Progressive Alliance: A Network of Progressive Forces for the 21st Century
The progressive, democratic, social-democratic, socialist and labour movement is based on a common commitment to human rights and the joint pursuit of freedom, justice, social equality, including gender equality, sustainability and international solidarity. Many countries around us are battling with huge economic problems,
while in other parts of the world people are enjoying better prospects for the future than ever before. With globalization, the social matter has come to the fore again in a new guise,
as inequality in our societies and between the rich and the poor states of the world has increased. This new social issue must be addressed in order
to make participation possible, prevent distribution conflicts and ensure the ecological balance of our environment. Today in the globalized 21st century humanity can only solve our age‘s existential challenges together. To create just jobs and ensure equal pay for women and men, to fight unemployment, curb climate change, restrain rampant financial markets with sensible regulations, counter increased inequality in societies, secure peace and human rights as global public goods, stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and put an end to hunger and poverty once and for all. Challenges like these can only be tackled by working together and not against each other. At the same time these are challenges for a new order of the world, which the progressive forces worldwide have to fight for. We want to contribute to the establishment of a cooperative world order which makes shared solutions of problems and construction of the future possible. Together with social and workers movements and groups of civil society, we want to shape the future with the aim of advancing global peace, justice, equality – including gender equality – and sustainability. We have seen how the politics of injustice and inequality have divided our societies and have undermined social cohesion and solidarity. Neoliberalism
has failed miserably. The time is ripe for a progressive, global political and economic system which places humans at the centre of attention again. We need a progressive
answer which gives people hope instead of fuelling fear, allows women and men to have equal opportunities and be part of society instead of excluding them, and which encourages cooperation instead of confrontation. As progressive parties, we want to make the 21st century a century of democratic, social and ecological progress. In order to achieve this goal, we have to understand the needs of our fellow human beings and work out modern political approaches to satisfy these needs. For that to happen, we need to strengthen our parties, our organisations and our campaigns. And for this very reason, we, the progressive parties, wish to improve our cooperation and establish a progressive alliance of political parties, welcoming cooperation with other progressive social forces, trade unions, foundations, think tanks and NGOs. The Progressive Alliance is a network which is open to progressive, democratic, social-democratic, socialist and labour parties and party networks. The Progressive Alliance is funded by voluntary contributions. The values of democracy, gender equality, justice and solidarity we advocate are the basic operational principles inside of the Progressive
Alliance. Parallel and complementary to other associations operating at an international level, the Progressive Alliance builds on existing and evolving
networks and forums. For global political challenges like strengthening the social dimension of globalisation and sustainable progress, combating climate change,
strengthening human rights, including women’s rights, and democracy, as well as peace and security, the Progressive Alliance is the platform for
formulating common, progressive answers. What we do
As progressive parties, we want to make the 21st century a century of democratic, social and ecological progress. For that to happen, we need to fortify our parties, our organisations and our campaigns. Specifically through the Progressive Alliance we need to:
Ensure sharing of best practice with regards to party development, organization, campaigning, running elections, engagement and policy development;
Build the campaign capacity of progressive parties. So that right around the world progressives and our agenda win electorally;
Strengthen our networks of young leaders and parliamentarians: So that succeeding generations of progressives contribute to the on-going work of the network;
Ensure greater cooperation between the leaders of the world’s progressive political parties: So that significant decisions can be informed by a common approach and common thinking from the political leadership of our network;
Build a truly global network of progressive parties: Including political parties in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific so that our network is truly global and reflects the needs of developing and developed countries, and also working with the think-tanks and institutions that already provide a degree of global coordination. Progressive Alliance: Activities
Conference of the Progressive Alliance:
The Progressive Alliance stages an annual international conference. The conferences focus on progressive forces finding common answers to prevailing global political problems. Cooperation on Campaigning:
The Progressive Alliance focus on building-up the capacity for campaigns and the organisational integrity of political parties. This needs to
happen in the developed and the developing world. The International Progressive Campaign Forum gives progressive political parties opportunities
to discuss shared electoral challenges and successful campaigns. The International Progressive Campaign Forum will be continued in
cooperation with the Progressive Alliance. Cooperation of Progressive Parliamentarians:
The Conference of Progressive Parliamentary Leaders brings together progressive politicians from across the world to start discussing shared policy challenges and to foster international cooperation. The Conference of Progressive Parliamentary Leaders will be continued in cooperation
with the Progressive Alliance. Cooperation on Key Topical Issues:
Key topical issues are the questions of a new global deal between capital and labour and the implementation of frameworks which ensure equal opportunities for all members of society, especially with regards to gender equality. This important discussion centres on the concept of shared prosperity, how we can make the relationship between capital and labour, but also between the oftentimes female unpaid and male paid forms of employment more balanced, and how to secure basic workers’ rights and decent work for all. The work on A New Global Deal between Capital and Labour will be continued in cooperation with the Progressive Alliance. Cooperation with Regional Networks:
The Progressive Alliance aims to cooperate with existing regional networks in Asia, Africa, the Middle-East, Europe, Latin America and North-
America. International Campaigns:
For interested parties a joint international campaign can be agreed upon for the coming year. The campaigns can be staged in conjunction
with other progressive social forces, trade unions, foundations and NGOs. Further activities:
Activities of the Progressive Alliance concerning youth’s and women‘s issues are also planned. Activities and Temporary Structure of the Progressive Alliance
