Schulz: The ‘progressives’ struggle with internal divisions, vague messages

The right-wing camp in Europe always presents a united front regardless of internal differences, while the progressive forces are divided and do not know how to articulate and effectively communicate their messages, said Martin Schulz, former president of the European Parliament.

Schulz was back in Brussels as president of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) for the launch of “Twelve Missions for a Progressive Europe” – a framework of policies designed to address the main challenges facing the EU and citizens.

With 2024 presenting a series of crucial elections, including the European Parliament’s mandate renewal in June, Schulz was in a combative mood. 

Outlining the ‘Twelve Missions for a Progressive Europe’ together with Slovenian Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, and German Social Democrat MEP Matthias Ecke, Schulz reminded the Brussels audience that “we have peace because of the existence of Europe”. 

“The drama of hate, of xenophobia, this racist motivation to kill people,” is weakening social democracy, undermining hard-won European values, and sowing seeds for the destruction of the European institutions, said Schulz.

“In the European Parliament”, he said, “we also have people saying we must destroy these institutions”.

Failure to communicate.

Speaking with Euractiv after the event, Schulz argued that it is not that right-wing parties are always winning, but that the left is failing to communicate effectively and is unable to unite behind a common strategy. 

He criticised left-wing messaging for being too complex, too divided, and overly focused on narrow themes such as identity politics, instead of focusing on people’s daily needs and concerns. Schulz suggested that the Left should learn from the Right’s propaganda techniques and articulate social protection and solidarity more effectively.

“All over Europe, there are left-wing movements winning elections,” said Schulz. “In some countries, we are the strongest party but we are not in power because all the other parties – in Finland, Sweden, for example – are creating coalitions against us.”

“We won in Portugal. We won in Spain, and in Germany. The progressives just won in Poland. That means it is not, as is our impression, that the right wing is always winning. They are much more effective in sending their messages than the progressive movements. This is the first point.”

“Secondly, my experience is that ordinary citizens don’t understand the Left.”

“We have good intentions. We want to protect their lives. But our explanation is extremely difficult to understand; because instead of saying ‘We save your salaries’, we are explaining the structure of the single market. Therefore, we must learn from the right wing. It is not a crime against humanity […] to be outspoken and easily understandable.”

Progressives divided.

Thirdly, said Schulz, “the progressive forces are often divided because everybody wants to propose the best way, something even better than the other proposal. Let’s conclude, as left-wingers, that a ‘good way’ is enough, and that everybody should get behind that strategy.”

This ‘good way’ according to Schulz, is set out in the Twelve Missions, and includes safe cities, a European Defence Shield, affordable and clean energy for all, and a Europe that abides by the rule of law.

“The right wing is always united, despite their internal incoherence. The Left is always divided and forgets that we have an enemy who is prepared to destroy us. And therefore, we need more unity,” he said.

Kitchen table concerns

Asked by Euractiv why the Left’s loudest voices seem to be articulating gender issues with a volume that doesn’t play well in the centre – which is more concerned with kitchen table issues – Schulz replied:

“You must do both. I was the former leader of the German Social  Democratic Party – the problem of our party is always the same. We must address those people who are interested in gender debates; and at the same time, we must address those people who are fighting to survive every day. It is possible to do both.”

Asked to explain how the Left can change its narrative and connect more deeply with voters, Schulz pointed to the current German chancellor.

“Olaf Scholz showed that it is possible. The main message of his election campaign was one word ‘Respect’. Meaning… I respect you. And I’m there to guarantee that in our society, you as an individual, socially, culturally, you are respected. That was a success.”

“We should not publish 300 pages of a party programme which nobody will read, not even the delegates of the party Congress.” 

Social justice, climate, peace

Translating twelve missions into popular policies and messaging shorthand will clearly be a challenge for social democrats in Germany and across Europe, but Schulz is undeterred. “The main spirit of our messages are social justice, climate change, and peace.”

“Climate change is unthinkable without the guarantee of social justice. If you ask ordinary citizens to pay more in the supermarket to protect our environment, they will ask you to give them more in their salary to pay with. If you ask for higher prices to protect our environment, people will vote for those who tell them ‘“Normal salaries, normal prices.”’

He also talked about the industrial disruption of artificial intelligence.

“We will have an enormous, disruptive change in the labour market. People must work less, and machines will work for us. That’s possible. And the productivity will increase enormously.”

“Instead, of demolishing the state, you must strengthen it, a strong state, imposing taxes on those benefits, to guarantee a fair and just distribution of the money.” 

[Edited by Benjamin Fox/Zoran Radosavljevic]