Meeting vun de Generalsekretäre vum PES

D’Partei vun den europäesche Sozialisten a Sozialdemokraten (www.pes.org) hat e Freideg d’Generalsekretären vun de Memberparteien op Bréissel invitéiert fir eng Diskussioun ze féieren iwwer d’Moderniséierung vun der Sozialdemokratie a wéi eng praktesch Approche een dozou kéint unhuelen. Haaptriednerin war d’Andrea Nahles vun der SPD an och den Howard Dean, Präsident vun der Demokratescher Partei aus den USA war iwwer Videokonferenz bäigeschallt. Et war en intressanten Austausch vun Iddien a Praktiken aus de verschiddene Länner aus der EU. An dach hunn ech an der Diskussioun dat wierklech déifgräifend vermësst. Natierlech sinn esou Spillereien wéi Internetcampagnen intressant, mee dat däerf awer net d’Kär vun eiser Moderniséierung duerstellen, dat ass just ee vu villen Tools déi mer kënne benotze fir eise Message un d’Bierger ze bréngen.

Ech mengen datt am Ablack d’Bierger net méi genuch Vertrauen an d’Politik hunn. Si hunn d’Impressioun: 1. Datt et net gerecht virgeet wann et heescht d’Staatsbudget’en an d’Gläichgewiicht ze bréngen 2. Datt d’Politik net méi di éischt Klack spillt an eiser Gesellschaft, mee just nach ënnert der Direktioun vum Patronat a vun de Banken steet.

Op déi 2 Froen hätte mer missten Äentwerte sichen, dat ass awer leider net geschidd.

Hei e klengen Auszuch aus ménger Interventioun (sou wäit ech mech nach kann erënneren):

“Social democracy is in a crisis. We are not anymore perceived as an alternative to the political mainstream. For the voters, we are the political mainstream.. The differences between us and the political right seem infinitesimal and obscure. Our traditional voters abstain or if they vote, their choice will fall on fringe parties with clear and unique messages, as the recent polls in the Netherlands and Belgium has shown.

Our parties must again stand for a clear, unique and strong message. We cannot allow ourselves to surf the same wave as the conservatives and liberals. We must differentiate ourselves from our political opponents.

What makes us different? – Our values!

Conservatives and liberals have taken over some of our political positions. Without hesitation, they speak about dolidarity, equality and justice. But how deep is their commitment? We must be crystal clear what solidarity means to us, namely setting up policies and public services that help those in need. Conservatives however understand solidarity as charitable donations they might decide to give or might not. Helping those in need is not an option but a moral obligation which must translate into rights of support. That’s the difference.

Equality for socialists and social democrats is about giving equal opportunities to everyone even to those with a disadvantage not of their own making.

People facing the cuts in public expenses don’t feel treated equally. We must listen to them and work on their concerns to regain their confidence.

I passionately believe that our voters expect more than blindly following the holy grail of steady growth at any cost. They don’t want conservative answers. And we shouldn’t fall back into the old habits of a careless anything-goes market economy that has brought us to the brink of disaster but we must work towards a socially-responsible market economy.

New ideas are needed. And we must propose them. We must inspire and aspire to the happiness of the people, and not only to material wealth. We want good public services, decent jobs, good health care and sustainable development.

Let us talk to our members! Their input is our inspiration.”