The Party of European Socialists (PES) adopted a declaration on European defence, strengthened its ranks with the nomination of a new full member party from France, and commit on expanding its reach countering the far-right at an online meeting of the PES Presidency.
The Presidency adopted an [important declaration](https://pes.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PES-Declaration-Stepping-up-efforts-for-European-Security-and-Defence.pdf) concerning the **need to step up efforts for European security and defence**. In the document, the PES presidency calls upon the European Commission to urgently reassess its strategy for maintaining peace and enhancing its collective security, built on solidarity and shared solutions.
PES President **Stefan Löfven** said:
> _“The recent geopolitical developments have put us in a position where we must face reality, that the security and defence guarantee we once had, are no longer there. I am glad, that we came up with todays signed our declaration on European Security and Defence._
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> _The progressive approach to European security is not just about arms – it is also about stability, welfare, cooperation and European cohesion. Therefore, as socialists and democrats, we firmly believe that strengthening EU’s defence capabilities must not be to the detriment of our commitments to social, territorial and economic convergence or to the expense of other progressive priorities, including cohesion funds.__Security and defence are not ends in themselves, but must always be instrumental to diplomacy, policy making and multilateral dialogue.”_
**[Read the full PES Presidency declaration here:](https://pes.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PES-Declaration-Stepping-up-efforts-for-European-Security-and-Defence.pdf)**
The next PES Congress will be held in the Netherlands in the autumn, the presidency decided. All member parties and organisations, as well as partners and representatives from the civil society will now engage with the preparations.
At the meeting, the co-chair of the French Place Publique Raphaël Glucksmann presented the candidacy of the party to become a full member of the PES. The Presidency approved unanimously and this decision will be ratified at the upcoming congress.
The PES Presidency meeting expressed the solidarity of all the European Socialists and Democrats with the opposition in **Turkey**, the arrested mayor of Istanbul Ekrem İmamoğlu and with both PES associated member parties – CHP and DEM.
The members of the presidency supported the protests against Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which jeopardises the lives of both civilians in Gaza and of the Israeli hostages and undermines all chances of reaching a solution. The PES is concerned by the use of excessive police force against the protestors and stands by the leader of the Democrats, **Yair Golan**.