally pro- other hand to allow the representation of regional European like Spain or Greece, where in past times political forces in the chamber of deputies, as the of dictatorship the EU was seen as the ultimate electoral system favours parties that concentrate big democratic achievement, this once unconditional amounts of votes in a specific region. -
EU Election Results
EU Election results 28 May 2019 EU Elections Timeline WC July 8 30 September - Election of 10 October Committee Chairs 28 May and Vice-Chairs Parliamentary hearings of Commissioners designate First meeting of 1 Conference of 20-21 June Presidents (political Nov group laders) European Council 15-18 Jul New Commision decides nominee takes office European Council for Commission top European Parliament dinner to take stock jobs (Presidents of elects the European of EP elections Commission, Council Commission President and ECB) WC 1 July June Election of EP vote of consent on June European the new Commission Parliament + European Council Elected candidates President and formally appoints the negotiate to form VPs Commission political groups for the upcoming Parliament’s 9th term July - September November - December Appointment of MEPs 2-4 July Member States Exchange of views on to EP Committees & propose members multinational priorities, Inaugural plenary Delegatiolns of the Commission Commission Work session of the newly- Programme elected Parliament Appointment of political group coordinators (lead) on Committees The European Parliament’s 9th term will begin on 2 July, when Members of the European Parliament will meet for its first session in Strasbourg, France. MEPs will elect the President, the 14 Vice-Presidents and the five Quaestors of the House and decide on the number and 2 Jul composition of Parliament’s standing and sub-committees - thereby launching the new legislative term. 2 Seats distribution for the new European Parliament (EU28) - Left–right political spectrum Source: https://election-results.eu/ The scramble for a new majority coalition For the first time since 1979, Europe’s centre-right and centre-left political groups will be too small to form a majority in the European Parliament between them. -
Green Parties and Elections to the European Parliament, 1979–2019 Green Par Elections
Chapter 1 Green Parties and Elections, 1979–2019 Green parties and elections to the European Parliament, 1979–2019 Wolfgang Rüdig Introduction The history of green parties in Europe is closely intertwined with the history of elections to the European Parliament. When the first direct elections to the European Parliament took place in June 1979, the development of green parties in Europe was still in its infancy. Only in Belgium and the UK had green parties been formed that took part in these elections; but ecological lists, which were the pre- decessors of green parties, competed in other countries. Despite not winning representation, the German Greens were particularly influ- enced by the 1979 European elections. Five years later, most partic- ipating countries had seen the formation of national green parties, and the first Green MEPs from Belgium and Germany were elected. Green parties have been represented continuously in the European Parliament since 1984. Subsequent years saw Greens from many other countries joining their Belgian and German colleagues in the Euro- pean Parliament. European elections continued to be important for party formation in new EU member countries. In the 1980s it was the South European countries (Greece, Portugal and Spain), following 4 GREENS FOR A BETTER EUROPE their successful transition to democracies, that became members. Green parties did not have a strong role in their national party systems, and European elections became an important focus for party develop- ment. In the 1990s it was the turn of Austria, Finland and Sweden to join; green parties were already well established in all three nations and provided ongoing support for Greens in the European Parliament. -
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VALGETS KVAL Hvorfor innførte Tunisia og Egypt valgsystemene de gjorde etter den arabiske våren, og hvilke konsekvenser hadde dette? Masteroppgave i demokratibygging Institutt for sammenliknende politikk ved Universitetet i Bergen Freja Landewall Juni 2015 1 “The idealism engendered by the Arab spring has mostly sunk in bloodshed and extremism, with a shining exception: Tunisia, which in 2014 adopted a new, enlightened constitution and held both parliamentary and presidential polls...Its economy is struggling and its polity is fragile; but Tunisia’s pragmatism and moderation have nurtured hope in a wretched region and a troubled world” (The Economist, 2014). “Egypt’s principal political actors have repeatedly violated almost all of the received ‘best practices’ of democratic transitions. In fact, the very lessons that the visiting experts most frequently emphasized – such as the importance of transitional justice, civilian control over the military, inclusive political approaches, and avoiding winner-takes-all strategies – are among the most glaring failures of Egypt’s attempted democratic transition to date” (Carothers, 2014). 2 Forord Jeg har alltid hatt lyst til å redde verden. Dessverre er verden for stor og kompleks til å kunne reddes gjennom en masteroppgave. Dette er uansett mitt bidrag til å oppmuntre til videre forskning på demokratiseringsprosesser - som forhåpentligvis vil resultere i en mer vellykket form for demokratiassistanse. Fordi demokrati er nøkkelen. Jeg vil gjerne takke veileder professor Lars Svåsand ved Universitet i Bergen for gode innspill og tilbakemeldinger. Jeg har satt stor pris på våre samtaler. Jeg vil også takke førsteamanuensis Terje Knutsen og professor Frank Aarbrot for inspirerende forelesninger og gode råd gjennom masterstudiet. -
European Political Parties and Foundations: the ’Tissue’ That Connects?
