Things aren't easy for the Party of European Socialists (PES) when it comes to terminology. The Partito Democratico (PD, a new Italian political party formed from the merger of Romano Prodi's old socialist party and another reformist movement) will not join the PES according to its president, Dario Franceschini. This is important, not in terms of swelling the PES ranks as such, but rather because of its impact on the future European Parliament. The Socialist Group wants to replace the EPP as the biggest party in the new EP (the British Conservatives are leaving the EPP) but this will be tricky without the support of Italy's PD. Franceschini does not want Italian centre-left MPs to be in two separate groups (as at present), but it does not seem likely that all the PD will all agree to join the PES. Franceschini is reported to have started by thinking of setting up an independent group connected with the socialists. Later, he is reported to have thought of a single centre-left group comprising both Socialists and “Reformists” (a deliberately vague term chosen to avoid stepping on anyone's toes) in a new group called the “United Progressive Group”. How can the PES and national parties be persuaded to agree to this if millions of activists seem determined to resist use of the word “Socialist”? Herein lies the rub. The British prime minister (whose own party, incidentally, is called the “Labour” Party rather than using the word “Socialist”) is reported to have said that leaving the question of the name to one side, the aim is to set up a single centre-left group at the EP which can aspire to being the biggest European parliamentary group and play a key role in the EU, where the EP is gaining ever greater powers. Meanwhile, the EPP is trying to win over the parliamentarians in the united party headed by Silvio Berlusconi… (F.R./transl.fl)