Dr. Hannes Swoboda, former S&D group leader in the European Parliament, and current President of the International Institute for Peace, is our special guest in the #100 FEPS Talks episode. In a conversation with Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, he shares his view about the erosion and current reconstruction of social democracy, pointing to examples of revitalisation like Norway or (according to the latest polls) Germany.
Swoboda and Andor also reflect on the role of the progressives in the debate on the future of Europe. Our guest proposes to focus on job creation and address many new challenges in the new labour markets. Decent jobs and decent incomes remain paramount goals for social democrats. He also highlights the importance of giving to the young generation the possibility to build an EU with a stronger social dimension. They both agree that the issue of EU enlargement is not present enough in the ongoing debates on Europe’s future and discuss how the Western Balkans strategy should be based on solidarity and better take into account geopolitical aspects. The conversation ends with a book recommendation by Dr. Swoboda.