On 1 January, Poland took over the rotating six-month Council Presidency, the first since the appointment of the new Commission. In a plenary debate on the presidency priorities with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the Socialists and Democrats urged Tusk to show courage during a period of geopolitical uncertainty marked by Trump’s return to the White House, the Israel-Gaza ceasefire and three years of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Iratxe García, S&D Group president, said:
“The European Union needs to urgently address the rise of the far right, whose only goal is to destroy the European project. To do so, we need to tackle the causes of disaffection, which include inequalities, jobs, loss of purchasing power and poverty – the breeding ground for Trump’s international friends.
“We must advance a strong Social Pillar that guarantees living wages, affordable housing and real opportunities for citizens