Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament

Gordon Brown in Strasbourg

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:00:00 GMT

The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown surprised everyone today with his speech to the European Parliament. The Brits are well known Eurosceptics and followers of free market ideology – Brown took that picture apart. He spoke about the leading role that the European Union should be playing on the world stage.

Reset

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:00:00 GMT

America’s new vice-president, Joe Biden, made an original contribution to the annual security conference in Munich. The fact that he wanted to give the opening address was already noteworthy – in addition he had something new to say. He distanced himself from the anti-Russia position of the previous US administration, asking for the relationship to be ‘reset’ – a new start to dealing with numerous contentious issues like Russia’s relations with NATO or the siting of weapon systems in Europe.

We need a parliamentary inquiry into the gas crisis

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:00:00 GMT

I was pretty fed up yesterday with both Russian and Ukrainian colleagues who seem intent to maintain their opposing views on the gas delivery crisis in Europe. I was bombarded with all sorts of technical details to the point where it becomes hard to see exactly where the problem lies. I hope that in the next few days minds and issues are opened.

EU needs to act on gas

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:00:00 GMT

So in my first blog of the year I said events had got off to a flying start! How true! Today I took part in a special meeting of the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee on the Ukraine-Russia gas crisis. We’re at a point where the EU has got to take decisive action. The option of a coordinated gas storage programme to protect EU member states from cuts in supply has got to be put seriously on the table.

Off to a flying start

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:00:00 GMT

It’s going to be an interesting year for bloggers. Already 2009 is off to a flying start with Israeli incursions on the Gaza Strip and the shocking pictures we’ve all seen. Then there is the gas conflict between Russia and the Ukraine in this cold winter period.
The Czech presidency of the EU Council will have its hands full.

A Europe of the member states

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 23:00:00 GMT

French newspaper Le Monde describes the French presidency of the EU, as it draws to an end, as the fight-back of the member states.
The quality paper puts this down to the success of the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy. Seldom before have government leaders spent so much time in each others’ company as they have in the past six months.

Women drivers!

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:00:00 GMT

A quick blog text today to draw your attention to a really interesting story that I picked up on the BBC News website this morning – it’s about women taxi drivers in Iran. Given that women in neighbouring Saudi Arabia aren’t even allowed to drive, I found the story quite surprising but very encouraging.

Barack Obama

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:00:00 GMT

Obamas’s historic victory a golden opportunity for the transatlantic partnership
America has spoken. On 20 January 2009 Barack Obama will be moving into the White House as the 44th President of the United States. The news of his landmark win sparked scenes of excitement in Europe. Obama’s cosmopolitan background, his charismatic personality and his campaign promise of change have nurtured high hopes in Europe.

Scoring Sarkozy

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:00:00 GMT

Seldom has the EU Council Presidency faced so much pressure – first the war in Georgia and now the financial crisis. We’re lucky that the President of France is not lacking in energy! In both cases he was quick to act and played a (successful) role for the EU.
In the Strasbourg chamber (the ceiling has been repaired), Sarkozy defended with verve and understanding the intervention in the financial sector.

Ibrahim

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:00:00 GMT

The Egyptian Embassy was not best pleased! The Socialist Group had invited well-known Egyptian dissident Said Eddin Ibrahim to a conference on the human rights situation in the EU’s southern neighbourhood countries.
The response came that Ibrahim is not representative – the embassy could provide a better speaker.