Ensuring political participation by strengthening civil society and political education against the right wing offensive ! Old means not “out” !’
“Democratic societies need a strong civil society as a educational tool for civic and political engagement and as a driving force for political action. As social democrats, we must reconnect with our roots: the education of our supporters and their emancipation.”
Political participation requires a strong civil society, based on universal values and fundamental rights and recognised and supported by public authorities. A civil society that functions as a link between citizens, organised citizens and politics. It is alongside civil society, that we must reconnect and rebuild our society.
In actual times, in democratic societies, we experience a trend of depolitisation and disregard from civil society, imposed primarily by the right and the far-right, and that is a worrying trend that significantly contributes to the divide between citizens and politics. Democratic societies need a strong civil society as a educational tool for civic engagement and as a driving force for political action. As social democrats, we must reconnect with our roots: the education of our supporters and their emancipation.
In the meantime, ESO as umbrella organisation for senior organizations referring to socialist and democratic values, must look for new forms of cooperation, representation structures in the light of this growing gap between civil society and politics and the needs of seniors to participate from their ideological point of view in the preparation and implementation of policies that concern them.
ESO aims to improve the position of senior citizens in Europe, their access to fundamental rights and their participation in political decision processes. Senior citizens need to be recognised as full citizens; in society, in civil society organisations, in political parties. Our parties must recognise and organise their older members.
Magda De Meyer, former MP (Vooruit), former President from the Flemish Womens Council and now president from the Vlaamse Ouderen Raad (Flemish advisory board for older persons) is our key-note speaker. She will share her experiences in politics, in civil society, in linking politics and civil society. You will be invited to react and share your experiences in and with civil society and in the parties and discuss this with you at our fringe meeting.
As follow-up for the Barcelona GPM, we’ll share best practices on senior citizen involvement in policymaking and, together with our representatives, explore how older citizens and their organizations can be better involved in political decision-making: in parliaments, within political parties (including in PES), in civil society, and as a civil society in Europe.
Jos Bertrand
President ESO (European Senior Organisation) – PES-seniors