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The Conference started with a speech by Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, who emphasised the importance of the “Arab spring” both for the region and for Europe. He said we need to listen to the people from the Arab world. He also drew attention to the Tunisian elections held in the weekend which are the first elections after the start of the uprisings and he called up everyone to go out and vote. He also explained the importance of the democracy which means having a job, a vote and a role in society and implies the existence and functioning of political parties.

CONFERENCE OF THE GPF - 19-20 OCTOBER 2011
CONFERENCE DU GPF - 19-20 OCTOBER 2011 
 
" Building the road to Democracy"
"Sur la Voie de la Démocratie"
  
European Parliament - Parlement européen

As a follow up of the discussions on "Democratic transition: fears and hopes" that were held in the framework of the Group meeting in Barcelona in June 2011, the GPF would like to organize a meeting with 50 young protagonists of the Arab revolution and 50 young European activists, mainly of Southern Mediterranean Origin.

With the end of the Gaddafi regime approaching, the S&D Group in the European Parliament urges the EU to step up humanitarian aid to respond to the new needs of the Libyan people, particularly in Tripoli.  The Group calls on the High Representative, Catherine Ashton, to open a fully-fledged EU Delegation in the Libyan capital as soon as possible and to work with Member States to release frozen Libyan assets to help the Libyan Transitional Council (TNC) deliver the governance needed in this transitional period.

By YASMINE SALEH CAIRO REUTERS

Egypt’s prestigious center of Islamic learning, Al Azhar, hosted Islamists and liberals on Wednesday at talks aimed at agreeing the principles of a new constitution ahead of November elections, but failed to end the differences, analysts said. Liberals have been calling for ‘constitutional principles’ to be laid down before the elections to ensure that Islamists would not be able to create an Islamic state if they win a majority in parliament, a fear shared by many Egyptians.

In the framework of the project “Listening to the Progressive Mediterranean”, a lunch debate, a seminar and a dinner were organized by the S&D Group in collaboration with the Global Progressive Forum, the FEPS and Solidar last week. MEPs who intervened in the debates included Zita Gurmai, Hannes Swoboda, Maria Badía I Cutchet, Raimon Obiols I Germa, Carmen Romero, Ana Gomes, Miguel Angel Martinez Martinez, Ines Ayala Sender, Rosario Crocetta, Richard Howitt, Proinsias De Rossa, as well as Javier Moreno Sanchez, Secretary General of the Global Progressive Forum.