Today, S&D leader Iratxe García and vice-president Pedro Marques finished their visit to the United States, wrapping up an intense agenda at the UN in New York and crucial meetings at the White House, the Department of State and the Capitol in Washington DC. 

Iratxe García said:

“Now that the US is back to multilateralism with the Biden Administration, there’s momentum to reform UN governance as well as the international financial institutions. As we discussed with UN Secretary General António Guterres, we must move towards a fair system that includes all regions of the world to make multilateralism work, especially in the current context of the war in Ukraine. The unity between the EU and the US in relation to the conflict is essential to defend freedom and a rules-based international order, while not forgetting our engagement with the Global South.

“At the Capitol, and in particular with House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, we discussed how the growth of the extreme right, disinformation and populism are a threat to our democracies and to the rule of law. It is worrisome that the Republican Party in the US is hostage to post-Trump populism, while the EPP in Europe is also abandoning the centre to engage with the extreme right. This trend undermines women’s rights, criminalises migration and fosters anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.”

S&D vice-president, Pedro Marques, added:

“The US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Ukraine war are having a strong economic impact in Europe. We of course welcome the efforts made by the US to adopt a plan to address climate change with a strong social and labour dimension. But we expressed our concerns that the IRA can lead to unfair competition; lead to discrimination and create distortions in transatlantic relations.

“For geopolitical reasons we cannot afford to be divided. We must work together to promote trade within the WTO – including environmental, labour and human rights clauses.”