EUROPEAN POLITICAL PARTIES AND FOUNDATIONS: THE ’TISSUE’ THAT CONNECTS? POLICY BRIEF | NOVEMBER 2019 https://eurac.tv/9R2x EUROPEAN POLITICAL PARTIES AND FOUNDATIONS: THE ’TISSUE’ THAT CONNECTS? To the average European citizen, the political groups in the POLICY BRIEF | NOVEMBER 2019 European Parliament, which help shape EU-wide legislation, are https://eurac.tv/9R2x a vaguely familiar concept. But there is much less knowledge of the European political parties (as opposed to groups) and the think-tanks that are affiliated to them. The dominant players have traditionally been the European People’s Party (EPP), the Party of European Socialists (PES), and the Federation of Liberal and Democrat parties (renamed ALDE in 2012), all of which were formed in the 1970s, as confederations of national parties from across the European Union. They were joined by the European Green Party and the Party of the European Left in 2004, and then by the European Conservatives and Reformists Party in 2009. Part of that eco-system are the foundations/think-tanks, which are affiliated to each of the parties, based in part on the German Stiftung model, bringing together the think-tanks at the national level. The parties then also have women and youth networks. So what role do the European political parties and foundations play? How do they interact with the European Parliament groups and Commissioners, and how do they affect political and policy co-ordination in Brussels and across national capitals? NOV. 2019 | POLICY BRIEF | EUROPEAN POLITICAL PARTIES AND FOUNDATIONS: THE ’TISSUE’ THAT CONNECTS? | EURACTIV 3 European Political Parties and Foundations: The ’tissue’ that connects? By Benjamin Fox | EURACTIV.com THE BRIDGE FROM THE BUBBLE own pre-Council summits and ministerial meetings by sector. -
ESS9 Appendix A3 Political Parties Ed
APPENDIX A3 POLITICAL PARTIES, ESS9 - 2018 ed. 3.0 Austria 2 Belgium 4 Bulgaria 7 Croatia 8 Cyprus 10 Czechia 12 Denmark 14 Estonia 15 Finland 17 France 19 Germany 20 Hungary 21 Iceland 23 Ireland 25 Italy 26 Latvia 28 Lithuania 31 Montenegro 34 Netherlands 36 Norway 38 Poland 40 Portugal 44 Serbia 47 Slovakia 52 Slovenia 53 Spain 54 Sweden 57 Switzerland 58 United Kingdom 61 Version Notes, ESS9 Appendix A3 POLITICAL PARTIES ESS9 edition 3.0 (published 10.12.20): Changes from previous edition: Additional countries: Denmark, Iceland. ESS9 edition 2.0 (published 15.06.20): Changes from previous edition: Additional countries: Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden. Austria 1. Political parties Language used in data file: German Year of last election: 2017 Official party names, English 1. Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs (SPÖ) - Social Democratic Party of Austria - 26.9 % names/translation, and size in last 2. Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP) - Austrian People's Party - 31.5 % election: 3. Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (FPÖ) - Freedom Party of Austria - 26.0 % 4. Liste Peter Pilz (PILZ) - PILZ - 4.4 % 5. Die Grünen – Die Grüne Alternative (Grüne) - The Greens – The Green Alternative - 3.8 % 6. Kommunistische Partei Österreichs (KPÖ) - Communist Party of Austria - 0.8 % 7. NEOS – Das Neue Österreich und Liberales Forum (NEOS) - NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum - 5.3 % 8. G!LT - Verein zur Förderung der Offenen Demokratie (GILT) - My Vote Counts! - 1.0 % Description of political parties listed 1. The Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs, or SPÖ) is a social above democratic/center-left political party that was founded in 1888 as the Social Democratic Worker's Party (Sozialdemokratische Arbeiterpartei, or SDAP), when Victor Adler managed to unite the various opposing factions. -
The Role of Ultra-Orthodox Political Parties in Israeli Democracy
Luke Howson University of Liverpool The Role of Ultra-Orthodox Political Parties in Israeli Democracy Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor in Philosophy By Luke Howson July 2014 Committee: Clive Jones, BA (Hons) MA, PhD Prof Jon Tonge, PhD 1 Luke Howson University of Liverpool © 2014 Luke Howson All Rights Reserved 2 Luke Howson University of Liverpool Abstract This thesis focuses on the role of ultra-orthodox party Shas within the Israeli state as a means to explore wider themes and divisions in Israeli society. Without underestimating the significance of security and conflict within the structure of the Israeli state, in this thesis the Arab–Jewish relationship is viewed as just one important cleavage within the Israeli state. Instead of focusing on this single cleavage, this thesis explores the complex structure of cleavages at the heart of the Israeli political system. It introduces the concept of a ‘cleavage pyramid’, whereby divisions are of different saliency to different groups. At the top of the pyramid is division between Arabs and Jews, but one rung down from this are the intra-Jewish divisions, be they religious, ethnic or political in nature. In the case of Shas, the religious and ethnic elements are the most salient. The secular–religious divide is a key fault line in Israel and one in which ultra-orthodox parties like Shas are at the forefront. They and their politically secular counterparts form a key division in Israel, and an exploration of Shas is an insightful means of exploring this division further, its history and causes, and how these groups interact politically. -
