by Monnet Matters The post-Soviet era offered new opportunities to social democracy in Europe. The former Communist parties were very soon converted into social democratic parties and they joined the SD family. This occurred mainly in Central and East Europe, but it was also the case in some European Union member states. For instance, European social democracy found new members in many governments and played an important role in the first democratisation and privatisation period. The former ‘Nomenklatura’ men became respected socialists and reliable partners in the EU integration of the former Communist countries. While this happened in the Eastern part of Europe, social democracy was assisting the Southern part of Europe in another way. It is the former powerful Italian Communist Party that is the real ancestor of today’s ruling Democratic Party. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, to some extent, is a political descendant of the famous communist leader Enrico Berlinguer. In the 1990s and during the 2000s, social democracy played a role in the process of European enlargement and in the leadership of member states of the EU. By participating in government or assuming the role of the opposition, it has played a leading role in the European enlargement and integration for the past 20 years. This important and active role assumed by European social democracy made it co-responsible for the crisis in Europe. Social democratic parties everywhere in the EU had to participate in the implementation of austerity policies. This is what ultimately created a gap between social democratic parties and their electoral basis and dissociated large parts of the working and middle class populations. It is no secret that inside the social democratic parties there is an ever greater discussion concerning the abandoned social policies and the need for a new turn in their policies, marked by greater social sensibility. Many socialist leaders are now looking for a new way to come out of their long cooperation with liberals and Christian democrats. In this new environment in the European social democratic family, the electoral victory of Syriza in Greece could be a ‘golden opportunity’. Since 2010, Syriza followed a trajectory which led the Greek party from a leftist group to a mature reformist party. It became what the Centre Left had tried for 20 years. This means Syriza, with its positions today is very close to European social democracy. In favour of this is the fact that during the past few years a considerable number of former Pasok people joined the party. In addition, many of the leftists who were elected in 2012 didn’t manage to get re-elected. The Greek electoral body sent to parliament mainly people with a clear centre-left approach to politics. The difference is that since the Greek ruling party has a radical background and its evolution to what it is today was a gradual one, it is fresher than the old social democratic parties. The fact that Syriza has never participated in any government also means it is not spoiled by governing practices and habits. Independently of how fast the evolution of Syriza towards the Centre Left will be, it will be a one-way march to the other side and European social democracy will be ready to search again for its socially sensitive past.
 |
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.neurope.eu |