The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament will join forces with our Polish social democratic party, Nowa Lewica, at an external group meeting taking place in Krakow from 2 to 5 May, 2023, to defend the rule of law and women’s rights – issues that go hand in hand and have been under attack by the PiS government. We will also discuss our progressive solutions to current EU challenges, including the social and economic damage caused by Putin's war on Ukraine. 

There will be two essential debates web-streamed and open for the media. On Wednesday, 3 May, we will discuss ‘Fighting the backlash against women’s rights: a progressive response to the crisis’ and present the EU Charter of Women’s Rights initiative which we want to be adopted at the EU level to enshrine all the most important fundamental rights of women and girls in the EU.

On Thursday, 4 May, the debate will focus on ‘Challenges for the EU’. S&D Group Leader Iratxe García Pérez and co-presidents of Nowa Lewica, Robert Biedroń and Włodzimierz Czarzasty will hold a press conference together at 12:00. The press conference can be followed on the S&D Group website. 

The challenges facing young people will be the focal point of the S&D outreach event open to the public in Klub pod Jaszczurami: ‘Securing a Progressive Future for a New Generation’ on Thursday, 4 May, from 17:30 - 19:00. Register here.

Finally, on Friday, 5 May, the Socialists and Democrats will go to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum to pay tribute to the victims of German Nazism.

Journalists from Poland are kindly asked to confirm their participation with marek.kacprzak@kluby.sejm.pl and journalists traveling from abroad with inga.czerny-grimm@ep.europa.eu

Iratxe García Pérez, Group leader of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament and MEP, said:

“Polish citizens are European citizens, and they deserve to have the same rights as everyone else in the EU. Our Group is going to meet in Krakow to express our support to the Polish people who are struggling with a government that is not respecting European values and is weakening democracy and the rule of law. We also want to express our support to our sister party, Nowa Lewica, which strongly defends women, young people, the LGTBIQ+ community, and all those who feel excluded and discriminated against by the policies of the PiS government.”

Robert Biedroń, S&D MEP, Chair of the committee on women’s rights, and co-president of Nowa Lewica, added:

“I am very happy that at the beginning of May, Krakow will turn into the centre of European democracy. The red heart beats strongly in Poland as well. Despite the current government in Poland, we are working hard for real change, which is why I am very happy that the European Charter of Women's Rights – a landmark document – will be announced in my homeland. As Progressives, we will lead the fight for women’s rights, undermined by the far right and conservatives.”