During a visit to the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday 10 January, the Chairman of the SPD group in the Bundestag, Rolf Mützenich, emphasised the importance of cooperation with the S&D group in the run-up to the European elections in June, in which the Social Democrats intend to defend “workers’ rights”, in particular through the granting of “decent wages”, in order to support workers in the transformation of the economy.
Referring to the recent death of former European Commission President Jacques Delors (see EUROPE 13322/2), European Parliament Vice-President Katarina Barley stressed that, for her political family, the European Union is “not just an economic union”, but a group of countries bound together by “values”.
During the election campaign, people will have to be convinced that Europe is dealing with the real problems of its citizens, in particular “housing and minimum wages”, according to the chair of the S&D group, Iratxe García Pérez from Spain. She renewed her criticism of the Christian Democrats, who are prepared to ally themselves with the far right to govern at national level, as is the case in Sweden and Italy, and perhaps in the Netherlands.
The leader of the German S&D delegation to the European Parliament, Jens Geier, went further on the question of the loyalty of pro-European political parties, expressing his “growing doubts about the Liberals”, following the announcement by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, of his wish to anticipate the end of his term of office by standing as a candidate in the European elections (see EUROPE 13323/3). He described this decision as “irresponsible” and likely to increase “institutional insecurity”. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)