The members of the European Left party (EL) will meet in Brussels this weekend to decide, amongst other things, whether they will put forward a Spitzenkandidat in the framework of the European elections.
The question will be discussed on Sunday 30 September, a source told us. If the members give their approval, the name of the future candidate for the Presidency of the European Commission will be announced towards the end of the year.
“The problem is that we need a European figure who will be as federating as Alexis Tsipras in 2014”, a source told us, acknowledging that at the time, Tsipras (see EUROPE 10985) was less controversial in European left-wing circles than he is today.
According to our information, a number of names are doing the rounds, starting with that of the chairman of the EL, Gregor Gysi. However, his candidacy will not be entirely convincing, as it is not sufficiently federating at European level. Another source pointed out that as a German, his candidacy may rankle in certain quarters.
The other name mentioned is that of Pablo Iglesias, currently the leader of Podemos. However, he has pledged himself to a pan-European movement, 'Now, the People!', for the European elections, alongside La France insoumise – which recently left the EL (see EUROPE 12054) –, Bloco and the radical left-wing Scandinavian parties (see EUROPE 12050).
The EL, which is not losing sight of the European elections, is keeping the door open to discussions with other forces to bring together left-wing parties, for instance with the reformist movements Diem 25 of the former Greek finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, and Benoît Hamon's Generation.s.
An alliance with the new German movement 'Aufstehen', launched by Sahra Wagenknecht, co-chair of the Die Linke group at the Bundestag, is not in the offing. This is officially because this movement is not targeting the European elections, but unofficially because Wagenknecht's worrying stances on migration are not to the liking of much of the Left.
Initiatives have been launched. Most recently, Dimitrios Papadimoulis (GUE/NGL, Greece) launched an appeal to create a broad pro-European movement to combat the growing forces of the far right (see EUROPE 12095). A progressive European forum, like the one held in Marseille in November 2017 (see EUROPE 12001), will be held in Bilbao in November. The aim is to create a discussion platform between the European progressive forces, like the one within the European Parliament with the Progressive Caucus (see EUROPE 11814).
Manifesto under construction
The EL will also discuss a draft manifesto for the 2019 European elections. According to a provisional version of which EUROPE has had sight, it calls for a new social model, with the creation of a European public services system, a European social and environmental policy, in favour of workers, gender equality, migrants and asylum seekers.
In particular, it proposes (the list is not exhaustive): - a European solution to national debts; - a new public investment programme equivalent to at least 2% of European GDP; - the creation of an indirect salary system guaranteed by the EU; - the placing under democratic control of the financial markets (financial transactions tax, measures to disincentivise financial speculation, a redefinition of the role of the European Central Bank); - guaranteeing European independence vis-a-vis the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)