With its electoral congress coming up in Lyon from 2 to 4 February, the European Green Party (EGP) is fine-tuning its manifesto ahead of the European elections. Entitled ‘Courage to Change’, this document, of which EUROPE has obtained a draft, outlines the broad lines of a campaign based on three main strands, centred on ecological, social and democratic themes.
A triple challenge: ecological, social and democratic. The first part of the manifesto highlights the importance of putting the planet and people first. The party stresses the interconnection between climate and social issues, arguing that “climate justice and social justice are two sides of the same coin”.
Faced with record temperatures and rising inequality, the EGP is proposing a ‘Green and Social Deal’, an initiative aimed at combating the cost of living crisis and restoring an environmental balance. The plan includes the development of green infrastructure, funding for high-quality public services and measures for a sustainable energy transition.
Strengthening democracy. Another campaign theme is the response to the rise of the far right and its implications for democracy and human rights in Europe. The EGP acknowledges an alarming increase in racial prejudice, pointing out that “racism never went away. Today, Islamophobia, antisemitism and antigypsyism are all on the rise”.
In this context, the party advocates a strengthened federal European Union, with a commitment to deep democracy, transparency and accountability. The manifesto highlights the need to protect individual rights, particularly in relation to physical decisions, and calls for a migration policy that values the contribution of migrants to European society.
A global vision for Europe. Finally, the EGP proposes a vision for a Europe that takes its responsibilities on the world stage, focusing on global security, peace and justice. This means revising the EU treaties to move towards a federal Europe capable of effectively integrating new members, while respecting the principles of respect, equality and justice.
At the congress in Lyon, in addition to adopting this manifesto, the EGP plans to nominate two co-candidates to head the list (‘co-Spitzenkandidaten) – either one woman and one man, or two women – to represent it in the June elections. The candidates are Bas Eickhout (GroenLinks, Dutch), Elīna Pinto (Progresīvie, Latvian), Terry Reintke (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, German) and Benedetta Scuderi (Young European Greens, Italian).
To see the draft manifesto: https://aeur.eu/f/amv (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)