SocDem leader Dragnea at PES Congress: EU needs overhaul that only social democracy can generate

The European Union needs an overhaul that only social democracy can bring about, national leader of Romania's Social Democratic Party (PSD), major at rule, Liviu Dragnea said at the convention of the Congress of the Party of European Socialists (PES) in Madrid on Friday, adding that the European Socialists need to restore justice, and right "the mistakes and abuses of the past." 

"Today, I had a very good and very interesting discussion with Sergey [Stanishev, PES president], with Frans [Timmermans, first vice-president of the European Commission and the PES candidate at the EU executive presidency], and Udo [Bullmann, floor leader in the European Parliament of the Socialists and Democrats] and I came up with solutions for better communication. For my part, from our part, there is openness and we hope for better communication and better co-operation," Dragnea said in his speech, hinting at Frans Timmermans as a European senior official who has been one of the vocal critics of recent controversial amendments to Romania's justice legislation. 

"We must also restore justice, we must right the mistakes and abuses of the past, we must demonstrate to the right that we are better than them and that we are united in fending off their attacks. The right would like us to be divided anywhere in Europe. I believe we should not fall into this trap. The European Union needs an overhaul that only social democracy can bring, a change that only we, the attendees and our colleagues from all over Europe can bring about," said Dragnea. 

"We need a Europe that is closer to the people, a Europe in which every citizen feels that he or she has equal rights. We must not leave anyone behind anymore. It has been said that we do the politics of the many. We are on the good side, and regardless of the consequences we must fight to the end for our values. It's time to make the change now together. It's time!" Dragnea said in concluding his speech. 

The PES Congress met in Madrid on Friday and Saturday to officially confirm the European Commission's presidential candidate, Frans Timmermans, and pass an election manifesto in the run-up to the European Parliament elections in May 2019.