The decision to change the statute to combine the presidency with more than one Vice-Chair was taken to assure geographical representation of different parts of Europe and a more active and dynamic management in a time that Europe needs a strong Left, capable of offering a real alternative to the neoliberalism and capitalism that dominate European governments and that plunged us into the present crisis.

In order to build a platform of resistance and combat austerity measures and attacks on social rights, the European Left has drawn up a political plan of action for the coming years, the Agenda for a Social Europe , which was approved by Congress by unanimity.  

It is time to take action, and only strong European initiatives can provide a systematic alternative to an economy based on the market. We need, therefore, to react to the challenges that the current system presents. The European Left decided to be the first party to use the “citizens initiative”, recently launched by the European Union, to take action against the European Fund for financial stabilization" and the austerity plans implemented in several countries.

The aim of this initiative is the creation – contrary to the "European fund of financial stabilization" – of a European Fund For Social Development. This fund aims to finance public investments that create jobs, expand training, research, useful infrastructures, and benefit the environment. Financing for this fund should not depend on financial markets because we want to reduce the omnipotence of the markets, which lies at the heart of the crisis, but money should be created by the ECB. The taxation of transactions is necessary, but not enough to accomplish our objectives for a more just world.

To meet this challenge, the European Left will initiate a large grassroots campaign organized at the European level, in all languages and with events in different capital cities.

This will invlove using the "citizens' initiative" instrument to promote the mobilization of citizens against the logic of European treaties and as a means to shake the balance of powers and achieve concrete results.

The European Left comes out from this Congress strengthened by the entry of new parties, which were formally accepted on the first day of the congress: Belarusian Party of the Left "Just World", Bulgarian Left, Red-Green Alliance (Denmark), Left Alliance of Finland, Communist Party of Finland, the Left Party (France) and United Left (France). With 27 effective members, and 11 observers, from 24 different countries, the EL shows that is a plural left with a common face and with a strong plan of action based on an alternative for Europe and a way to resist the crisis.

Besides the new presidency, a new Executive Board was also elected by consensus and will hold its first meeting on the 15th January.

In the congress, several motions on very important issues were adopted.

You can find all approved documents here