Party of European Socialists

Nicolas Schmit, the newly-elected president of the Party of European Socialists (PES), has voiced his support for Bulgaria's full accession to the Schengen Area. Speaking at a press briefing following his election at a PES congress held in Rome, Schmit emphasized the importance of Bulgaria's integration into the Schengen Zone.

 SYRIZA- The rise and fall of the cult left-wing party in Europe - Reflections on the right wing

SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras is set to miss the Party of European Socialists (PES) European Council Preparation Meeting on Thursday according to party sources on Wednesday. Reportedly, Tsipras has prior engagements on that day.

Members of pro-Kurdish party Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) shout slogans against the government in Istanbul, September 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA

Ljubljana – Dutch MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld (D66/Renew) believes there is sufficient ground for the European Parliament’s Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group, which she heads, to start monitoring the situation in Slovenia.

PSD's (Social Democratic Party) interim leader Marcel Ciolacu announced on Saturday that he will sign the petition launched by PES activists Romania on a European minimum salary and proposed that Social Democrats also join this initiative. "I know that PSD needs to become active again at European level. We have to take responsibility for what we did wrong and work together.

Today is the deadline set by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, for the governments of the Member States to nominate their own commissioners. So far, 25 of the 28 countries have proposals.

President of the Party of European Socialists (PES) Sergei Stanishev, who is attending on Saturday the meeting of the Social Democratic Party's (PSD) Extraordinary Congress, voiced his support for Viorica Dancila's candidacy in the presidential elections, mentioning that she took on the party leadership at a difficult time.

The election of Germany's Ursula von der Leyen as European Commission president is a positive development. Had she been rejected, the European Union would have suffered a fresh blow at a time when it is under pressure from within and without. However, we cannot ignore the fact that von der Leyen was imposed from "above" rather than being selected in the traditional manner.

Politicians from Balkan EU member states failed to obtain any top posts in the new Commission after hopes rose that Sergey Stanishev of Bulgaria, for example, might become the new president of the European Parliament.