Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament

One year on from the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas, our thoughts are with the victims. Israelis held hostage, 40,000 Palestinians murdered, Gaza destroyed, and the Middle East at war. This is Netanyahu’s legacy. It is time to remember the words of Yitzhak Rabin: “Fight terrorism as if there is no peace, and work for peace as if there is no terrorism”. #CeaseFireGaza

Check out the S&D Group priorities for the upcoming Plenary session in Strasbourg!

Want to work with us? Traineeship applications are open now! We are looking for talented people to join our team, learn more about European policy-making and help us advance progressive ideas in the European Parliament.  All you need is a good dose of motivation and passion for social democratic values. 💪🇪🇺 Hurry up! The deadline to send your application is November 3! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eTKWMjgH

Stop the race to the bottom! Essential workers deserve better. We stand with security guards, cleaners and food service workers gathering in Brussels today, calling for better EU legislation on public contracts with private firms. Public money must not be used to undermine workers rights.

A dark day for Europe. In a worrying shift, Austria’s far-right FPÖ, a party founded by former Nazis after WWII, has won national elections. This is the first time since 1945 that a far-right party arrives first. The FPÖ’s dangerous rhetoric, drawing inspiration from autocrats like Viktor Orbán, threatens democracy not just in Austria, but across Europe. Their leader, Herbert Kickl, has promised to be the “Volkskanzler” (People's Chancellor), a chilling echo of fascist times. For us it is clear - the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) must now reject any coalition with the FPÖ. It’s not just about the head of the FPÖ, Herbert Kickl— the entire FPÖ is steeped in extremism, as numerous cases of neo-Nazi activity within the party show. The Social Democrats have shown readiness to step into government, working together to build a strong “Brandmauer”, a firewall against the far right, and to shape a democratic, pro-European, climate-friendly and socially just future for Austria and Europe. 🇦🇹🇪🇺 The time has come to protect democracy and stop the normalization of far-right extremism! ✊ Never again is now. 💪

Safe and legal access to abortion is still not available everywhere in the EU. On International Safe Abortion Day, we want to say it loud and clear: sexual and reproductive rights are fundamental human rights! They must not only be accessible but also fiercely protected. Despite strong opposition from the right and far-right, we continue to push for safe and legal abortion to be enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. This essential right must be set in stone, to safeguard it against the far-right’s ongoing efforts to undermine and revoke it. Together, we stand for a Europe where safe and legal abortion is a reality for all! #safeabortion #abortionisahumanright #safeabortionday #rights #mybodymyrights

✊On 1 October we're joining essential workers and UNI Europa in demanding changes to EU legislation on making public contracts with private firms to deliver goods and services 🇪🇺 And we're gearing up for upcoming commissioner hearings. Details & more👇

Who does the internet belong to? Who should set the rules online? We want global standards on social media. Latest podcast with our MEPs Alex Saliba, Christel Schaldemose and Laura Ballarín out now, available on all podcast platforms. Spotify: socsde.ms/ZSf Apple Podcasts: socsde.ms/ZSY Youtube: http://socsde.ms/ZSM

Georgians want their personal freedoms to be respected Last week, the Georgian Parliament passed a law on “family values and the protection of minors”. While pretending to protect vulnerable persons, this piece of legislation actually risks being another one to fuel hatred and discrimination. This time it targets LGBTIQ+ rights. The law would allow the banishing of all Pride events and public displays of the rainbow flag, to impose censorship of films and books, while banning gender transition or adoption by gay and transgender people. It also renders all same-sex marriages performed abroad null on Georgian territory. This law on “family values” reminds us of the law on “foreign influence” adopted earlier this year. It also claimed to protect and actually provides tools to target critical civil society actors. We call on the Georgian government to refrain from adopting discriminatory laws and to respect the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all Georgians. This is a prerequisite for every country aspiring to become a member of the European Union.

Take a look back at the latest #EPlenary this week and check out our highlights for the upcoming period! All in this week's edition of our newsletter. ⚠️Subscribe, if you haven't already!