View source for Party of European Socialists

{{Short description|Centre-left European political party}}
{{About|the europarty established in 1992|the Socialists & Democrats Group in the European Parliament|Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox political party
| logo_size        = 125
| colorcode        = {{EUPP data|color}}
| name             = {{EUPP data|official name}}
| abbreviation     = {{EUPP data|acronym}}
| native_name      = {{nobold|Official names: [[Party of European Socialists#Name|see below]]}}
| logo             = Party of European Socialists.svg
| president        = [[Stefan Löfven]] ([[Sweden|SE]])
| secretary_general = [[Giacomo Filibeck]] ([[Italy|IT]])
| foundation       = {{start date and age|df=y|1992|11|9}}
| predecessor      = Confederation of the Socialist Parties of the European Community (1973)
| headquarters     = Rue Guimard 10,<br/>1040 [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]
| think_tank       = [[Foundation for European Progressive Studies]]
| youth_wing       = [[Young European Socialists]]
| womens_wing      = PES Women
| membership_year  = {{EUPP data|individual members date}}
| membership       = {{EUPP data|individual members}}
| ideology         = [[Social democracy]]<br>[[Pro-Europeanism]]
| position         = [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/europes-centre-left-urges-majority-voting-some-eu-foreign-policy-paper-2022-10-14/ | title=Europe's centre-left urges majority voting in some EU foreign policy -paper | newspaper=Reuters | date=14 October 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book| url=https://oxfordre.com/politics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228637-e-1153 | doi=10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.1153 | chapter=Political Parties in the European Union | title=Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics | date=2019 | last1=Johansson | first1=Karl Magnus | last2=Raunio | first2=Tapio | isbn=978-0-19-022863-7 }}</ref>
| international    = {{nowrap|[[Progressive Alliance]]<ref name="ProgressiveAlliance"/><br>[[Socialist International]]<ref name="SocialistInternational"/>}}
| europarl         = [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]]
| colours          = {{colour box|{{EUPP data|color}}|border=darkgray}} Red
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q220945 -->
| seats1_title     = [[European Parliament]]
| seats1           = {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EP}}
| seats2_title     = {{nobr|[[European Commission]]}}
| seats2           = {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EC}}
| seats3_title     = [[European Council]]
| seats3           = {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EUCO}}
| seats4_title     = [[National parliaments of the European Union|European<br/>Lower Houses]]
| seats4           = {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ms-lower-house}}
| seats5_title     = [[National parliaments of the European Union|European<br/>Upper Houses]]
| seats5           = {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ms-upper-house}}
| website          = {{EUPP data|website}}
| country          = the European Union
}}
The '''Party of European Socialists''' ('''PES''') is a [[Social democracy|social democratic]]<ref name="Nordsieck">{{cite web|url=http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/eu.html|title=European Union|website=Parties and Elections in Europe|last=Nordsieck|first=Wolfram|year=2019|access-date=30 May 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608032858/http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/eu.html|archive-date=8 June 2017}}</ref><ref name="Dunphy2004">{{cite book|author=Richard Dunphy|title=Contesting Capitalism?: Left Parties and European Integration|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8ILv-HBTlf8C&pg=PA103|year=2004|publisher=Manchester University Press|isbn=978-0-7190-6804-1|page=103}}</ref> [[European political party]].<ref name="Thomson2011">{{cite book|author=Robert Thomson|title=Resolving Controversy in the European Union: Legislative Decision-Making Before and After Enlargement|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uRetSyiQubMC&pg=PA14|access-date=9 August 2013|year=2011|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-50517-8|page=14}}</ref>

The PES comprises national-level political parties from all the [[European Economic Area|European economic area]] states (EEA) plus the United Kingdom. This includes major parties such as the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]], the French [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]], the British [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], the Italian [[Democratic Party (Italy)|Democratic Party]], the Portuguese [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|Socialist Party]], the Romanian [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democrat Party]] and the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]]. Parties from a number of other European countries and from the Mediterranean region are also admitted to the PES as associate or observer parties.<ref name="MemberParties">{{cite web|url=https://www.pes.eu/oc/en/members/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225011153/https://www.pes.eu/oc/en/members/|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 December 2016|title=Member parties of the PES|date=1 February 2017|access-date=8 August 2017}}</ref> Most member, associate, and observer parties are members of the wider [[Progressive Alliance]] or [[Socialist International]].<ref name="ProgressiveAlliance">{{cite web|url=http://progressive-alliance.info/network/parties-and-organisations/|title=Member parties of the Progressive Alliance|date=1 February 2017|access-date=8 August 2017|archive-date=15 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215123034/http://progressive-alliance.info/network/parties-and-organisations/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="SocialistInternational">{{cite web|url=http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticlePageID=931|title=Member parties of Socialist International|date=1 February 2017|access-date=8 August 2017}}</ref>

The PES is currently led by its president, [[Stefan Löfven]], a former [[Prime Minister of Sweden]]. Its [[political groups of the European Parliament|political group in the European Parliament]] is the [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]] (S&D). The PES also operates in the [[European Committee of the Regions]] (in the [[PES Group in the Committee of the Regions]]) and the [[European Council]].

==Name==
The party's English name is "Party of European Socialists". In addition, the following names are used in other languages:

{{div col|colwidth=26em}}
* {{langx|sq|Partia e Socialistëve Europianë}}
* {{langx|bs|Stranka evropskih socijalista}}
* {{langx|bg|Партия на европейските социалисти}}
* {{langx|hr|Stranka europskih socijalista}}
* {{langx|cs|Strana evropských socialistů}}
* {{langx|da|De Europæiske Socialdemokrater}}
* {{langx|nl|Partij van Europese Socialisten}}
* {{langx|et|Euroopa Sotsialistlik Partei}}
* {{langx|fi|Euroopan sosialidemokraattinen puolue}}
* {{langx|fr|Parti socialiste européen}}
* {{langx|de|Sozialdemokratische Partei Europas}}
* {{langx|el|Ευρωπαϊκό Σοσιαλιστικό Κόμμα}}
* {{langx|he|מפלגת הסוציאליסטים האירופאים}}
* {{langx|hu|Európai Szocialisták Pártja}}
* {{langx|is|Flokkur evrópskra sósíalista}}
* {{langx|ga|Páirtí na Sóisialaithe Eorpach}}
* {{langx|it|Partito del Socialismo Europeo}}
* {{langx|lv|Eiropas Sociāldemokrātiskā partija}}
* {{langx|lt|Europos socialistų partija}}
* {{langx|lb|Partei vun den Europäesche Sozialisten}}
* {{langx|mk|Партија на европските социјалисти}}
* {{langx|mt|Partit tas-Soċjalisti Ewropej}}
* {{langx|no|Det europeiske sosialdemokratiske partiet}}
* {{langx|pl|Partia Europejskich Socjalistów}}
* {{langx|pt|Partido Socialista Europeu}}
* {{langx|ro|Partidul Socialiștilor Europeni}}
* {{langx|sr|Партија европских социјалиста}}
* {{langx|sk|Strana európskych socialistov}}
* {{langx|sl|Stranka evropskih socialistov}}
* {{langx|es|Partido Socialista Europeo}}
* {{langx|sv|Europeiska socialdemokratiska partiet}}
* {{langx|tr|Avrupa Sosyalistler Partisi}}
{{div col end}}

