International

The European Parliament appears to be supporting the member state government leaders’ austerity policies. This emerged this morning during the debate on the Parliament’s proposals on combating the crisis. SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong directed his comments during the debate not only to fellow MEPs, but also to the Dutch government and its policies. ‘That the Dutch Labour Party is going along with these austerity policies is completely incomprehensible,’ he said. ‘I call on social democrats in the European Parliament to distance themselves from their Dutch colleagues and to support instead an intelligent and therefore a flexible application of the 3% norm. Only in this way can Europe’s economies be put back on their feet.’

This morning’s debate in Strasbourg took place in response to the Thyssen Report, in which the proposals from European Council chair Herman van Rompuy for a European economic and monetary union are discussed. The report exhibits, in the SP’s view, few differences from the course adopted by the EU heads of government, one aimed at dismantling social rights. 'That right wing governments all over Europe are using the crisis to demolish social rights is well-known,’ says De Jong. ‘But that social democrats are going along with austerity which is destroying economies under the guise of budgetary discipline is irresponsible. Ordinary people and their social rights are the victims of this.’

The SP has put forward numerous proposals for improvements to the report, including urging that social rights be protected and the democratic deficit addressed.