Party of the Month - July
Party of the Month - July
This Month we highlight a very particular party. A political party that is not... A political party yet! EQUO is a Spanish initiative founded by a group of motivated people who share a common background of striving for environmental sustainability and social equality.
A Green alternative for Spain
In Spain things have been changing drastically over the last years. The country was struck very hardly by the economic crisis and the two dominating political parties do not seem to have another answer than austerity measures.
A group of people who are committed to the defence of human rights, equity, a more sustainable society, a more participatory democracy, and a more balanced relationship, had the feeling they could no longer watch it from the sidelines. In this group of people was, amongst many others, Juantxo López de Uralde, the director of Greenpeace Spain from 2001 to 2010. This group of motivated people wanted to build a new political movement from the ground up with sufficient support within Spanish society. Proyecto EQUO was born.
The main goal of the EQUO project is to seek sustainable solutions to the challenges of our time, all challenges, not just the environmental ones. Two organisations were founded to do this in an efficient way.
EQUO, the heart of critical and constructive thinking
Earlier this year a foundation that is a central place for training and discussion on political ecology and social equity was founded inaugurated. The EQUO Foundation has the aim of becoming a center of critical and constructive thinking in order to get topics such as the fight against climate change, the defence of civil and labour rights, the change of the energy model, and the fight against poverty onto the social and political agenda in Spain.
In the meantime a network of political and nonpolitical organizations was created.
Towards a unified political project
This resulted in the formation of a sociopolitical movement earlier this month. The aim of this movement is to bring together people who believe that another model of society is possible and necessary in order to have the changes in the economic, political and social fields that Spain is desperately in need of. More than 30 green and progressive political organisations from throughout the country, under which quite a lot of Green local branches, came together in Madrid in order to converge on the implementation of a state political project which would contest the next general election. A joint manifesto was adopted by the network. This meeting has shown that the EQUO network is already a mature one and the first step towards a unified political project, to be presented for the first time at the 2012 general elections in Spain.
The main goal of EQUO is to seek answers and develop alternatives for the ecological, social, ethical and democratic crises and to restore the public confidence in political action and, above all, to take strong and innovative proposals aimed at achieving social and environmental justice.
EQUO's solutions out of the crises
The pledges of EQUO are not just empty words. Concrete proposals were made.
EQUO want the development of a genuine participatory democracy, a maximum transparency government, zero tolerance for corruption, and electoral reform to ensure that all votes are equal.
On the economic side EQUO stands for a changed economic and production model, towards a truly sustainable low carbon economy, reducing the ecological footprint to benefit true human welfare and social equity.
EQUO Promotes green jobs and emerging sectoral activities, such as renewable energy, rehabilitation of buildings and farming. This in combination with Green tax reforms and the Closure of all nuclear plants has to lead Spain on the way to a green economy.
EQUO demonstrating against nuclear power
EQUO also wants to restore the welfare state in Spain that is currently at risk. EQUO advocates a universal quality public education and social protection. There is also a focus on equal opportunities in all policies that ensure gender equality to overcome the remaining barriers for women.
EQUO want more Europe but also a better Europe; a shift of economic and financial policies of the European Union in order to maintain and not to dismantle the so-called welfare state has to be made. Also the democratisation of international financial institutions, the introduction of the Tobin tax and the total elimination of tax havens are advocated.
The European Greens are convinced that EQUO holds all the cards necessary in to unite the Greens in Spain to endorse a project for the future of Spain.
EQUO on the net
