The pan-European movement European Spring launched its transnational list, Monday, 25 March in the evening in Brussels, for the European elections, during an event attended by co-founders Yanis Varoufakis (DiEM25) and Benoît Hamon (Génération.s), but also personalities such as activists Laura Alvarez or Pamela Anderson.
“France, Portugal, Poland, Denmark, Spain, Germany, Greece, Italy, Belgium... in the four corners of Europe, European Spring is being built and carries a common pan-European programme”, said a delighted Benoît Hamon. “We want to make Europe free. We no longer want to be prisoners of oligarchies, technocrats and obscurantists. Here, with this transnational, ecological, social, democratic party, we hold the key to opening the dungeon”, he said.
Mr. Varoufakis, Spitzenkandidat of the movement (see EUROPE 12146/12), detailed the following day his vision of his action, once at the head of the European Commission, during a conference organised at the Bruegel Institute, addressing the issue of a European Green ‘New Deal’, which could increase investments up to 5% of the GDP of the euro area with the support of the European Investment Bank (EIB), before pleading for the abandonment of the Budget Stability Pact.
At the moment, several lists are being developed within the EU: ‘Demokratie in Bewegung’, ‘MUT’ and ‘Demokratie in Europa’ in Germany (led by Mr. Varoufakis), ‘Génération.s’ in France (led by Mr. Hamon), ‘Razem Lewica’ in Poland, ‘Der Wandel’ in Austria, ‘Alternativet’ in Denmark ,’Actúa’ and ‘Izquierda en Positivo’ in Spain, ‘LIVRE’ in Portugal, ‘Democrazia e Autonomia’ in Italy, ‘DiEM25’ in Greece. A list ‘Be European Spring’ in Belgium also exists (see EUROPE 12194/36), but they are struggling to collect the necessary signatures to run for the European elections.
Talks are also reported to be ongoing with parties in Latvia, in Romania and in the Czech Republic, we are told.
To consult the movement's programme: https://bit.ly/2FDe2nc. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens and Marion Fontana)