In March 2014 following the congress in Rome, the PES added the [[tagline]] "Socialists and Democrats" to its name following the admission of Italy's [[Democratic Party (Italy)|Democratic Party]] into the organisation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.welfarenetwork.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17573:il-pse-omaggia-il-pd-cambiando-ufficialmente-nome-pse-socialistsademocrats&catid=75:politica&Itemid=107|title=Il PSE "omaggia "il PD cambiando ufficialmente nome: PSE – Socialists&Democrats.|date=2 March 2014|language=it-IT|access-date=20 September 2016|archive-date=2 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302203750/http://www.welfarenetwork.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17573:il-pse-omaggia-il-pd-cambiando-ufficialmente-nome-pse-socialistsademocrats&catid=75:politica&itemid=107|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History==

=== 1960s===
In 1961, the Socialists in the European Parliament attempted to produce a common 'European Socialist Programme' but this was neglected due to the applications of Britain, Denmark, Ireland and Norway to join the [[European Community]]. The Socialists' 1962 congress pushed for greater democratisation and powers for Parliament, though it was only in 1969 that this possibility was examined by the member states.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Northern European Social Democracy and European Integration, 1960–1972. Moving towards a New Consensus? | journal=Consensus and European Integration- Consensus et Intégration Européenne | url=https://www.academia.edu/2555224 | publisher= [[Academia.edu]]| doi=10.3726/978-3-0352-6186-8/10 | access-date=23 May 2013}}</ref>

=== 1970s ===
In 1973, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom joined the [[European Community]], bringing in new parties from these countries. The enlarged Socialist Congress met in [[Bonn]] and inaugurated the ''Confederation of the Socialist Parties of the European Community''. The Congress also passed a resolution on [[social policy]], including the right to decent work, [[social security]], democracy and [[Egalitarianism|equality]] in the European economy.<ref name="history">{{cite web|title=History|publisher=Socialist Group website|url=http://www.socialistgroup.eu/gpes/history.do?lg=en|access-date=11 November 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071101044119/http://www.socialistgroup.eu/gpes/history.do?lg=en|archive-date=1 November 2007}}</ref> In 1978, the Confederation of Socialist Parties approved the first common European election Manifesto. It focused on several goals among which the most important were to ensure a right to [[decent work]], fight pollution, end discrimination, protect the consumer and promote peace, human rights and civil liberties.

=== 1980s ===
At its Luxembourg Congress in 1980, the Confederation of Socialist Parties approved its first Statute. The accession of Greece to the EU in 1981, followed by Spain and Portugal in 1986, brought in more parties.

In 1984, a common Socialist election manifesto proposed a socialist remedy for the economic crisis of the time by establishing a link between industrial production, protection of fundamental social benefits, and the fight for an improved [[quality of life]].<ref name="history"/>

=== 1990s ===
In 1992, with the European Community becoming the [[European Union]] and with the [[Treaty of Maastricht]] establishing the framework for political parties at a European level, the Confederation of Socialist Parties voted to transform itself into the Party of European Socialists. The party's first programme concentrated on job creation, democracy, [[gender equality]], environmental and consumer protection, peace and security, regulation of immigration, discouragement of racism and fighting organised crime.<ref name="history"/>

Along with the [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|Socialist Group in the European Parliament]], the founding members of the PES were:<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.renner-institut.at/fileadmin/user_upload/images_pdfs/publikationen/pdfs/europe-our-common-future-celebrating-20-years-of-pes.pdf|title="Europe, Our Common Future" Celebrating 20 years of the Party of European Socialists|last=Skrzypek|first=Ania|publisher=FEPS – Foundation for European Progressive Studies|year=2013|isbn=978-3-85464-037-0|location=Belgium|access-date=3 October 2013|archive-date=28 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728082209/http://www.renner-institut.at/fileadmin/user_upload/images_pdfs/publikationen/pdfs/europe-our-common-future-celebrating-20-years-of-pes.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* [[Social Democratic Party of Austria]]
* [[Parti Socialiste (Belgium)|Socialist Party]] (Francophone) and the [[Socialist Party Different|Socialist Party]] (Flemish) of Belgium
* [[Social Democrats (Denmark)|Social Democrats]] of Denmark
* [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]] of France
* [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]]
* [[Panhellenic Socialist Movement]] of Greece
* [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] of Ireland
* [[Italian Democratic Socialist Party]], [[Italian Socialist Party]] and [[Democratic Party of the Left]] of Italy
* [[Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party]]
* [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] of the Netherlands
* [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|Socialist Party of Portugal]]
* [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]]
* [[Swedish Social Democratic Party]]
* [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] and [[Social Democratic and Labour Party]] of the UK

=== 2000s ===
In 2004, [[Poul Nyrup Rasmussen]] defeated [[Giuliano Amato]] to be elected President of the PES, succeeding [[Robin Cook]] in the post. He was re-elected for a further 2.5 years at the PES Congress in Porto on 8 December 2006 and again at the Prague Congress in 2009.

=== 2010s ===
In 2010, the [[Foundation for European Progressive Studies]] was founded as the [[European political foundation]] ([[think tank]]) of the PES.

Mr Rasmussen stood down at the PES Progressive Convention in Brussels on 24 November 2011. He was replaced as interim president by [[Sergey Stanishev]], at the time chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and former prime minister of Bulgaria.

On 28–29 September 2012, the PES Congress in [[Brussels]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Together for the Europe we need!|publisher=Zita Gurmai, President of PES Women|date=26 July 2012|url=http://www.pes.eu/en/blogs/zita-gurmais-blog/together-europe-we-need|access-date=8 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819082156/http://www.pes.eu/en/blogs/zita-gurmais-blog/together-europe-we-need|archive-date=19 August 2012}}</ref> Congress elected interim president [[Sergey Stanishev]] as full President, as well as four deputies: Jean-Christophe Cambadélis (1st Vice-President – [[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]), [[Elena Valenciano]] ([[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]]), [[Jan Royall]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]) and [[Katarína Neveďalová]] ([[Direction – Social Democracy|Smer-SD]]). The same Congress elected Achim Post ([[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]) as its new secretary general, and adopted a process which it described as "democratic and transparent" for electing its next candidate for Commission President in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |title= Ethics in politics : For strong moral conduct through a strong moral code |publisher= PES Presidency declaration |date= 14 April 2011 |url= http://www.pes.org/sites/www.pes.org/files/adopted_presidency_declaration_on_ethics_in_politics_en_1.pdf |access-date= 8 August 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110808133910/http://www.pes.org/sites/www.pes.org/files/adopted_presidency_declaration_on_ethics_in_politics_en_1.pdf |archive-date= 8 August 2011 |url-status= dead |df= dmy-all }}</ref>
[[Sergey Stanishev]] was re-elected PES President on 22–23 June 2015 in Budapest. The Congress also approved Achim Post ([[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]) as the Secretary-General as well as the four Vice-Presidents: Jean-Christophe Cambadélis ([[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]), Carin Jämtin ([[Swedish Social Democratic Party]]), [[Katarína Neveďalová]] ([[Direction – Social Democracy|Smer-SD]]) and [[Jan Royall]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]).

