"We want the European elections in June to be a turning point for all European citizens facing financial difficulties," said Mélanie Vogel, co-chair of the European Green Party, at the start of the Green Social Summit in Madrid on Friday.
Eight months before the EU elections, the Green Social Summit brings together 300 leaders and change-makers from politics, civil society and trade unions.
On Friday and Saturday, they will discuss the response to the challenges of affordable housing, public investment in health, education and transport projects, and a socially just green transition. The summit’s exchanges and conclusions will also feed into the European Green Party’s Manifesto for the next European elections.
With Sumar in government, Spain will lead the way on social change. That is why we organised the Green Social Summit in Madrid, together with the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, and the Sumar coalition of Spain's second deputy prime minister, Yolanda Díaz.
Sumar won an impressive 3 million votes in the Spanish elections in June, keeping the right and far-right Partido Popular-Vox alliance out of government.
Mélanie Vogel, co-chair of the European Green Party, said: "Since the last European elections in 2019, local businesses have been hit by the Covid pandemic. All European households are facing rising bills, prices and rents. It is difficult to find quality, well-paid work. Long periods of heat waves and drought, like here in Spain, cause financial damage to farming families, and push food prices higher".
"But in June 2024, every European citizen who goes to the polls will have the opportunity to vote for a 'Europe of equality' and put an end to the 'Europe of austerity'. The Greens want a Europe where people are at the heart of politics, where everyone has a good home and a good income. A Europe where we value everyday working people. By ending fossil fuel subsidies, and making multinationals and the super-rich contribute, we can invest in affordable housing, childcare and education”, she concluded.
Participants on the Green Social Summit will include European Green Party Co Chair Mélanie Vogel, Ministers Yolanda Díaz (Spain), Lisa Paus (Germany), Petra De Sutter (Belgium), co-president of the Greens/EFA in the European Parliament Terry Reintke, Co-President of Bündnis90/Die Grünen Ricarda Lang, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation Esther Lynch, Chair of the European Network Against Racism Nyanchama Okemwa, Secretary General of the CCOO Unai Sordo, the former Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, and the new Green Member of Congress Júlia Boada Danés.
Photos will be posted on our Flickr account on Friday and Saturday. They are free to use, but please mention “© [author’s name] / European Green Party”.
Speeches: Saturday 30 September 13:10 - 14:20 PM, Espacio Larra, Calle de Larra 14, 28004 Madrid. The plenary sessions of the Summit will be broadcast live on https://www.green-social-summit.eu/
Press conference with Terry Reintke (Co-President of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, Mélanie Vogel (Member of the French Senate and Co-President of the European Green Party), Ernest Urtasun (Member of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament and spokesperson of the Sumar Alliance) Saturday 30 September, 11:45 AM - Espacio Larra, Calle de Larra 14, 28004 Madrid
More information and programme: https://www.green-social-summit.eu/
