The rally, ‘Your Voice, Your Europe: The Time is Now’, aimed at boosting awareness and participation in the upcoming EU elections among the affiliates of CESI’s national trade union member organisations. The event featured a line-up of distinguished speakers and drew over 250 multipliers as participants from across CESI’s trade union network, which represents a combined membership of 6 million individuals.

Engaging discussions on key European issues

The event commenced with opening remarks by Petros Fassoulas, Secretary General of the European Movement International, who underscored the critical importance of the elections in shaping Europe’s future. Welcoming addresses were delivered by Romain Wolff, President of CESI, and Marcello Pacifico, President of the Europe Academy of CESI, both of whom highlighted the union’s commitment to strengthening the European project.

Christina Altides, from the European Parliament, provided insights on why citizens should participate in the upcoming elections, reflecting on the significant impact that the EU has also had in advancing workers’ rights and public sector benefits across the continent.

Spotlight on Member State perspectives

The event featured focused interventions by various leaders of trade union member organisations of CESI from different Member States, including Patrick Fey from the Dutch union CNV, Carmen Jaffke from the Luxembourgish union CGFP, and Alain Laratta from the French union Avenir Secours. They shared compelling narratives on how the EU has positively influenced their respective countries, particularly in times of crisis.

Debating party manifestos and trade union demands

A key segment of the event was dedicated to discussing the election manifestos of CESI and major European parties. Klaus Heeger, CESI’s Secretary General, presented the CESI’s own EU 2024 elections manifesto, emphasising demands for a pluralist and inclusive European social dialogue and the need for robust public services – given that many of CESI’s member organisations are national public sector unions. CESI Youth Representative Matthäus Fandrejewski complemented this with specific union demands from the youth perspective. This was followed by presentations from representatives of the Party of European Socialists (PES), the Alliance of Liberals & Democrats for Europe (ALDE), and the Green European Foundation, who shared their visions for Europe’s future.

The event also included an interactive Q&A session, where participants engaged directly with the speakers on various pressing issues, from social dialogue to the challenges of labour migration and the EU’s industrial strategy. The session provided a platform for attendees to voice their concerns and seek clarifications on the different party positions.

Additionally, young voices were prominently featured, with statements from participants of CESI’s own Exchange and Development Programme, who brought fresh perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing Europe’s youth today.

The event concluded with remarks from Klaus Heeger, who reiterated CESI’s commitment to help foster a high voter turnout and ensure that the EU continues to deliver tangible benefits to its citizens. He called on all participants to remain engaged and proactive in shaping a vibrant and resilient European Union.

As CESI continues to champion the interests of workers and public service staff across Europe, the event marked a significant step in the mobilisation and empowering its vast network of affiliates ahead of a crucial electoral juncture. The discussions and insights from the event are expected to resonate across CESI’s membership, encouraging a robust turnout and informed voting in the EU elections.