Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats | |
---|---|
European Parliament group | |
Name | Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats |
English abbr. | S&D [1] (23 June 2009 – present) |
French abbr. | S&D [6] (23 June 2009 – present) |
Formal name | Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament [1] (23 June 2009 – present) |
Ideology | Social democracy [13] Pro-Europeanism |
Political position | Centre-left [14] |
European parties | Party of European Socialists |
Associated organisations | Progressive Alliance Socialist International |
From | 23 June 1953 [3] |
To | Present |
Chaired by | Iratxe García |
MEP(s) | 136 / 720 |
Website | socialistsanddemocrats |
This article is part of a series on |
European Unionportal |
The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) [1] is the political group in the European Parliament of the Party of European Socialists (PES). [15] The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats was officially founded as a Socialist Group on 29 June 1953, which makes it the second oldest political group in the European Parliament after the European People's Party Group (EPP Group). It adopted its present-day name on 23 June 2009. [16] Centre-left in orientation, [17] the group mostly comprises social democratic parties and is affiliated with the Progressive Alliance and Socialist International.
Until the 1999 European Parliament elections, it was the largest group in the Parliament, but since then it has always been the second-largest group. During the eighth EU Parliament Assembly, the S&D was the only Parliament group with representation from all 27 EU member states. In the current EU Parliament the S&D is currently composed of 136 members from 25 member states.
In the European Council, eight out of 27 heads of state and government belong to PES parties and in the European Commission, 8 out of 27 Commissioners come from PES parties.
The Socialist Group was one of the first three groups to be created when it was founded on 23 June 1953 [3] [18] in the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community. The Common Assembly was the predecessor of the European Parliament. A group bureau and secretariat was established in Luxembourg. The group continued through the creation of the appointed Parliament in 1958 and, when the Parliament became an elected body in 1979 following the first European election, the group became the largest in terms of returned MEPs. It has ever since remained the largest or second-largest Group.
In 1987, the Single European Act came into force and the group began co-operating with the European People's Party (EPP) to secure the majorities needed under the cooperation procedure. [19] The left–right coalition between the Socialists and EPP has dominated the Parliament since then. [20] Further, with some exceptions, the post of President of the Parliament has alternated between the two groups ever since. [21]
Meanwhile, the national parties making up the group were also organising themselves on a European level outside the Parliament, creating the Confederation of Socialist Parties of the European Community in 1974. [4] [5] [22] The Confederation was succeeded by the Party of European Socialists (PES), in 1992. [4] [22] As a result, the parliamentary group was renamed the Group of the Party of European Socialists on 21 April 1993. [3]
In 1999, the Parliament refused to approve the Santer Commission's handling of the EU budget. Allegations of corruption centred on two PES Commissioners, Édith Cresson and Manuel Marín. The group initially supported the Commission but later withdrew their support, forcing the Commission to resign. [23]
The group was renamed again to the Socialist Group in the European Parliament [7] on 20 July 2004, [3] and was given a different logo, to further distinguish the PES group organisation from the PES European political party.
In 2007, the Socialist Group was the second largest group in Parliament, with MEPs from all but two member states, Latvia and Cyprus. [24] However, the 2009 European election saw a reduction in the number of PES MEPs returned from 2004. The group sought additional members in the Democratic Party of Italy, which was not affiliated to the PES in 2009. [25] [26] By the conclusion of the 2004–2009 parliamentary term, the Democratic Party had 8 MEPs in the Socialist Group (coming from the Democrats of the Left), but also had eight MEPs in ALDE Group (coming from the Daisy). The Democratic Party is a big tent centre-left party, strongly influenced by social democracy and the Christian left, and had MEPs who were former Christian Democrats or had other political views.[ citation needed ] [27] As such, a new and more inclusive group name had to be found.
The group was going to be named Alliance of Socialists and Democrats for Europe (ASDE) but this was seemed too similar to Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE). [28] The name Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats was suggested on 18 June by group president Martin Schulz [29] and it was renamed on 23 June 2009. [16] The English abbreviation was initially unclear, being variously reported as PASD, [30] S&D Group [31] or PASDE. [32] [33] Dissatisfaction by Socialist MEPs towards the new name led Martin Schulz to admit that the name was still under consideration and that the group was to be referred to as the "Socialists and Democrats" until a final title was chosen. [34] On 14 July 2009, the first day of the constitutive session of the 2009–2014 term, the full formal group name was Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament [1] and the abbreviation was S&D. [1]
The S&D Group joined the Progressive Alliance upon its official foundation on 22 May 2013 [35] and is a member of the organisation's board. [36] The group was formerly an associated organisation of the Socialist International. [37]
For presidents of the European Parliament from the group, see President of the European Parliament.
