FEPS Newsletter 22 March 2024 – What a week!

22/03/2024
Youth, tax justice, far-right, elections…

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My Choice, My Voice - Tune in to hear young progressive voices

What a week! Among many other activities, FEPS has been part of the two-day S&D Youth Event that has gathered around 500 young Europeans from across the EU. We organised two workshops on tax justice and the far-right, filled with inspiring debates and ideas. The young participants worked with experts from academia, politics and civil society and crafted a two-minute message that was presented to European leaders at the European Parliament Hemicycle. Thank you to all participants for their contributions, engagement, energy and powerful message of hope! 

 

We also partnered up with the UN and FES to get ready ahead of the UN Summit of the Future, we travelled to Kosovo to continue our work on enlargement, to Berlin for the Day of the Progressive Economic Policy, and we heard about predictions ahead of the EU elections.

Taxing billionaires for the EU to deliver on a wellbeing agenda

PAST EVENT

Taxing billionaires for the EU to deliver on a wellbeing agenda

Workshop within the S&D Youth event

20 March – FEPS HQ – By S&D Group; in collaboration with FEPS, PES, PES CoR and YES

In the EU, the richest 1% own 47% of financial wealth and keep becoming richer.A Wealth Tax of up to 5% on Europe’s multimillionaires and billionaires could bring 286.5 billion € each year!

With this, we ensure social and climate justice in a society in which the difference between the ultra-rich and the rest of the society is increasing!

 

This pivotal question was at the heart of this workshop in which we discussed the reasons and the strategy to ‘Tax the Rich‘. Sign the petition to support this European Citizen’s Initiative advocating for a wealth tax to fund essential ecological and social transitions!

 

If you still doubt the feasibility of a wealth tax, our policy study ‘A European wealth tax’ will prove you wrong. Check out FEPS’ work on tax justice!

PAST EVENT

A free and democratic Europe: Countering far-right populism

Workshop within the S&D Youth event

19 March – FEPS HQ – By S&D Group; in collaboration with FEPS, PES, PES CoR and YES

A free and democratic Europe: Countering far-right populism

Despite the threat they pose to democracy, far-right parties are gaining ground in Europe.

 

In this workshop, participants learned more about this threat and possible strategies to counter it. We notably presented the findings of our policy brief ‘The transformation of the mainstream right in Western Europe‘, shedding light on a crucial aspect: it’s not solely the far-right that undermines democracy, but also certain centre-right parties forming alliances with them, allowing them to enter into governments and legitimising their rhetoric and hate speech. Join us on 18 April for an in-depth analysis of the findings of this publication.

Events
Towards a global pact for a better future for people and the planet

PAST EVENT

Towards a global pact for a better future for people and the planet

Navigating through the poly-crisis

22 March – Brussels – In collaboration with FES EU Office, Fondation Jean-Jaurès, TASC, Karl-Renner-Institut, Olof Palmes Internationella Center  and Fundación Pablo Iglesias.

Ahead of the UN Summit of the Future, that will take place in New York in September, this event gathered policymakers, experts, civil society, youth and a diverse range of participants, including Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy at the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General and Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen.

 

We reflected on the key findings of the upcoming FEPS book ‘For a New Global Deal. Preparing the Summit of the Future’, prepared by a high-level group of experts.

PAST EVENT

Next Left Lecture with Prof. Simon Hix

The likely political and policy consequences of the EP 2024 elections

21 March – European Parliament (Hybrid) – In collaboration with the Karl-Renner-Institut 

The likely political and policy consequences of the EP 2024 elections

In this Lecture, Simon Hix, Professor at the European Union Institute, offered some very important insights into the situation that the Progressives find themselves in ahead of the elections, as also some predictions as to what may happen after June 2024

 

The Next Left Lectures form an integral part of the Next Left Research Programme, established in 2009 with the ambition to contribute to progressive thinking and propose innovative paths.

Day of Progressive Economic Policy 2024

PAST EVENT

Day of Progressive Economic Policy 2024

Economic democracy to foster regional transformation

19-20 March – Berlin and online – By Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES); in collaboration with FEPS, IMK, Fiscal Future and DGB 

As an event partner, FEPS ran the panel ‘Economic democracy to foster regional transformation’, with Dr. Andrew Cumbers, lead researcher at the FEPS project ‘Economic Democracy’.

 

The current economic system has concentrated power in the hands of the few and created record inequality. The current economic model is not working for people and the planet. A new paradigm must be created. But the incumbent economic power holders are not going to be the drivers of change. Transformation of the economy requires a democratic process that would build up the power of social stakeholders and citizens at large. In this panel, we explored the local/regional dimension of this transformation. 

PAST EVENT

Friends of the Western Balkans meeting

The interplay between European elections, democracy and enlargement

21-23 March – Pristina, Kosovo – Expert meeting – With FES SOE, Karl-Renner-Institut, MDA, Kalevi Sorsa Foundation, Fondation Jean-Jaurès, Foundation Max van der Stoel, Društvo Progresiva and Olof Palme International Center.

Friends of the Western Balkans – Pristina

The network Friends of the Western Balkans (FoWB) gathered for its fifth meeting to discuss the interplay between the upcoming European elections and the process of enlargement and to reflect on labour migration – the so-called ‘brain drain’ – that affects the Western Balkans and whose long-term consequences may also be observed in the democratic institutions and processes.

News

FEPS President Maria João Rodrigues discussed NATO expansion, European defence and the elections in Russia and Portugal on Euronews’ talk show ‘Brussels, my love?‘ Watch the segment here.

Ever dreamt of sharing your initiative with EU policymakers? This is your moment! Let us hear your groundbreaking idea for a just, equal, and sustainable European future.

 

📽️ Submit a short video of yourself with your key idea for the progressives to tackle during the next legislature and get a chance to pitch it live in Brussels directly to MEPs and policymakers

 

Seize this opportunity to shape European policy! Send us your idea by 24 March.

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