This morning, PES Women concluded its first executive meeting of the year. Members welcomed Lina Gálvez, Chair of the FEMM Committee, who provided an update on the Committee’s ongoing work & developments. Among these developments were that the European Parliament has successfully adopted the recommendations for the EU’s position on the upcoming 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in March 2025 – for which Lina Gálvez was the rapporteur.
The discussion moved to touch upon the ‘Roadmap for Women’s Rights’ that will be presented by European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, on 8 March 2025, International Women’s Day. The roadmap has been described by Lahbib as a guiding compass for the future European Gender Equality Strategy. Therefore, PES Women will continue to call on the European Commission to reflect our political family’s vision for a feminist Europe in the roadmap as outlined in the S&D’s EU Charter of Women’s rights.
Throughout 2024, our S&D MEPs reaffirmed their commitment to defending the EU Charter on Women’s Rights. During the European elections, we promoted it as a core part of our campaign, we hosted an event promoting support for the Charter and invited S&D candidates to become signatories.
The executive meeting also marked an opportunity to discuss gender equality related to political developments in some of our member countries. PES Women President Zita Gurmai, and executive members also welcomed the victory of Kristrún Frostadóttir, a committed feminist and socialist, as the youngest ever Prime Minister of Iceland, now leading a coalition government predominantly made up of women.
Participants:
Special Guests: FEMM Committee Chair, S&D MEP, FEPS Vice-President – Lina Gálvez Muñoz, Spain.
European Parliament Vice-President, S&D MEP, Executive Vice-President of PES – Katarina Barley, Germany.
- PES Women President, MSZP – Zita Gurmai, Hungary
- PES Women Vice–President, SPD – Elke Ferner, Germany
- PES Women Vice-President, PS – Rosario Gambôa, Portugal
- PES Women Executive Member LP – Rhonda Donaghey, Ireland
- PES Women Executive Member PS – Cécilia Gondard, France
- PES Women Executive Member, SDP Emmi Lintonen, Finland
- PES Women Executive Member, EDEK – Roulla Mavronikola, Cyprus
- PES Women Executive Member, SD – Pille Petersoo, Estonia
- PES Women Executive Member, PvdA – Vera Tax, Netherlands
- PES Women Executive Member, Vooruit – Inga Verhaert, Belgium
- PES Women Ex–Officio Executive Member, YES – Evelyn Logghe, Belgium
- PES Women Ex–Officio Executive Member, FEPS – Laeticia Thissen, Belgium
- PES Women Ex–Officio Executive Member, Rainbow Rose – Carola Ebhardt, Germany