The group is led by a President and a Bureau of vice-presidents. There is also a Treasurer and a Secretary General. [38]
Presidents of the group include: [39]
Following the 2019 European elections, S&D Members elected their new political Bureau made up of the President Iratxe García Pérez, nine vice-presidents and the treasurer. As a consequence of Brexit, British S&D Member Claude Moraes had to resign from his position as vice-president. Marek Belka has been appointed the new vice-president. [40]
Previous vice-presidents of the group appointed at the start of the current legislature in 2014 [41]
Previous vice-presidents of the group appointed at the start of the 2009 legislature: [42]
Previous vice-presidents of the group for the 2004–2009 term were as follows:
Current/previous Treasurers of the group are as follows:
Current/previous Secretaries General of the group are as follows:
State | National party | European party | MEPs [43] | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Austria | Social Democratic Party of Austria Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs(SPÖ) | PES | 5 / 19 | |
Belgium | Socialist Party Parti Socialiste (PS) | PES | 2 / 21 | |
Forward Vooruit | PES | 2 / 21 | ||
Bulgaria | Bulgarian Socialist Party Българска социалистическа партия(БСП) Bulgarska sotsialisticheska partiya (BSP) | PES | 2 / 17 | |
Croatia | Social Democratic Party of Croatia Socijaldemokratska partija Hrvatske(SDP) | PES | 4 / 12 | |
Cyprus | Democratic Party Δημοκρατικό Κόμμα Dimokratikó Kómma (DIKO) | None | 1 / 6 | |
Denmark | Social Democrats Socialdemokraterne | PES | 3 / 14 | |
Estonia | Social Democratic Party Sotsiaaldemokraatlik Erakond (SDE) | PES | 2 / 7 | |
Finland | Social Democratic Party of Finland Suomen sosialidemokraattinen puolue Finlands socialdemokratiska parti | PES | 2 / 14 | |
France | Socialist Party Parti socialiste (PS) | PES | 10 / 81 | |
Public place Place publique (PP) | None | 3 / 81 | ||
Germany | Social Democratic Party of Germany Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD) | PES | 14 / 96 | |
Greece | Panhellenic Socialist Movement - Movement for Change Panellínio Sosialistikó Kínima– Kínima Allagís (PASOK-KINAL) | PES | 3 / 21 | |
Hungary | Democratic Coalition Demokratikus Koalíció | PES | 2 / 21 | |
Ireland | Labour Party Páirtí an Lucht Oibre | PES | 1 / 14 | |
Italy | Democratic Party Partito Democratico (PD) | PES | 20 / 76 | |
Solidary Democracy Democrazia Solidale (DemoS) | None | 1 / 76 | ||
Latvia | Social Democratic Party "Harmony" Sociāldemokrātiskā partija "Saskaņa" (SDPS) | PES | 1 / 8 | |
Lithuania | Social Democratic Party of Lithuania Lietuvos socialdemokratų partija (LSDP) | PES | 2 / 11 | |
Luxembourg | Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party Lëtzebuerger Sozialistesch Aarbechterpartei Parti ouvrier socialiste luxembourgeois Luxemburger Sozialistische Arbeiterpartei(LSAP) | PES | 1 / 6 | |
Malta | Labour Party Partit Laburista(PL) | PES | 3 / 6 | |
Netherlands | Labour Party Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA) | PES | 4 / 29 | |
Poland | New Left Nowa Lewica | PES | 3 / 52 | |
Portugal | Socialist Party Partido Socialista(PS) | PES | 8 / 21 | |
Romania | Social Democratic Party Partidul Social Democrat (PSD) | PES | 11 / 33 | |
Slovenia | Social Democrats Socialni demokrati(SD) | PES | 1 / 8 | |
Spain | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) | PES | 20 / 59 | |
Sweden | Swedish Social Democratic Party Sveriges socialdemokratiska arbetareparti (SAP) | PES | 5 / 21 | |
European Union | Total | 136 / 720 |
State | National party | European party | MEPs [44] | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Austria | Social Democratic Party of Austria Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs(SPÖ) | PES | 5 / 19 | |
Belgium | Socialist Party Parti Socialiste (PS) | PES | 1 / 21 | |