On 7–8 December 2018, the PES Congress gathered in Lisbon to elect its leadership. [[Sergey Stanishev]] was confirmed as party President and Achim Post ([[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]) as secretary general. [[Iratxe García]] ([[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]]) was elected by the new presidency 1st Vice-President of the PES and Francisco André ([[Socialist Party (Portugal)]]), [[Katarína Neveďalová]] ([[Direction – Social Democracy|Smer-SD]]) and [[Marita Ulvskog]] ([[Swedish Social Democratic Party]]) were elected PES Vice-Presidents. During the PES Presidency of October 2019, [[Heléne Fritzon]] ([[Swedish Social Democratic Party]]) became PES Vice-President, replacing Marita Ulvskog.

On 22–23 February 2019, the PES held its Election Congress in [[Madrid]] to endorse a Common Candidate and adopt its manifesto for the [[2019 European Parliament election]]. The Election Congress acclaimed European Commission First Vice-President [[Frans Timmermans]] and adopted its manifesto: A New Social Contract for Europe.<ref>{{cite web|title=A New Social Contract for Europe|publisher=Party of European Socialists|date=22 February 2019|url=https://manifesto.frans4eu.eu/|access-date=13 February 2023|archive-date=17 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517212331/https://manifesto.frans4eu.eu/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== 2020s ===

On 16 December 2021, the PES held its Council in [[Brussels]], adopting the resolution: Fairness, Sustainability, Respect: a progressive vision for the future of Europe.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fairness, Sustainability, Respect|publisher=Party of European Socialists|date=14 December 2021|url=https://publications.pes.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/PES-AH-015-21-Council-2021-DRAFT-resolution-ENG-Web.pdf|access-date=13 February 2023}}</ref>

On 14–15 October 2022, the PES Congress in [[Berlin]] elected [[Stefan Löfven]] ([[Swedish Social Democratic Party]]) as PES President and welcomed a new PES leadership team:<ref>{{cite web|title=PES Congress welcomes new PES leadership team and four new member parties|publisher=Party of European Socialists|date=15 October 2022|url=https://pes.eu/pes/pes-congress-welcomes-new-pes-leadership-team-and-four-new-member-parties/|access-date=13 February 2023}}</ref> [[Caroline Gennez]] ([[Vooruit (political party)]]) as Treasurer, [[Iratxe García]] ([[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]]) as First Vice President, [[Katarina Barley]] ([[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]) and Francisco André ([[Socialist Party (Portugal)]]) as Executive Vice Presidents, [[Tanja Fajon]] ([[Social Democrats (Slovenia)]]), [[Victor Negrescu]] ([[Social Democratic Party (Romania)]]), [[Kati Piri]] ([[Labour Party (Netherlands)]]), [[Andrzej Szejna]] (New Left), and [[Radmila Šekerinska]] ([[Social Democratic Union of Macedonia]]) as Vice Presidents. Achim Post ([[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]) continued as Secretary General, Giacomo Filibeck ([[Democratic Party (Italy)]]) took up the position of Executive Secretary General, Yonnec Polet ([[Socialist Party (Belgium)]]) remained as Deputy Secretary General, and Saar van Bueren ([[Labour Party (Netherlands)]]) became Deputy Secretary General. The Congress adopted the resolution: With Courage For Europe: leading Europe through change.<ref>{{cite web|title=With Courage For Europe|publisher=Party of European Socialists|date=14 October 2022|url=https://pes.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Resolution-Congress-2022-web_EN.pdf|access-date=13 February 2023}}</ref>

On 29 June 2023, [[Georgian Dream]] was removed from the PES due to activities and positions far outside PES values.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pes.eu/pes/pes-presidency-strips-georgian-dream-of-observer-membership/ |title=PES Presidency strips Georgian Dream of observer membership |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=29 June 2023 |publisher=Party of European Socialists |access-date= }}</ref>

On 12 October, after the [[2023 Slovak parliamentary election]], the PES suspended [[Direction – Social Democracy|Smer-SD]] and [[Voice – Social Democracy|Hlas-SD]] over their plans to enter into coalition with the [[Ultranationalism|ultranationalist]] [[Slovak National Party]] (SNS), which the PES views as a "radical-right party."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wax |first1=Eddy |last2=Barigazzi |first2=Jacopo |last3=Jochecová |first3=Ketrin |title=European socialists suspend Robert Fico's Smer party and its ally Hlas |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/european-socialists-suspent-robert-fico-smer-hlas-party/ |access-date=12 October 2023 |date=12 October 2023 |archive-date=12 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012163715/https://www.politico.eu/article/european-socialists-suspent-robert-fico-smer-hlas-party/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On 17 October 2025, [[SMER]] was expelled from the [[Party of European Socialists]] in a unanimous vote for violations of the group's values by party leader Robert Fico.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://apnews.com/article/europe-socialists-slovakia-fico-russia-smer-fb90540b6b022d977eeec90c3e1f1b67 | title=Europe’s main center-left political group expels Slovak leader's party for breaching its values | date=18 October 2025 |work=AP News}}</ref>

On 2 March 2024, the PES held its Election Congress in [[Rome]] and acclaimed European Commissioner [[Nicolas Schmit]] as presidential candidate and adopted its election programme.<ref>{{cite web|title=Schmit elected as lead candidate for Commission top job, pledging respect, EU values and combatting the right |date=4 March 2024 |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/schmit-elected-as-lead-candidate-for-commission-top-job-pledging-respect-eu-values-and-combatting-the-right/|website=Euractiv}}</ref>

==Membership==
The PES has thirty-three full member parties from each of the twenty-seven EU member states, Norway and the UK. There are a further twelve associate and twelve observer parties from other European countries.<ref name="number of parties">{{cite web |title=About the PES? |publisher=PES website |url=http://www.pes.eu/about_us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506145020/http://www.pes.eu/about_us |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 May 2014 |access-date=14 September 2016 }}</ref>

