European Left Slogan: Together for Change in Europe! The European Left is a European Political Party which sits as part of the GUE/NGL grouping but has its own coherence. It was formed in 2004 in advance of the previous European elections. The European Left considers the next elections to the European Parliament as an opportunity to change the neo-liberal foundations of the EU and to open a new perspective for Europe. For the 2009 elections to the European Parliament the Party of the European Left adopted a common electoral platform based on the principles of PEACE, DEMOCRACY, SOCIAL JUSTICE and SOLIDARITY. ECONOMY The European Left believes that the global financial crisis demonstrates the failure of hazardous neo-liberal capitalism, EU institutions, and world economic bodies such as the IMF, the World Bank, and the WTO which have imposed privatisation and deregulation. For the European Left there are two alternatives: either the EU continues its current capitalist policy, which is deepening its financial, security, food and energy crisis; or the EU becomes an area of sustainable development and social justice, of peace and mutual cooperation, of the equality of women and men; of democratic participation and solidarity, where antifascism, antiracism, civil liberties and human rights are common practice. The European Left questions the neo-liberal foundations of the EU treaties in particular the idea of an "open market economy with free competition": the unchecked free circulation of capital, the liberalisation and privatisation of public services, and the status and mission of the European Central Bank. The criticise the absolute independence from any form of political address and the lack of transparency in the decisions and actions of the Central Bank and strongly support the reform of this institution in line with the criteria of employment and social and ecological development, and its submission to public and democratic control. The Party of the European Left believes that the only way out of this crisis is to fight for a democratic and social Europe. It strives for a strategy based on the values of solidarity and cooperation, full employment, and a rational relationship with nature. This is possible only by changing the existing rules of the international economic and financial system. MIGRATION The European Left opposes the idea of “Fortress Europe” and supports a cosmopolitan Europe open to migration. For this, the European Left rejects any EU regulation imposing expulsion, the already existing Frontex system of border controlling, the “Return Directive” and the “Pact on Migration and Asylum”. It supports the creation of a common EU refugee and migration policy in accordance with the Geneva Convention and the closing of detention prisons. Moreover, the European Left demands a reinforcement of migrants’ rights to work wherever they live in the EU. SOCIAL EUROPE The European Left denounces the neo-liberal policies that have led to scandalous realities, such as increasingly deteriorated living and working conditions, featuring longer working hours, longer working lives, insufficient wages, growing long-term and youth unemployment, mini jobs, temporary employment and unpaid internships. The European Left demands the reinforcement of workers’ rights and the strengthening of collective agreements. The European Left rejects the privatisation of public services and goods, and supports publicly controlled companies and more investment in education, nursing and health care, public transport, culture, and sport. Its priorities are steps against poverty, social marginalization and precariousness, for full employment in regular jobs, increasing wages, pensions and social allowances. GENDER EQUALITY The European Left stands for guaranteeing full equality of women and men in all aspects of life. Moreover, the European Left supports a European regulation which guarantees the right of women to decide on their bodies, free contraception and abortion within the public health system. The European Left supports the strengthening of individual rights and freedom rights and the protection of the rights of those who are discriminated because of their ethnic origin, sexual orientation and gender identity, religion, ideology, disability and age. DEMOCRACY AND ATTITUDE TO THE EU The European Left considers that the Irish, French, and Dutch "No" to the Lisbon and the European Constitutional Treaties have shown that an increasing number of people in Europe disagree with the undemocratic and unsocial policies of the European Union. For this and other reasons, the European Left reaffirms its “No” to the Lisbon Treaty and believes that the EU citizens must discuss and decide on an alternative to the Lisbon Treaty. The European Left considers the democratic reconstruction of Europe as an urgent task to guarantee the future of the EU. It claims the right to participate in the shaping of the EU and its future development of all citizens and the reform of the European Parliament as a real legislative power. The European Left demands direct participation in the European decision-making process, including referenda at EU and national levels on EU landmark decisions, the participation of civil society in the EU institutions. HUMAN RIGHTS The respect and promotion of human rights are one of the priorities of the European Left in its project of a new direction for Europe. It supports the reform of the EU in an area of social justice, peace, equality, solidarity, and democratic participation where civil liberties and human rights are common practice. EUROPEAN VALUES AND EUROPEAN IDENTITY The European left supports a cosmopolitan and secular Europe, where different cultures can coexist in an ever more multicultural and multireligious society. The European Left stands for further enlargement and supports the preservations of democratic governance, of guaranteeing human rights for all people in daily practice, of respecting and protecting minorities and the state of law as important preconditions for negotiating with countries applying for EU membership. In the case of Turkey, the European left considers that Turkey must respect in a legally binding way the political and human rights for all people living in the country, including all minorities. Social and legal reforms in accordance with the rule of law to pave a democratic and peaceful way for all Kurdish citizens in Turkey must be carried out. FOREIGN RELATIONS The European Left opposes the logic of military blocs, reaffirms its demand for the dissolution of NATO and the creation of an alternative concept of security based on peace, dialogue, and international cooperation. The European Left believes that security in Europe must be based on the principles of peace and security, disarmament and structural assault incapacity, conflict solution by political and civil means within the OSCE system, conforming to international law and to the principles of a reformed and democratised UN system. The European Left supports more international cooperation to achieve peace and security and the active participation of all political forces and civil societies in the countries involved.