Forward Vooruit | PES | 1 / 21 | ||
Bulgaria | Bulgarian Socialist Party Българска социалистическа партия(БСП) Bulgarska sotsialisticheska partiya (BSP) | PES | 4 / 17 | |
Croatia | Social Democratic Party of Croatia Socijaldemokratska partija Hrvatske(SDP) | PES | 4 / 12 | |
Cyprus | Movement for Social Democracy Κίνημα Σοσιαλδημοκρατών(ΚΣ) Kinima Sosialdimokraton (KS) | PES | 1 / 6 | |
Democratic Party Δημοκρατικό Κόμμα Dimokratikó Kómma (DIKO) | None | 1 / 6 | ||
Czech Republic | Social Democracy Sociální demokracie(SOCDEM) [45] | PES | 1 / 21 | |
Denmark | Social Democrats Socialdemokraterne | PES | 3 / 14 | |
Estonia | Social Democratic Party Sotsiaaldemokraatlik Erakond (SDE) | PES | 2 / 7 | |
Finland | Social Democratic Party of Finland Suomen sosialidemokraattinen puolue Finlands socialdemokratiska parti | PES | 2 / 14 | |
France | Socialist Party Parti socialiste (PS) | PES | 3 / 79 | |
Public place Place publique (PP) | None | 2 / 79 | ||
New Deal Nouvelle Donne | None | 1 / 79 | ||
Renaissance Renaissance(RE) | None | 1 / 79 | ||
Germany | Social Democratic Party of Germany Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD) | PES | 16 / 96 | |
Greece | Panhellenic Socialist Movement - Movement for Change (Panellínio Sosialistikó Kínima– Kínima Allagís) (PASOK-KINAL) | PES | 1 / 21 | |
Independent Theodoros Zagorakis | Independent | 1 / 21 | ||
Hungary | Democratic Coalition Demokratikus Koalíció (DK) | PES | 4 / 21 | |
Opportunity Community Esély Közösség (EK) | None | 1 / 21 | ||
Italy | Democratic Party Partito Democratico (PD) | PES | 14 / 76 | |
Independent Giuliano Pisapia | Independent | 1 / 76 | ||
Latvia | Social Democratic Party "Harmony" Sociāldemokrātiskā partija "Saskaņa" (SDPS) | PES | 1 / 8 | |
Honor to serve Riga Gods kalpot Rīgai (GKR) | None | 1 / 8 | ||
Lithuania | Social Democratic Party of Lithuania Lietuvos socialdemokratų partija (LSDP) | PES | 2 / 11 | |
Luxembourg | Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party Lëtzebuerger Sozialistesch Aarbechterpartei Parti ouvrier socialiste luxembourgeois Luxemburger Sozialistische Arbeiterpartei(LSAP) | PES | 1 / 6 | |
Malta | Labour Party Partit Laburista(LP Malta) | PES | 4 / 6 | |
Netherlands | Labour Party Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA) | PES | 6 / 29 | |
Poland | New Left Nowa Lewica | PES | 6 / 52 | |
Independent Leszek Miller | Independent | 1 / 52 | ||
Portugal | Socialist Party Partido Socialista(PS) | PES | 9 / 21 | |
Romania | Social Democratic Party Partidul Social Democrat (PSD) | PES | 7 / 33 | |
PRO Romania PRO România(PRO) | None | 1 / 33 | ||
Social Liberal Humanist Party Partidul Umanist Social Liberal(PUSL) | None | 1 / 33 | ||
Slovakia | Independent Róbert Hajšel | Independent | 1 / 14 | |
Slovenia | Social Democrats Socialni demokrati(SD Slovenia) | PES | 2 / 8 | |
Spain | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) | PES | 21 / 59 | |
Sweden | Swedish Social Democratic Party Sveriges socialdemokratiska arbetareparti (SAP) | PES | 5 / 21 | |
European Union | Total | 139 / 705 |
State | National party | European party | MEPs 2004– 2009 | MEPs 2009– 2014 | MEPs 2014– 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Austria | Social Democratic Party of Austria Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs | PES | 7 | 4 | 5 |
Belgium | Socialist Party Parti Socialiste | PES | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Socialist Party Different Socialistische Partij Anders | PES | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
Bulgaria | Bulgarian Socialist Party Българска социалистическа партия Bulgarska sotsialisticheska partiya | PES | 5 | 4 | 4 |
Croatia | Social Democratic Party of Croatia Socijaldemokratska partija Hrvatske | PES | 5 | 4 | |