===Full members===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! State !! Name !! abbr. !! [[Member of the European Parliament|MEPs]]{{efn|The number of MEPs listed below may not match the total number of MEPs of the European party, as it does not include MEPs who join as individual members.}} !! National MPs
|-
|{{AUT}}
|[[Social Democratic Party of Austria]]<br>{{lang|de|Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs}}
|SPÖ
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|5|19|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|40|183|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|19|62|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|rowspan=2|{{flagcountry|Belgium}}
|[[Parti Socialiste (Belgium)|Socialist Party]]<br>{{lang|fr|Parti socialiste}}
|PS
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|2|8|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}<ref name="psbel" group="."/>
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|19|63|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|7|24|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}<ref name="psbel" group=".">French-speaking seats</ref>
|-
|[[Forward (Belgium)|Forward]]<br>{{lang|nd|Vooruit}}
|Vooruit
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|1|13|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}<ref name="sp.a" group=".">Flemish seats</ref>
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|9|87|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|4|35|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}<ref name="sp.a" group="."/>
|-
|{{BGR}}
|[[Bulgarian Socialist Party]]<br>{{lang|bg|Българска социалистическа партия}}<br>{{lang|bg|Bulgarska sotsialisticheska partiya}}
|BSP
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|2|17|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|240|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{CRO}}
|[[Social Democratic Party of Croatia]]<br>{{lang|hr|Socijaldemokratska partija Hrvatske}}
|SDP
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|4|12|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|37|151|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{CYP}}
|[[Movement for Social Democracy]]<br>{{lang|el|Κίνημα Σοσιαλδημοκρατών}}<br>{{lang|el|Kinima Sosialdimokraton}}
|EDEK
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|1|6|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|4|56|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{CZE}}
|[[Social Democracy (Czech Republic)|Social Democracy]]<br>{{lang|cs|Sociální demokracie}}
|SOCDEM
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|21|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|200|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|0|81|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{DNK}}
|[[Social Democrats (Denmark)|Social Democrats]]<br>{{lang|da|Socialdemokraterne}}
|A
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|3|14|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|38|179|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{EST}}
|[[Social Democratic Party (Estonia)|Social Democratic Party]]<br>{{lang|et|Sotsiaaldemokraatlik Erakond}}
|SDE
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|2|7|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|9|101|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{FIN}}
|[[Social Democratic Party of Finland]]<br>{{lang|fi|Suomen sosialidemokraattinen puolue}}<br>{{lang|sv|Finlands socialdemokratiska parti}}
|SDP
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|2|14|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|43|200|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|rowspan=2|{{FRA}}
|[[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]]<br>{{lang|fr|Parti socialiste}}
|PS
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|10|79|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|65|348|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|28|577|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|[[Place Publique|Public Square]]<br>{{lang|fr|Place Publique}}
|PP
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|3|79|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|2|348|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|2|577|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{DEU}}
|[[Social Democratic Party of Germany]]<br>{{lang|de|Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands}}
|SPD
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|16|96|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|120|630|{{EUPP data|color}}}} <small>(Bundestag)</small> {{Composition bar|19|69|{{EUPP data|color}}}} <small>(Bundesrat)</small>
|-
|{{GRC}}
|[[PASOK – Movement for Change]]<br>{{lang|el|Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Κίνημα – Κίνημα Αλλαγής
}}<br>{{lang|el|Panellínio Sosialistikó Kínima– Kínima Allagís}}
|PASOK-KINAL
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|3|21|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|33|300|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|rowspan=2|{{HUN}} || [[Democratic Coalition (Hungary)|Democratic Coalition]]<br>{{lang|hu|Demokratikus Koalíció}} || DK || align="left"|{{Composition bar|2|21|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}|| align="left"|{{Composition bar|16|199|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|[[Hungarian Socialist Party]]<br>{{lang|hu|Magyar Szocialista Párt}}
|MSZP
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|21|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|10|199|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{IRL}}
|[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]<br>{{lang|ga|Páirtí an Lucht Oibre}}
|Lab
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|1|14|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|2|60|{{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|11|174|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|rowspan=2|{{ITA}}
|[[Democratic Party (Italy)|Democratic Party]]<br>{{lang|it|Partito Democratico}}
|PD
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|20|76|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|39|200|{{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|71|400|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|[[Italian Socialist Party (2007)|Italian Socialist Party]]<br>{{lang|it|Partito Socialista Italiano}}
|PSI
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|76|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|200|{{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|0|400|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{LVA}}
|[[Social Democratic Party "Harmony"]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/politics/politics/saskana-joins-party-of-european-socialists.a258851/|title=Saskaņa joins Party of European Socialists|date=27 November 2017|publisher=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]]|agency=[[LETA]]|access-date=22 September 2018}}</ref><br>{{lang|lv|Sociāldemokrātiskā partija "Saskaņa"}}
|SDPS
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|1|8|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|100|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{LTU}}
|[[Social Democratic Party of Lithuania]]<br>{{lang|lt|Lietuvos socialdemokratų partija}}
|LSDP
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|2|11|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|52|141|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{LUX}}
|[[Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party]]<br>{{lang|lb|Lëtzebuerger Sozialistesch Aarbechterpartei}}<br>{{lang|fr|Parti ouvrier socialiste luxembourgeois}}<br>{{lang|de|Luxemburger Sozialistische Arbeiterpartei}}
|LSAP
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|1|6|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|10|60|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{MLT}}
|[[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]]<br>{{lang|mt|Partit Laburista}}
|PL
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|4|6|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|38|69|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{NLD}}
|[[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]]<br>{{lang|nl|Partij van de Arbeid}}
|PvdA
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|6|29|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|6|75|{{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|9|150|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{NOR}}
|[[Labour Party (Norway)|Labour Party]]<br>{{lang|no|Arbeiderpartiet}}
|AP
|align="left"|''Not in EU''
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|53|169|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{POL}}
|[[New Left (Poland)|New Left]]<br>{{lang|pl|Nowa Lewica}}
|NL
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|5|52|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|9|100|{{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|26|460|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{PRT}}
|[[Socialist Party (Portugal)|Socialist Party]]<br>{{lang|pt|Partido Socialista}}
|PS
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|8|21|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|58|230|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{ROU}}
|[[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]]<br>{{lang|ro|Partidul Social Democrat}}
|PSD
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|8|33|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|47|136|{{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|109|330|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{SVN}}
|[[Social Democrats (Slovenia)|Social Democrats]]<br>{{lang|sl|Socialni demokrati}}
|SD
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|2|8|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|7|90|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{ESP}}
|[[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]]<br>{{lang|es|Partido Socialista Obrero Español}}
|PSOE
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|21|58|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|89|265|{{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|121|350|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{SWE}}
|[[Swedish Social Democratic Party]]<br>{{lang|sv|Sveriges socialdemokratiska arbetareparti}}
|SAP
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|5|21|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|107|349|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|rowspan=2|{{GBR}}
|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]
|Labour
|align="left"|''Not in EU''
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|213|830|{{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|404|632|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|[[Social Democratic and Labour Party]]<br>{{lang|ga|Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre}}
|SDLP
|align="left"|''Not in EU''
|align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|794}}{{Composition bar|2|18|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|}

===Associated members===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! State !! Name !! abbr. !! [[Member of the European Parliament|MEPs]] !! National MPs
|-
| {{ALB}} || [[Socialist Party of Albania]]<br>{{lang|sq|Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë}}|| PSS || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|74|140|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{BIH}} || [[Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina]]<br>{{lang|bs|Socijaldemokratska partija Bosne i Hercegovine}}|| SDP || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|15|{{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|5|42|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{BGR}} || [[Party of Bulgarian Social Democrats]]<br>{{lang|bg|Партия Български социалдемократи}}<br>{{lang|bg|Partiya Bulgarski Sotsialdemokrati}}|| PBS ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|17|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}} ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|1|240|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{ISL}} || [[Social Democratic Alliance]]<br>{{lang|is|Samfylkingin}}|| Samf. || || align="left"|{{Composition bar|15|63|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{KOS}} || [[Vetëvendosje|Self-Determination Movement]]<br>{{lang|sq|Lëvizja Vetëvendosje}}|| LVV || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|56|120|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{MDA}} || [[European Social Democratic Party]]<br>{{lang|ro|Partidul Social Democrat European}}|| PSDE || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|101|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|rowspan=2|{{MNE}} || [[Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro]]<br>{{lang|cnr|Demokratska partija socijalista Crne Gore}}|| DPS || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|17|81|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| [[Social Democratic Party of Montenegro]]<br>{{lang|cnr|Socijaldemokratska partija Crne Gore}}|| SDP || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|81|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{NMK}} || [[Social Democratic Union of Macedonia]]<br>{{lang|mk|Социјалдемократски сојуз на Македонија}}<br>{{lang|mk|Socijaldemokratski Sojuz na Makedonija}}|| SDSM || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|18|120|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|{{SVK}} || {{no|[[Voice – Social Democracy]]<br>(suspended)<br>{{lang|sk|Hlas – sociálna demokracia}}}} || Hlas-SD || align="left"|{{Composition bar|1|15|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}} || align="left"|{{Composition bar|27|150|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| rowspan=2|{{SRB}} || [[Party of Freedom and Justice]]<br>{{lang|sr|Странка слободе и правде}}<br>{{lang|sr|Stranka slobode i pravde}}|| SSP || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|16|250|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| [[Democratic Party (Serbia)|Democratic Party]]<br>{{lang|sr|Демократска странка}}<br>{{lang|sr|Demokratska stranka}}|| DS || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|8|250|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{SUI}} || [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland]]<br>{{lang|de|Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz}}<br>{{lang|fr|Parti socialiste suisse}}<br>{{lang|it|Partito Socialista Svizzero}}<br>{{lang|rm|Partida Socialdemocrata de la Svizra}}|| SP/PS || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|39|200|{{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|9|46|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| rowspan=2|{{TUR}} || [[Republican People's Party]]<br>{{lang|tr|Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi}}|| CHP || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|137|600|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| [[Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party]]<br>{{lang|tr|Halkların Eşitlik ve Demokrasi Partisi}}<br>{{lang|ku|Partiya Wekhevî û Demokrasiya Gelan}}|| DEM || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|56|600|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|}

