Party of European Socialists
The
Party of European Socialists (PES) is a
European political party whose members are 33
social democratic,
socialist and
labour parties of the
European Union member states as well as
Bulgaria,
Romania and
Norway.
PES was founded in 1992 in
The Hague to succeed the
Confederation of Socialist Parties of the European Community. It is an associated organisation of the
Socialist International.
Ecosy is the youth organisation of PES.
Its current president is the former Danish Prime Minister
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen. With 200 members the PES's "Socialist Group" is the second largest group in the
European Parliament. Group president is the German social democrat
Martin Schulz. President of the parliament is the Spanish socialist
Josep Borrell.
Seven members of the
European Commission are members of the PES: Vice president
Günter Verheugen (SPD), vice president
Margot Wallström (SAP), Commissioner for monetary affairs
Joaquín Almunia (PSOE), commissioner for regional policy
Danuta Hübner (SLD), commissioner for taxation
László Kovács (MSZP), commissioner for trade
Peter Mandelson (
Labour) and commissioner for employment and social affairs
Vladimír Špidla (ČSSD).
PES members in the
European Council are
Tony Blair (
United Kingdom),
Gediminas Kirkilas (
Lithuania),
Ferenc Gyurcsány (
Hungary),
Jiří Paroubek (
Czech Republic),
Göran Persson (
Sweden),
José Sócrates (
Portugal) and
José Luis Zapatero (
Spain).