Cyprus | Movement for Social Democracy Κίνημα Σοσιαλδημοκρατών Kinima Sosialdimokraton | PES | 1 | 1 | |
Democratic Party Δημοκρατικό Κόμμα Dimokratikó Kómma | None | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Czech Republic | Czech Social Democratic Party Česká strana sociálně demokratická | PES | 2 | 7 | 4 |
Denmark | Social Democrats Socialdemokraterne | PES | 5 | 4 | 3 |
Estonia | Social Democratic Party Sotsiaaldemokraatlik Erakond | PES | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Finland | Social Democratic Party of Finland Suomen sosialidemokraattinen puolue Finlands socialdemokratiska parti | PES | 3 | 2 | 2 |
France | Socialist Party Parti socialiste | PES | 31 | 14 | 12 |
Radical Party of the Left Parti radical de gauche | None | 1 | |||
Germany | Social Democratic Party of Germany Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands | PES | 24 | 23 | 27 |
Greece | Movement for Change (PASOK) Κίνημα Αλλαγής Kinima Allagis | PES | 8 | 6 | 2 |
Democratic Left Δημοκρατική Αριστερά Dimokratiki Aristera | None | 1 | |||
The River Το Ποτάμι To Potami | None | 2 | |||
Hungary | Hungarian Socialist Party Magyar Szocialista Párt | PES | 9 | 4 | 2 |
Democratic Coalition Demokratikus Koalíció | None | 2 | |||
Ireland | Labour Party Páirtí an Lucht Oibre | PES | 1 | 3 | |
Nessa Childers (Independent) | None | 1 | |||
Italy | Democrats of the Left [46] Democratici di Sinistra | PES | 12 | ||
Democratic Party Partito Democratico | PES | 21 | 31 | ||
Italian Democratic Socialists [47] Socialisti Democratici Italiani | PES | 2 | |||
Article 1 – Democratic and Progressive Movement Articolo Uno – Movimento Democratico e Progressista | None | 3 | |||
Italian Left Sinistra Italiana | None | 1 | |||
Possible Possibile | None | 1 | |||
United in the Olive Tree Uniti nell'Ulivo | None | 2 | |||
Latvia | Social Democratic Party "Harmony" Sociāldemokrātiskā partija "Saskaņa" | PES | 1 | 1 | |
Lithuania | Social Democratic Party of Lithuania Lietuvos socialdemokratų partija | PES | 2 | 3 | 2 |
Luxembourg | Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party Lëtzebuerger Sozialistesch Aarbechterpartei Parti ouvrier socialiste luxembourgeois Luxemburger Sozialistische Arbeiterpartei | PES | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Malta | Labour Party Partit Laburista | PES | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Netherlands | Labour Party Partij van de Arbeid | PES | 7 | 3 | 3 |
Poland | Democratic Left Alliance-Labor Union Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej – Unia Pracy | PES | 5 | 7 | 5 |
Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland Samoobrona Rzeczpospolitej Polskiej | None | 2 | 1 | ||
Social Democratic Party of Poland Socjaldemokracja Polska | None | 3 | |||
Portugal | Socialist Party Partido Socialista | PES | 12 | 7 | 8 |
Romania | Social Democratic Party Partidul Social Democrat | PES | 10 | 11 | 14 |
Slovakia | Direction – Social Democracy Smer – sociálna demokracia | PES | 3 | 5 | 4 |
Slovenia | Social Democrats Socialni demokrati | PES | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Spain | Spanish Socialist Workers' Party Partido Socialista Obrero Español | PES | 24 | 21 | 14 |
Sweden | Swedish Social Democratic Party Sveriges socialdemokratiska arbetareparti | PES | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Feminist Initiative Feministiskt initiativ | None | 1 | |||
United Kingdom | Labour Party | PES | 19 | 13 | 20 |
Total | 215 | 184 | 190 |
The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union, it adopts European legislation, following a proposal by the European Commission. The Parliament is composed of 720 members (MEPs), after the June 2024 European elections, from a previous 705 MEPs. It represents the second-largest democratic electorate in the world, with an electorate of around 375 million eligible voters in 2024.
