STUNG and shocked by the rise of right wing parties and groups in Europe and the United States, the Social Democratic political parties in Europe have launched an initiative to counter this trend by building what they call a global progressive alliance.
Last week, they organised a three-day Global Progressive Forum attended by 1,500 people, and held at the European Parliament premises in Brussels. Participants included politicians, trade unionists, civil society organisations and academics, mainly from Europe, with a small number from developing countries.