===Observer members===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! State !! Name !! abbr. !! [[Member of the European Parliament|MEPs]] !! National MPs
|-
| {{AND}} || [[Social Democratic Party (Andorra)|Social Democratic Party]]<br>{{lang|ca|Partit Socialdemòcrata}}|| PS || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|3|28|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{ARM}} || [[Armenian Revolutionary Federation]]<br>{{lang|hy|Հայ Յեղափոխական Դաշնակցութիւն}}<br>{{lang|hy|Hay Yeghap’vokhakan Dashnakts’ut’iwn}}|| ARF || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|10|107|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
|rowspan=2| {{BLR}} || [[Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Assembly)|Hramada]]<br>{{lang|be|Беларуская сацыял-дэмакратычная партыя (Грамада́)}}<br>{{lang|be|Biełaruskaja sacyjał-demakratyčeskaja partija (Hromada)}}|| БСДП
| ||rowspan=2|''Parties banned''
|-
| [[Belarusian Social Democratic Party (People's Assembly)|Narodna Hramada]]<br>{{lang|be|Беларуская сацыял-дэмакратычная партыя (Народная Грамада)}}<br>{{lang|be|Bielaruskaja Sacyjal-Demakratyčnaja Partyja (Narodnaja Hramada)}}|| БСДП (НГ) || 
|-
| {{EGY}} || [[Egyptian Social Democratic Party]]<br>{{lang|ar|الحزب المصرى الديمقراطى الاجتماعى}}<br>{{lang|ar|al-Ḥizb al-Maṣrī al-Dimuqrāṭī al-Ijtmāʿī}}|| ESDP || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|4|596|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{ISR}} || [[The Democrats (Israel)|Democrats]]<br>{{lang|he|הדמוקרטים}}||Democrats|| ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|4|120|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{LVA}} || [[Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party]]<br>{{lang|lv|Latvijas Sociāldemokrātiskā strādnieku partija}}|| LSDSP ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|8|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}} ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|100}}
|-
| {{MAR}} || [[Socialist Union of Popular Forces]]<br>{{lang|ar|الاتحاد الاشتراكي للقوات الشعبية}}<br>{{lang|ar|Al-Ittihad Al-Ishtirakiy Lilqawat Al-Sha'abiyah}}<br>{{lang|fr|Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires}}|| USFP || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|24|270|{{EUPP data|color}}}}{{Composition bar|20|395|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{flag|Northern Cyprus}} || [[Republican Turkish Party]]<br>{{lang|tr|Cumhuriyetçi Türk Partisi}}|| CTP || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|12|50|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{PSE}} || [[Fatah]]<br>{{lang|ar|فتح}}<br>{{lang|ar|Fatḥ}}|| فتح || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|45|132|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{ROU}} || [[PRO Romania]]<br>{{lang|ro|PRO România}}|| PRO ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|33|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}} ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|330}}
|-
| {{SMR}} || [[Party of Socialists and Democrats]]<br>{{lang|it|Partito dei Socialisti e dei Democratici}}|| PSD || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|3|60|{{EUPP data|color}}}}
|-
| {{TUN}} || [[Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties]]<br>{{lang|ar|التكتل الديمقراطي من أجل العمل والحريات}}<br>{{lang|ar|at-Takattul ad-Dīmuqrāṭī min ajl il-‘Amal wal-Ḥurriyyāt}}<br>{{lang|fr|Forum démocratique pour le travail et les libertés}}|| FDTL || ||align="left"|{{Composition bar|0|217}}
|}

<references group="."/>

=== Individual members ===

The PES also includes a number of individual members, although, as most other European parties, it has not sought to develop mass individual membership.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hertner |first1=Isabelle |date=9 September 2018 |title=United in diversity? Europarties and their individual members' rights |url= https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/66c15812-8a3b-4285-8dc0-14136dd3b623|journal=Journal of European Integration |volume=41 |issue=4 |publisher=Routledge |pages=487–505 |doi=10.1080/07036337.2018.1513500}}</ref>

Below is the evolution of individual membership of the PES since 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/contracts-and-grants/en/political-parties-and-foundations/audit-reports-and-donations |title=Audit reports and donations |website=[[European Parliament]]}}</ref>
{{#chart:Individual members of European political parties.Line.chart
|arg:cols=year,{{EUPP data|acronym}}
}}

==Organisation==
{{Social democracy sidebar|parties}}

===Constituent organisations===
The youth organisation of the PES is the [[Young European Socialists]]. [[PES Women]] is the party's women's organisation, led by [[Zita Gurmai]]. The LGBTI campaign organisation is Rainbow Rose.<ref name="How work?">{{cite web|title=How does PES work? |publisher=PES website |url=http://www.pes.org/content/view/42/69/lang,en/ |access-date=7 November 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030175257/http://www.pes.org/content/view/42/69/lang,EN/ |archive-date=30 October 2007 }}</ref>

===International memberships===
PES is an associated organisation of [[Socialist International]] and the [[Progressive Alliance]].

=== President and Presidency ===
The President (currently former [[Prime Minister of Sweden]] [[Stefan Löfven]]) represents the party on a daily basis and chairs the Presidency, which also consists of the Secretary General, President of the S&D group in Parliament and one representative per full/associate member party and organisation. They may also be joined by the [[President of the European Parliament]] (if a PES member), a PES [[European Commissioner]] and a representative from associate parties and organisations.<ref name="How work?"/>

As of 19 November 2024 the Presidency of the PES is:<ref>{{Cite web|title=ÊS Governing Body 2024-11-19|url=https://www.appf.europa.eu/cmsdata/294292/PES%20Governing%20Body%202024-11-19.pdf|website= [[Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations]]|date= 19 November 2024|access-date=11 May 2025}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Stefan Löfven]] – President
* {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Iratxe García]] – First Vice-President
* {{flagicon|Germany}} [[Katarina Barley]] – Executive Vice-President
* {{flagicon|Slovenia}} [[Tanja Fajon]] – Vice-President
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Victor Negrescu]] – Vice-President
* {{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Kati Piri]] – Vice-President
* {{flagicon|Poland}} [[Andrzej Szejna]] – Vice-President
* {{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Caroline Gennez]] – Treasurer
* {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Giacomo Filibeck]] – Secretary General