The European People's Party Group is a political group of the European Parliament consisting of deputies (MEPs) from the member parties of the European People's Party (EPP). Sometimes it also includes independent MEPs and/or deputies from unaffiliated national parties. The EPP Group comprises politicians of Christian democratic, conservative and liberal-conservative orientation.
The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL is a left-wing political group of the European Parliament established in 1995. Prior to January 2021 it was named the European United Left/Nordic Green Left.
The Party of European Socialists (PES) is a social democratic European political party.
The president of the European Commission, also known as president of the College of Commissioners or prime commissioner, is the head of the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union (EU). The president of the commission leads a cabinet of commissioners, referred to as the college. The president is empowered to allocate portfolios among, reshuffle, or dismiss commissioners as necessary. The college directs the commission's civil service, sets the policy agenda and determines the legislative proposals it produces. The commission is the only body that can propose, or draft, bills to become EU laws.
The 2004 European Parliament election was held between 10 and 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom. The European Parliamental parties could not be voted for, but elected national parties aggregated in European Parliamental parties after the elections.
The European People's Party (EPP) is a European political party with Christian democratic, liberal-conservative, and conservative member parties. A transnational organisation, it is composed of other political parties. Founded by primarily Christian-democratic parties in 1976, it has since broadened its membership to include liberal-conservative parties and parties with other centre-right political perspectives. On 31 May 2022, the party elected as its President Manfred Weber, who was also EPP's Spitzenkandidat in 2019.
The president of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. They also represent the Parliament within the European Union (EU) and internationally. The president's signature is required for laws initiated under co-decision and the EU budget.
The Italian Democratic Socialists was a social-democratic political party in Italy. The party was the direct continuation of the Italian Socialists, the legal successor of the historical Italian Socialist Party. The Italian Democratic Socialist Party, the other long-time Italian social-democratic party, was merged into it along with other minor parties. The party's long-time leader was Enrico Boselli, a former president of Emilia-Romagna (1990–1993). In 2007, the SDI were merged with other descendants of the PSI to form the modern-day Italian Socialist Party.
The European Democratic Party, also known as the European Democrats, is a centrist European political party in favour of European integration.
Elections to the European Parliament take place every five years by universal adult suffrage; with more than 400 million people eligible to vote, they are the second largest democratic elections in the world after India's.
The Barroso Commission was the European Commission in office from 22 November 2004 until 31 October 2014. Its president was José Durão Barroso, who presided over 27 other commissioners. On 16 September 2009 Barroso was re-elected by the European Parliament for a further five years and his Commission was approved to take office on 9 February 2010.
The political groups of the European Parliament are the officially recognised parliamentary groups consisting of legislators of aligned ideologies in the European Parliament.
Giovanni Saverio Furio Pittella is an Italian politician who served as Leader of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Group from 2014 to 2018 and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Italy from 1999 to 2018. He previously served as First Vice-President of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2014.
The Movement for European Reform, abbreviated to MER, was a pan-European alliance of national centre-right political parties with conservative, pro-free market and Eurosceptic inclinations. It consisted of the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom and the Civic Democratic Party of the Czech Republic.
The 2009 European Parliament election was held in the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) between 4 and 7 June 2009. A total of 736 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were elected to represent some 500 million Europeans, making these the biggest trans-national elections in history. An additional 18 observers were pre-elected.
The Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe was the liberal–centrist political group of the European Parliament from 2004 until 2019 when it merged into Renew Europe.
The European Conservatives and Reformists Group is a soft Eurosceptic, anti-federalist political group of the European Parliament. The ECR is the parliamentary group of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party European political party, but also includes MEPs from other European parties and MEPs without European party affiliation.
The 2014 European Parliament election was held in the European Union (EU) between 22 and 25 May 2014. It was the 8th parliamentary election since the first direct elections in 1979, and the first in which the European political parties fielded candidates for President of the Commission.
The ninth European Parliament was elected during the 2019 elections and sat until the tenth European Parliament was sworn in on 16 July 2024.