Progressive news before we are off for our summer break! 🕶️🌞 | Your PES Group newsletter
Time flies by when you’re having fun! This is our last newsletter before the summer break which marks the first half of a very exciting year for us. We hope that you’re currently packing your bag to recharge your batteries and spend quality time with your loved ones. Before you leave for vacation, let us share with you some of the highlights of what kept us busy in the last weeks.
We look forward to being back in September to continue our work for a progressive agenda in Europe! Scroll down for some good reads and podcasts 👇
👏 Congratulations to the new President Vasco Alves Cordeiro!
We are proud that a socialist is once again leading the European Committee of the Regions! President Vasco Alves Cordeiro brings his experience from one of the farthest corners of our Union to the very centre of EU decision-making. We look forward to working hand in hand for our common progressive agenda.
📰 📢 Political priorities update for the second half of the 2020-2025 mandate
The PES Group's political priorities have been updated for the second half of the 2020-2025 term! This is a recurrent yet important exercise for our political family in the European Committee of the Regions, where our ambition is to reinforce a progressive agenda for the remaining part of the term and align our political vision with the new Presidency. Democratic, progressive and forward-looking: these are the best words to describe our updated political priorities! ➡️ Take a look at this snapshot of our political priorities update
🙌 📚 Progressives Speak Up School in Reggio Emilia for a Child Union!
As socialist and social democrats, we are committed to contributing to the promotion of equal access to high-quality childhood education for all children in the EU, starting with our local communities. That’s why we invited 50 young elected progressive politicians to our third #ProgressivesSpeakUp School for three days of training and debates on child policies with local and regional politicians! It has been a unique opportunity to discuss, learn and reflect with professional trainers and educators in childcare on multiple issues that affect children, their development and their future with the best policies that can support children to reach their maximum potential.
Stay tuned for the next edition of our Progressives Speak Up School! Take a look at this video (cute alert!) made by Reggio Children with young thinkers reflecting on the concept of “Freedom”.
🤝 Progressive local and regional leaders in the Ukrainian borders
Our member Mariana Gâju, Mayor of Cumpăna, Romania, and the Asociația Comunelor din România organised a debate on the future of Europe with our President Christophe Rouillon and the S&D MEP Victor Negrescu. They were joined the following day by a delegation of PES Group members for a study visit to provide food and equipment to the refugee center in Isaccea. ➡️ Read our summary
✊ ⏲️ Platforms: it’s time to deliver rights!
Platform workers deserve the same rights as everyone else: fair wages and decent working conditions. Progressive regions and cities are committed to introducing social frameworks for new forms of employment. In the European Committee of the Regions, our member Yonnec Polet, first Deputy Mayor of Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Belgium, is calling for better working conditions for people engaged in work through digital labour platforms.
🏨 A single and comprehensive plan for the renovation of the Energy Building Performance Directive
We need to rethink our energy system to ensure the resilience of all territories and reach our climate goals by 2030. It’s necessary to focus on the entire life cycle of buildings and embed circular economy in all stages. 📰 Read this insightful interview with PES member André Viola, member of the Departmental Council of Aude, France, rapporteur on the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.
🏳️🌈 📢 The struggle of defending LGBTIQ rights in Marche region
Last year, Manuela Bora, regional councillor of Marche, Italy, submitted a motion for the region Marche to join the Love Where I Live campaign, which was rejected by the regional council, led by the right wing.➡️ Learn more about her fight for LGBTIQ rights
👉 Declare your city an LGBTIQ Freedom Zones!
Back in April 2021, Lisbon was the first city in Europe to declare itself LGBTIQ Freedom Zone. Since then, 4 progressive regions and 30 progressive cities have joined our #LoveWhereILive campaign. It’s now your turn to declare your city or region a “LGBTIQ Freedom Zones”!
⛱️📚 Summer reads: Our team's top picks for a better world
Check out our book list and get inspired for a progressive summer!
- Feminist City: Claiming Space in a Man-Made World written by the feminist urban scholar Leslie Kern
- In Defense of Housing: The Politics of Crisis written by urban planner Peter Marcuse and sociologist David Madden.
- The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind written by neuropsychiatrist Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
📻 Progressive podcast are on!
Not satisfied yet but tired of reading? Tune in to let yourself fall under the spell of progressive voices!
- Europe Calling, a monthly podcast series presented by the European Commission, opening the door to politics and policies of the European Union of today. It features interviews with key EU decision-makers and experts on what is happening in the heart of the EU and beyond
- EU Scream: Standing Up to Bullies with Frans Timmermans
- FEPS Talks: For an effective EU Child Guarantee
- Take a Left, the Socialist & Democrats Group's podcast
- Listening to citizens: reflecting on the Conference on the Future of Europe.
- Improving the rights of platform workers
- Pride month, party or protest?
🙏 For the header photo, we thank Jonathan Borba from Unsplash.