The list below shows PES presidents and the presidents of its predecessors.<ref name="leaders party">{{cite web|title=Former PES Presidents |publisher=PES website |url=http://www.pes.org/content/view/917 |access-date=21 January 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009211637/http://www.pes.org/content/view/917 |archive-date=9 October 2007 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |#
! rowspan="2" |Portrait
! rowspan="2" |President
! rowspan="2" |State
! colspan="2" |Term in office
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |National party
|-
!Start
!End
|--
!1
|
|[[Wilhelm Dröscher]]
|{{Flagu|West Germany}}
|April 1974
|January 1979
| bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}" |
|[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]
|--
!2
|
|[[Robert Pontillon]]
|{{Flagu|France}}
|January 1979
|March 1980
| bgcolor="{{party color|Socialist Party (France)}}" |
|[[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]
|--
!3
|[[File:Joop den Uyl 1975.jpg|123x123px]]
|[[Joop den Uyl]]
|{{Flagu|Netherlands}}
|March 1980
|May 1987
| bgcolor="{{party color|Labour Party (Netherlands)}}" |
|[[Labour Party (Netherlands)|PvdA]]
|--
!4
|[[File:Vítor Constâncio 2017 (cropped).jpg|116x116px]]
|[[Vítor Constâncio]]
|{{Flagu|Portugal}}
|May 1987
|January 1989
| bgcolor="{{party color|Socialist Party (Portugal)}}" |
|[[Socialist Party (Portugal)|PS]]
|--
!5
|
|[[Guy Spitaels]]
|{{Flagu|Belgium}}
|February 1989
|May 1992
| bgcolor="{{party color|Socialist Party (Belgium)}}" |
|[[Socialist Party (Belgium)|PS]]
|--
!6
|[[File:Willy Claes - Filip Naudts (cropped).jpg|106x106px]]
|[[Willy Claes]]
|{{Flagu|Belgium}}
|November 1992
|October 1994
| bgcolor="{{party color|Vooruit (political party)}}" |
|[[Vooruit (political party)|SP.A]]
|--
!7
|[[File:Scharping.jpg|104x104px]]
|[[Rudolf Scharping]]
|{{Flagu|Germany}}
|March 1995
|May 2001
| bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}" |
|[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]
|--
!8
|[[File:Robin Cook-close crop.jpg|121x121px]]
|[[Robin Cook]]
|{{Flagu|United Kingdom}}
|May 2001
|24 April 2004
| bgcolor="{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|--
!9
|[[File:Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, Danmarks tidigare statsminister, numera EU-parlamentariker.jpg|120x120px]]
|[[Poul Nyrup Rasmussen]]
|{{Flagu|Denmark}}
|24 April 2004
|24 November 2011
| bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democrats (Denmark)}}" |
|[[Social Democrats (Denmark)|S]]
|--
!10
|[[File:Sergey Stanishev 2009 elections diff crop.jpg|103x103px]]
|[[Sergey Stanishev]]
|{{Flagu|Bulgaria}}
|24 November 2011
|14 October 2022
| bgcolor="{{party color|Bulgarian Socialist Party}}" |
|[[Bulgarian Socialist Party|BSP]]
|-
!11
|[[File:Stefan_Löfven_(cropped).jpg|113x113px]]
|[[Stefan Löfven]]
|{{Flagu|Sweden}}
|14 October 2022
|''Incumbent''
| bgcolor="{{party color|Swedish Social Democratic Party}}" |
|[[Swedish Social Democratic Party|S]]
|}

===Governance===
The parties meet at the party ''Congress'' twice every five years to decide on political orientation, such as adopting [[manifesto]]s ahead of elections. Every year that the Congress does not meet, the Council (a smaller version of the Congress) shapes PES policy. The Congress also elects the party's President, Vice-Presidents and the ''Presidency''.<ref name="How work?"/>

The ''Leader's Conference'' brings together Prime Ministers and Party Leaders from PES parties three to four times a year to agree strategies and resolutions.<ref name="How work?"/>

===European election primaries===
In December 2009, the PES decided to put forward a candidate for Commission President at all subsequent elections.<ref>{{cite web|title=A New Direction for Progressive Societies. Resolution N. 2 A new way forward. Adopted by the 8th PES Congress|publisher=PES|date=8 December 2009|url=http://old.pes.org/en/system/files/Resolution2_adopted_EN.pdf|access-date=17 October 2010}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> On 1 March 2014, the PES organised for the first time a European election Congress where a Common Manifesto<ref>{{cite web|title=PES Manifesto Towards a New Europe. Adopted by Election Congress 2014 in Rome|publisher=PES|date=1 March 2014|url=http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/partyofeuropeansocialists/pages/1101/attachments/original/1394819127/pes_manifesto_-_adopted_by_the_pes_election_congress_en.pdf?1394819127|access-date=1 March 2014}}</ref> was adopted and the Common Candidate designate for the post of Commission President, [[Martin Schulz]], was elected by over a thousand participants in Rome, Italy.
In 2019, progressives elected [[Frans Timmermans]] as PES Common Candidate to the European Elections, during the Election Congress in Madrid on 22–23 February 2019.

== Funding ==

As a registered European political party, the PES is entitled to [[Funding of European political parties#European public funding|European public funding]], which it has received continuously since 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/contracts-and-grants/files/political-parties-and-foundations/european-political-parties/en-funding-amounts-parties-2025.pdf |website=European Parliament |title=Funding from the European Parliament to European political parties per party and per year |access-date=9 July 2025 }}</ref>

Below is the evolution of European public funding received by the PES.
{{#chart:Evolution_of_public_funding_of_European_political_parties.Line.chart
|arg:where=party
|arg:eq=PES
|arg:cols=year,maximum_allocated,amount_received
}}

In line with the Regulation on European political parties and European political foundations, the PES also raises [[Funding of European political parties#Private funding|private funds]] to co-finance its activities. As of 2025, European parties must raise at least 10% of their reimbursable expenditure from private sources, while the rest can be covered using European public funding.{{efn|For the purpose of European party funding, "contributions" refer to financial or in-kind support provided by party members, while "donations" refer to the same but provided by non-members.}}

Below is the evolution of contributions and donations received by the PES.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/contracts-and-grants/en/political-parties-and-foundations/audit-reports-and-donations |title=Audit reports and donations |website=European Parliament |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref><ref name="epfo">{{cite web |url=https://epfo.eu/understanding-party-funding |title=EPFO - Understanding party funding |website=European Party Funding Observatory |publisher=European Democracy Consulting Stiftung |access-date=2024-02-16 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
{{#chart:Contributions raised by European political parties.Line.chart
|arg:cols=year,{{EUPP data|acronym}}
}}
{{#chart:Donations raised by European political parties.Line.chart
|arg:cols=year,{{EUPP data|acronym}}
}}

==PES in the European institutions==

===Overview of the European institutions===
{| class="wikitable"
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q220945 -->
|-
! Organisation !! Institution !! Number of seats 
|-
|rowspan=5 | {{EU}} || [[European Parliament]] || {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EP|percent=yes|reference=yes}}
|-
| [[European Commission]] || {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EC|percent=yes|reference=yes}}
|-
| [[European Council]]<br /><small>(Heads of Government)</small> || {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EUCO|percent=yes|reference=yes}}
|-
| [[Council of the European Union]]<br /><small>(Participation in Government)</small> ||
|-
| [[Committee of the Regions]] || {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|COR|percent=yes|reference=yes}}
|-
| {{flag|Council of Europe}} (as part of {{wikidata|property|Q132153910|P1813}})|| [[Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe|Parliamentary Assembly]] || {{Composition bar|{{wikidata|property|Q132153910|P1410|P194=Q939743}}|{{wikidata|property|Q939743|P1342}}|hex={{EUPP data|color}}|per=1}}{{wikidata|references|Q132153910|P1410|P194=Q939743}} <!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132153910 -->
|}