As progressive parties, we want to make the 21st century a century of democratic, social and ecological progress. To create just jobs and fight unemployment, to ensure equal pay for women and men, counter increased inequality in societies, curb climate change, restrain rampant financial markets with sensible regulations, fight tax heavens and fiscal evasion, promote sustainable development, secure peace and human rights as global public goods, stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and put an end to hunger and poverty once and for all. The Progressive Alliance provides a platform for formulating progressive joint answers to political challenges around the globe, for exchanging information and experience on election campaigns, for strengthening party organization, supporting international campaigns and improving regional networking. The progressive parties welcome the cooperation with other progressive social forces, trade unions, foundations, think tanks and NGOs. Parallel and complementary to other associations operating at an international level, the Progressive Alliance builds on existing and evolving networks and forums. The Progressive Alliance is funded by voluntary contributions of the parties. All interested parties will be asked to make their contribution. The values of democracy, justice, solidarity and gender equality we advocate are the basic operational principles inside of the Progressive Alliance. Board of the Progressive Alliance: The Progressive Alliance has a lean organisational concept. Its political focal points are determined by a board comprising up to 20 leading figures from all world regions. This board meets at least once a year. Steering Committee of the Progressive Alliance: The activities of the Progressive Alliance are prepared by the Steering Committee. Interested parties can send a delegate to the Steering Committee. This committee meets regularly, at least twice a year, and if possible at the fringe of international events. To improve the Steering Committee network, an open mailing list has been compiled. Conference of the Progressive Alliance: The Progressive Alliance stages an annual international conference. International Campaigns: For interested parties a joint international campaign can be agreed upon for the coming year. The campaigns can be staged in conjunction with other progressive social forces, trade unions, foundations and NGOs. Coordination of the Progressive Alliance: The coordination of the Progressive Alliance activities will be based on a rotation system between the member parties. The time period for the coordination spans from one Progressive Alliance Conference to the next one. The coordination task will include sending out invitations to meetings, help to organize meetings in cooperation with host parties and update the webpage. Cooperation with Regional Networks and Support of Regional Networking: The Progressive Alliance aims to cooperate with existing and emerging regional networks in Asia, Africa, the Middle-East, Europe, Latin America and North-America. At the same time, the Progressive Alliance supports self-organised regional networking by its associated partners. Cooperation on Key Topical Issues: The key topical issues centre on the concept of shared prosperity, how we can create just jobs and fight unemployment, how we can make the relationship between capital and labour, fight gender disparity in pay, and how to secure basic workers’ rights and decent work for all. Issues for the first year are for example the questions of a new regulation of the globalized capital and the implementation of frameworks which ensure equal opportunities for all members of society, especially with regards to gender equality. The seminar on A New Global Deal between Capital and Labour will be held in October as a Progressive Alliance activity in Stockholm. Cooperation of Progressive Parliamentarians: The Conference of Progressive Parliamentary Leaders brings together progressive politicians from across the world to start discussing shared policy challenges and to foster international cooperation. The Conference of Progressive Parliamentary Leaders will be continued in cooperation with the Progressive Alliance. Cooperation on Campaigning: The Progressive Alliance focuses on building-up the capacity for campaigns and the organisational integrity of political parties. This needs to happen in the developed and the developing world. The International Progressive Campaign Forum gives progressive political parties opportunities to discuss shared electoral challenges and successful campaigns. The International Progressive Campaign Forum will be continued in cooperation with the Progressive Alliance. Further activities: Expansion of activities of the Progressive Alliance concerning party-organisational, youth’s and women’s issues is also planned. In addition, the Progressive Alliance supports the initiatives of interested parties. Structure revision: Prior to the Progressive Alliance Conference 2015 we are going to revise the structures of our international network based on the experience gained so far. Adopted by the Steering Committee, 23rd October 2013
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The Progressive Alliance is a political international founded on 22 May 2013 by political parties, the majority of whom are current or former members of the Socialist International. The organisation states the aim of becoming the global network of "the progressive", democratic, social-democratic, socialist and labour movement". The first step towards the movement's creation was the cancellation of the £100,000 yearly membership fee payment by the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) to the Socialist International in January 2012 by SPD Chairman Sigmar Gabriel. Gabriel had been critical of the Socialist International's admittance and continuing inclusion of undemocratic "despotic" political movements into the organisation. At the initial Conference of the Progressive Alliance was held in Rome, Italy on 14–15 December 2012 with 42 political parties attending. Attending the founding meeting was Democratic Party of Italy leader Pier Luigi Bersani, French Socialist Party chairman Harlem Désir, Argentinean Socialist Party chairman Hermes Binner, Governor of Vermont Peter Shumlin of the US Democratic Party, and Mustapha Ben Jafar, secretary-general of the Tunisian Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties. Also present were representatives of the Indian National Congress, Brazilian Workers Party and Greek PASOK. The Dutch Labour Party also supports the formation of the organisation, as does the Swiss Socialist Party and the Social Democratic Party of Austria. During the 4–5 February 2013 spring Council of the Socialist International in Cascais, Portugal, 50 political parties discussed on the sidelines the formation of the Progressive Alliance, including the Movement for Democratic Change of Zimbabwe. The official foundation of the organisation was held on the 22 May 2013 in Leipzig, Germany, on the 150th anniversary of the formation of the General German Workers' Association (ADAV), the predecessor of the modern-day SPD. It was reported that approximately 70 social-democratic political parties from across the world attended the event. The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats European parliamentary group joined the organisation upon its official foundation. In September 2013, the Democratic Party (DIKO) of Cyprus announced that they were negotiating to join the Progressive Alliance, and were scheduled to attend a seminar of the international in Stockholm on 24 October.
