European socialists launch their campaign in Rome and appoint Luxembourger Nicolas Schmit as leader

European socialists launched their campaign for the European elections on June 9 on Saturday March 2 in Rome (Italy) with the objective of beating the far right which could make a breakthrough. MEPs, deputies, party bosses, European commissioners and heads of government, all considered that these elections were “the most important” for decades, more than two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and facing the hypothesis of a wave “illiberal” in the ballot boxes. The Party of European Socialists (PES) is the second largest group in the number of seats in the European Parliament, behind the European People’s Party (EPP).

“The soul of Europe is in danger (…) The ghosts of the past are once again at the doors of our institutions”, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned the delegates. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for preserving a “United Europe” to counter “the extreme right, on the rise in almost all our countries, in democracies all over the world”. “This election is the most important in history”added Raphaël Glucksmann, the head of the small Place Publique party which will lead the French socialist list in the European elections.

A little-known profile to compete with Ursula von der Leyen

The European socialists have also designated the Luxembourger Nicolas Schmit as their candidate for president of the Commission against Ursula von der Leyen, the big favorite for her own succession. Current European Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, 70, is virtually unknown to the general public, but a fine connoisseur of European mysteries. He notably participated, for the Luxembourg government, in the negotiation of the Treaties of Maastricht and Nice.