===European Parliament===
{{Further|Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats}}

===European Commission===
[[European Commissioner]]s are meant to remain independent, however there has been an increasing degree of [[European Commissioner#Politicisation|politicisation within the Commission]].<ref>{{cite web|last = Mahony |first=Honor|publisher=EU Observer|title = Brussels struggles with communication policy.|date=7 May 2007|url=http://euobserver.com/9/24016 |access-date = 12 May 2007}}</ref> In the current European Commission, five of the Commissioners belong to the PES family.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="border-collapse:collapse; border:#555"
! bgcolor="#99badd" |[[List of European Commission portfolios|Portfolio]]
! bgcolor="#99badd" |[[European Commissioner|Commissioner]]
! bgcolor="#99badd" |[[Member state of the European Union|State]]
! bgcolor="#99badd" |Political party
! width="100" class="unsortable" bgcolor="#99badd" |Photo
|-
|[[Vice-President of the European Commission|Executive Vice-President]] for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition
|[[Teresa Ribera]]
|{{center|{{flagicon|Spain}}<br>[[List of European Commissioners by nationality#Spain|Spain]]}}
|[[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]]
| [[File:Ribera EC Portrait 2024 (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
|Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness
|[[Roxana Mînzatu]]
|{{center|{{flagicon|Romania}}<br>[[List of European Commissioners by nationality#Romania|Romania]]}}
|[[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]]
|[[File:Mînzatu EC Portrait 2024 (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
|Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security; Commissioner for Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency
|[[Maroš Šefčovič]]
|{{center|{{flagicon|Slovakia}}<br>[[List of European Commissioners by nationality#Slovakia|Slovakia]]}}
|[[Direction – Social Democracy|Smer–SD]] ({{small|{{abbr|susp.|suspended}}}})
|[[File:Šefčovič EC Portrait 2024 (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
|Commissioner for Energy and Housing
|[[Dan Jørgensen]]
|{{center|{{flagicon|Denmark}}<br>[[List of European Commissioners by nationality#Denmark|Denmark]]}}
|[[Social Democrats (Denmark)|S]]
|[[File:Jørgensen EC Portrait 2024 (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
|Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport
|[[Glenn Micallef]]
|{{center|{{flagicon|Malta}}<br>[[List of European Commissioners by nationality#Malta|Malta]]}}
|[[Labour Party (Malta)|PL]]
|[[File:Micallef EC Portrait 2024 (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|}

===European Council===
Of the 27 heads of state and government that are members of the [[European Council]], three are from the PES, and therefore regularly attend PES summits to prepare for European Council meetings.

{| class="wikitable sortable" width=100% style="border-collapse:collapse; border:#555"
|-
!Member State
!Representative
!Title
! colspan=2 |Political party
!Member of the Council since
! class="unsortable" style="width:100px;"|Photo
|-
|{{Flag|Denmark}}
|{{sortname|Mette|Frederiksen}}
|{{flagicon image|Flag of Denmark (state).svg}} [[Prime Minister of Denmark|Prime Minister]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Social Democrats (Denmark)}}"|
|[[Social Democrats (Denmark)|Social Democrats]]
|{{dts|format=dmy|2019|6|27}}
|[[File:Mette Frederiksen by Christian Ursilva (2026).jpg|150x150px]]
|-
|{{Flag|Malta}}
|{{sortname|Robert|Abela}}
|{{flagicon image|Coat of arms of Malta.svg}} [[Prime Minister of Malta|Prime Minister]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}"|
|[[Labour Party (Malta)|PL]]
|{{dts|format=dmy|2020|1|13}}
|[[File:Robert Abela - Official Portrait 2022 (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
|{{Flag|Spain}}
|[[Pedro Sánchez]]
|{{flagicon image|Spanish Presidential Flag.svg}} [[Prime Minister of Spain|Prime Minister]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}"|
|[[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]]
|{{dts|format=dmy|2018|6|2}}
|[[File:Pedro Sánchez in 2023.jpg|139x139px|100x]]
|}

===In third countries===
Through its associate and observer parties the PES has six heads of state or government in non-EU countries:

{| class="wikitable sortable"  style="background:white; width:100%;"
|-
!align=left|State
!align=left|Representative
!align=left|Title
!align=left colspan=2 |Political party
!align=left|In power since
! class="unsortable" style="width:100px;"|Portrait
|-
|{{Flag|Albania}}
|[[Edi Rama]]
|{{flagicon image|Kryeministri i Shqipërisë.svg}} [[Prime Minister of Albania|Prime Minister]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Socialist Party of Albania}}"|
|[[Socialist Party of Albania|PS]]
|{{dts|format=dmy|2013|9|13}}
|[[File:Srečanje predsednika vlade Roberta Goloba s predsednikom vlade Albanije Edijem Ramo (52320651109) (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
|{{Flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
|[[Denis Bećirović]]
|{{flagicon image|Coat of arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg}} [[Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosniak Member of the Presidency]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)}}"|
|[[Social Democratic Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|SDP BiH]]
|{{dts|format=dmy|2022|11|16}}
|[[File:Denis Bećirović - March 2026.jpg|100px]]
|-
|{{Flag|Norway}}
|[[Jonas Gahr Støre]]
|{{flagicon image|Flag of Norway, state.svg}} [[Prime Minister of Norway|Prime Minister]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Labour Party (Norway)}}"|
|[[Labour Party (Norway)|A/Ap]]
|{{dts|format=dmy|2021|10|14}}
|[[File:Nordic prime ministers’ meeting in Helsinki 1.11.2022 - 52469398971 (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
|rowspan=2 |{{Flag|Switzerland}}
|[[Élisabeth Baume-Schneider]]
|rowspan=2 |{{flagicon image|Coat of arms of Switzerland.svg}} [[Federal Council (Switzerland)|Federal Councillor]]
|rowspan=2  style="background-color:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}"|
|rowspan=2 |[[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]]
|{{dts|format=dmy|2023|1|1}}
|[[File:Élisabeth_Baume-Schneider_(2023).jpg|100px]]
|-
|[[Beat Jans]]
|{{dts|format=dmy|2024|1|1}}
|[[File:Beat Jans (2024, cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
|{{Flag|United Kingdom}}
|[[Keir Starmer]]
|{{flagicon image|Coat of arms of the United Kingdom (2022, lesser arms).svg}} [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}"|
|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|{{dts|format=dmy|2024|7|5}}
|[[File:Prime Minister Keir Starmer Portrait (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|}

===European Council and Council of Ministers===
[[File:Current membership of the European Council.svg|thumb]]

[[Parties in the European Council|Party-alignment at the European Council]] is often loose, but has been the basis of some intergovernmental cooperation. At present five countries are led by a PES-affiliated leader, who represents that state at the [[European Council]]: Germany ([[Olaf Scholz]]), Spain ([[Pedro Sánchez (Spanish politician)|Pedro Sánchez]]), Malta ([[Robert Abela]]), and Denmark ([[Mette Frederiksen]]).

