It has been challenging times for all of us since the last PES Congress in 2018 and the European elections in 2019. While we were still coming to terms with saying farewell to our British friends, we were confronted with the COVID pandemic in 2020, and then the war in Ukraine in February 2022. Putin’s war has come as a shock, and has disrupted our lives on every level. Like everyone else, we experienced the devastation caused by the pandemic, and we are now suffering from this war of aggression. Nevertheless, we can say with conviction that the S&D Group, together with our Prime Ministers, Commissioners and the PES, has been, and still is, at the forefront in tackling the health and the socioeconomic crises caused by the pandemic and the war. I truly believe that the people of Europe recognise these efforts.
Looking back, we can be proud of what we have achieved so far. Our Group has been the driving force behind some of the most notable accomplishments in the EU’s recent history. Together we have shown that it is both possible and necessary to reshape the way our Union operates. We started this mandate by delivering on our promise to ensure gender parity in the European Commission for the first time. During the pandemic, we proved that there was a credible alternative to the failed response to the 2008 crisis, and the subsequent years of austerity.
This crisis has truly been a wake-up call, and an opportunity for our Group to implement our political and policy agenda towards more integration, solidarity and sustainability. Today we witnessing how the military occupation of Ukraine by Putin’s regime, with all its repercussions, is putting even more pressure on the existing challenges we face: the pandemic, climate change, energy crisis, social justice, state of democracy, equality and women’s rights, to mention but a few.
Friends, we are living in extraordinary times. In times of uncertainty, the best thing we can do for our democracies and for the Union is to strengthen our social policies. Since the last PES Congress, the S&D Group has delivered, but our future requires a radical rethinking of our society. We need therefore to fight for and deliver on game-changing projects such as the European Green Deal, the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, the Next Generation EU, the Rule of Law mechanism, and for changes on Tax Transparency. We need to strengthen the EU’s place in the global order. To sum up: we have to deliver a truly green agenda with a red heart. Together, we have successfully initiated this shift, and I am sure that our Group will continue to work tirelessly to improve people’s lives, and to make the S&D the biggest parliamentary group in 2024.
The full activity report is attached below
