In the last decades, demands for orientation and political leadership in increasingly complex societies have risen. And so have demands of citizens for more direct participation. The current pandemic has only exacerbated these possibly contradictory developments. Progressive political parties will have to carefully readjust between citizens’ demands for more participation and inclusion on the one […]
Politics of recovery - a chance for the centre-left
The path to recovery after the Covid-pandemic is paved with hopes, but also with questions. The European Union agreed on the largest ever aid and investment plan. But many ponder if, really, it will help advancing the cause of equality, sustainability and social justice for all.
The sentiment of solidarity and the readiness to take part in collective actions that has marked the Covid-period has prompted the debate on the future of the welfare state. This can politically play into the hands of anyone at the moment and so can the effects of the EU Recovery strategy. The political organisations instinctively closed the ranks and they suffered from limited possibilities for social interactions. This, while it is openness and inclusiveness what the citizens leaving lockdowns are searching for. Against this backdrop, Social Democrats – in the countries where they are in power, as well in those where they are in opposition – face strategic choices, which may help them overcome the current historical low and ensure their prominent place in the books about the future.
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Following the outbreak of the pandemic, the EU finds itself at a historic juncture. The adoption of an ambitious recovery instrument offers a golden opportunity to go beyond ‘business as usual’ and forge a new social contract. Putting the public interest at the heart of the recovery strategy can prove a game-changer for progressive politics. […]
It has become a well-known truth that in the time of the ultimate test – Covid – citizens turned to their governments. They have been looking for protection, for help and for reassurance, that collective effort can make the pandemic fade away. Social Democrats who were at the helm of their respective countries have embraced […]
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