The makeup of national delegations to the [[Council of the European Union|Council of Ministers]] is at some times subject to coalitions: for the above governments led by a PES party, that party may not be present in all Council configurations; in other governments led by non-PES parties a PES minister may be its representative for certain portfolios. PES is in coalition in the following countries: Romania, Belgium, Slovenia and Estonia.

==== Overview ====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! State
! class="unsortable" | Governing parties
! class="unsortable" | Affiliated EU party
! Population<br>
|-
| {{flag|Germany}}
| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]]<br>[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|'''Social Democratic Party''']]<br>[[Christian Social Union in Bavaria]]
| [[European People's Party|EPP]]
'''PES'''<br>[[European People's Party|EPP]]
| {{nts|83,166,711}}
|-
|{{Flag|Spain}}
|'''[[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]]'''<br>[[Sumar (electoral platform)|Sumar]]<br>[[United Left (Spain)|United Left]]<br>[[Catalunya en Comú]]<br>[[Más Madrid]]
|'''PES'''<br>''None''<br>[[Party of the European Left|PEL]]<br>[[European Green Party|EGP]]<br>''None''
| {{nts|48,619,695}}
|-
|{{Flag|Poland}}
|[[Civic Coalition (Poland)|Civic Coalition]]<br>'''[[New Left (Poland)|New Left]]'''<br>[[Poland 2050]]<br>[[Polish People’s Party]]<br>[[Modern (Poland)|Modern]]<br>[[Polish Initiative]]
|[[European People’s Party|EPP]]<br>'''PES'''<br>''None''<br>[[European People’s Party|EPP]]<br>[[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe|ALDE]]<br>''None''
| {{nts|38,036,118}}
|-
| {{flag|Romania}}
|'''[[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]]'''<br>[[National Liberal Party (Romania)|National Liberal Party]]
[[Save Romania Union]]<br>[[Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania]]
|'''PES'''<br>[[European People’s Party|EPP]]
[[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|ALDE]]<br>[[European People’s Party|EPP]]
| {{nts|19,064,409}}
|-
| {{flag|Belgium}}
|[[New Flemish Alliance]]<br>[[Reformist Movement]]<br>[[Les Engagés]]<br>'''[[Vooruit (political party)|Vooruit]]'''<br>[[Christian Democratic and Flemish]]
|[[European Free Alliance|EFA]]<br>[[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe|ALDE]]<br>[[European Democratic Party|EDP]]<br>'''PES'''<br>[[European People’s Party|EPP]]
| {{nts|11,763,650}}
|-
| {{flag|Bulgaria}}
|[[GERB]]<br>'''[[Bulgarian Socialist Party]]'''<br>[[There is Such a People]]
| [[European People's Party|EPP]]<br>'''PES'''<br>[[European Conservatives and Reformists Party|ECR]]
| {{nts|6,445,481}}
|-
| {{flag|Denmark}}
| '''[[Social Democrats (Denmark)|Social Democrats]]'''<br>[[Venstre (Denmark)|Venstre]]<br>[[Moderates (Denmark)|Moderates]]
| '''PES'''<br>[[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|ALDE]]<br>''None''
| {{nts|5,982,117}}
|-
| {{flag|Slovenia}}
| [[Freedom Movement (Slovenia)|Freedom Movement]]<br>'''[[Social Democrats (Slovenia)|Social Democrats]]'''<br>[[The Left (Slovenia)|The Left]]
| ''None''<br>'''PES'''<br>[[Party of the European Left|PEL]]
| {{nts|2,129,052}}
|-
| {{flag|Estonia}}
| [[Estonian Reform Party]]<br>'''[[Social Democratic Party (Estonia)|Social Democratic Party]]'''<br>[[Estonia 200]]
| [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe|ALDE]]<br>'''PES'''<br>''None''
| {{nts|1,373,101}}
|-
| {{flag|Malta}}
| '''[[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]]'''
| '''PES'''
| {{nts|514,564}}
|}

===Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe===
{{Further|Socialist Group}}

===Committee of the Regions===
PES has 122 members in the [[Committee of the Regions]] as of 2014.<ref name="PES Group members list">{{cite web |url=http://cormembers.cor.europa.eu/pse/PSEMembers.aspx?name=&country=&function=MEM&body= |title=PES Group Members |access-date=13 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130106175114/http://cormembers.cor.europa.eu/pse/PSEMembers.aspx?name=&country=&function=MEM&body= |archive-date=6 January 2013 }}</ref>

== Election results ==
'''European Parliament'''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
! colspan=2| Year
! Lead Candidate
! Vote %
! Seats %
! Seats
! +/-
! Status
! Ref
|-
! colspan=2| [[2014 European Parliament election|2014]]
| [[Martin Schulz]]
| 24.4% (#1)
| 
| {{Composition bar|191|720|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
| {{increase}} 8
| style="background:#bfd; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; "| Coalition
| 
|-
! rowspan=2| [[2019 European Parliament election|2019]]
! Pre-Brexit
| rowspan=2| [[Frans Timmermans]]
| 18.5 (#2)
| 19.4 (#2)
| {{Composition bar|146|751|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
|
| rowspan=2 style="background:#bfd; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; "| [[Von der Leyen Commission I|Coalition]]
| rowspan=2 | <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://epfo.eu/|title=Evolution of the number of MEPs member of the European party|website=European Party Funding Observatory|access-date=2024-08-03}}</ref>
|-
! Post-Brexit
|
| 19.7 (#2)
| {{Composition bar|139|705|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
| {{decrease}} 7
|-
! colspan=2| [[2024 European Parliament election|2024]]
| [[Nicolas Schmit]]
| 15.6% (#2)
| 17.6 (#2)
| {{Composition bar|127|720|hex={{EUPP data|color}}}}
| {{decrease}} 12
| style="background:#bfd; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; "| [[Von der Leyen Commission II|Coalition]]
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.appf.europa.eu/cmsdata/287719/PES_MEPs%20as%20of%2019%20July%202024.xlsx|title=Provisional list of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) as of 19 July 2024|website=Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations|access-date=2024-08-03|archive-date=26 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240826153613/https://www.appf.europa.eu/cmsdata/287719/PES_MEPs%20as%20of%2019%20July%202024.xlsx|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://europeelects.eu/ep2024|title=Projected composition: Members of the European Parliament|website=Europe Elects|access-date=2024-08-03}}</ref>
|}

== See also ==
* [[European political party]]
* [[Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations]]
* [[European political foundation]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Party of European Socialists}}
* {{official website}}
* [https://archives.eui.eu/en/fonds/152366?item=GPSE Archives] of the Party of European Socialists, held by the [https://www.eui.eu/en/academic-units/historical-archives-of-the-european-union Historical Archives of the European Union.]
* [https://socialistsanddemocrats.eu/ Parliamentary Group of the Party of European Socialists], official website
* [https://www.youthplan.eu/ European Youth Plan campaign] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728082208/https://www.youthplan.eu/en |date=28 July 2020 }}, official website
* [https://pes.cor.europa.eu/ PES Group in the Committee of the Regions], official website

{{Party of European Socialists}}
{{European political parties}}
{{Political organisations at European Union level}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Party of European Socialists}}
[[Category:Party of European Socialists| ]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1973]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1992]]
[[Category:European political alliances]]
[[Category:European political parties]]
[[Category:Pro-European European political alliances]]
[[Category:Centre-left parties in Europe]]
[[Category:Social democratic parties]]
[[Category:Socialist International]]