Sant says European socialists suffering from inertia on migration

Former prime minister and Labour MEP Alfred Sant told heads of national delegations from the European Parliament’s socialists’ group (S&D) that European Socialists had to defend “and be seen to defend” the interests of the working people of Europe.

Sant was addressing a meeting which discussed the latest political developments in Europe, with foremost on the agenda the immigration crisis. “Voters across Europe are coming to understand that when faced with a choice between ‘Europe’ and the interests of European working people, socialist parties and the S&D will choose ‘Europe’,” Sant said.

“European socialists are giving the impression that they don’t have their own proposals on the latest developments… The perception is that we are mostly following the policies of the right, and in some instances, just reacting to the events that are continuously evolving on the continent. I cannot agree with such an approach,” he said.

Sant said that European socialists were failing to develop a policy that responds to the changes occurring in Europe, while safeguarding the interests of working people in Europe.

“Inertia and the lack of credibility in different sectors like immigration, the Greek crisis – where the S&D is backing an agreement that will surely not function well – and the impasse in the confrontation with Russia over Ukraine have a common cause. They arise from the failure to give the interests of working people overall priority when seeking to understand the current challenges and devising new socialist strategies.”