ALLIANCE 90/THE GREENS: Party Program and Principles the Future Is Green
The future is green. ALLIANCE 90/THE GREENS: Party Program and Principles The future is green. ALLIANCE 90/THE GREENS: Party Program and Principles Preamble 7 I. Our values 7 Ecology is sustainability 8 Freedom is realised through self-determination 8 Extending equitability 9 Democracy is the basis 10 The touchstone of our values: Human rights and non-violence 11 II. Challenges in a changing world 12 III. Where we come from – who we are 16 IV. Twelve for 2020 17 Towards the ecological age 18 I. The fundamental principles of our environmental policy 19 II. Sustainable development as a principle for action 20 III. Economical use of resources and the efficiency revolution 21 IV. Ecology and lifestyle 22 V. New energy – from the fossil and nuclear age to the solar future 22 A key project: Towards the solar age 24 Sustainable development in towns and local areas 25 VI. Environmentally-friendly traffic systems 27 A key project: Ecologically mobile 29 1 The future is green. VII. Nature and landscape conservancy 30 VIII. Animals need rights 31 IX. A global perspective for the environment and development 32 Towards an ecological and social market economy 34 I. The foundations of our economic policy 35 A key project: The future of a united Germany 38 II. Market economy and regulative policy 39 A key project: Transparency for consumers 40 III. Ecological fiscal reform 40 IV. Consumer protection 41 V. The knowledge economy 41 VI. Regional economies 42 A key project: A new form of agriculture 43 VII. A sustainable fiscal policy 45 VIII. -
Biden Says Iran Will 'Never' Get a Nuclear Weapon on His Watch
WWW.THELEVANTNEWS.COM JULY 2021 | Issue 25 A Monthly Newspaper Issued by THE LEVANT NEWS MEDIA INTERNATIONAL - LONDON Founder & Director: Thaer Alhajji | Chief Editor: Shiyar Khaleal Ebrahim How will Communique Syria’s Kurds Raessi’s & Bennett differ Diplomacy in Biden-Putin Iran’s economic from Bibi? Summit problems Page: 3 Page: 8 Page: 10 Page: 12 Biden says Iran will ‘never’ get a nuclear During a meeting in the Oval Office weapon on his watch with outgoing Israeli president Reuven Rivlin on Monday, President Joe Biden reassured his counterpart about the concerns expressed by Israel as a result of the ongoing talks in Vienna with Iran, and promised him that the United States will prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear arsenal on his watch. “What I could say is that Iran will never get a nuclear weapon on my watch,” Biden affirmed. The US President confirmed that he had issued orders to carry out raids on Iranian- backed militias, on the Iraqi-Syrian border. Biden indicated that the strikes he ordered were to protect and defend the safety of American forces, weaken and disrupt the ongoing series of attacks against the United States and its allies, in addition to deterring Iran and its backed militias from launching or supporting further attacks on his country's personnel and facilities. American president Joe Biden and his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin Brussels prepares to impose Rome Conference: U.S. announces more sanctions on Lebanon’s officials than $436 million for the People of Syria The European Unionlegal mechanism is ready, -
First Agenda Autumn Conference 2020
First Agenda Autumn Conference 2020 1 Table of Contents Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... 2 Section A .................................................................................................................................... 5 A1 Amendments to Standing Orders for the Conduct of Conference to enable an online and telephone Extraordinary Conference to be held in Autumn 2020 ................................. 5 A2 Enabling Motion for an Extraordinary Autumn Conference 2020 to be held online ....... 7 Section B .................................................................................................................................... 8 B1 Food and Agriculture Voting Paper .................................................................................. 8 Section C................................................................................................................................... 15 C1 Adopt the Principle of Rationing to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Arising from Travel, Amending the Climate Emergency and the Transport Chapters of PSS .................. 15 C2 The 2019 General Election Manifesto and Climate Change Mitigation ......................... 17 C3 Animal Rights: Fireworks; limit use and quiet ................................................................ 19 C4 Updating the philosophical basis to reflect doughnut economics ................................. 20 C5 Car and vans to go zero carbon by