Progressive Alliance

The Progressive Alliance (PA) is a political international of progressive and social democratic political parties and organisations founded on 22 May 2013 in Leipzig, Germany. The alliance was formed as an alternative to the existing Socialist International, of which many of its member parties are former or current members. The Progressive Alliance claims 140 participants from around the world. History The first step towards the creation of the Progressive Alliance was the decision in January 2012 by Sigmar Gabriel, then chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), to cancel payment of the SPD's £100,000 yearly membership fee to the Socialist International. Gabriel had been critical of the Socialist International's admittance and continuing inclusion of undemocratic political movements into the organisation. An initial Conference of the Progressive Alliance was held in Rome, Italy, on 14–15 December 2012, with representatives of 42 political parties attending. They included Pier Luigi Bersani, leader of the Democratic Party of Italy; Harlem Désir, Chair of the French Socialist Party; Hermes Binner, Chair of the Argentine Socialist Party; Peter Shumlin, Democratic Governor of Vermont; and Mustapha Ben Jafar, Secretary General of the Tunisian Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties. Also present were representatives of the Indian National Congress, the Workers' Party of Brazil, and PASOK of Greece. The Dutch Labour Party also supported the formation of the organisation, as did the Swiss Socialist Party, and the Social Democratic Party of Austria. During the Council of the Socialist International in Cascais, Portugal, on 4–5 February 2013, 50 political parties discussed on the sidelines the formation of the Progressive Alliance, including the Movement for Democratic Change of Zimbabwe.