ON SOURCE: Global Progressive Mobilisation  

Global Progressive Mobilisation brought together global leaders to stand up for democracy

“The future has called upon you, and you have answered that call”. The Secretary General of the PSOE and Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, closed the first Global Progressive Mobilisation (GPM) with more than 5,000 people in attendance in Barcelona, with several key messages.

Despite a “horizon full of uncertainty” and “the noise of the subservient right” in the face of the far-right international, he told the applauding crowd: “Do not be fooled. The far right and the right are not shouting because they are winning; they are shouting because they know their time is running out.”

Sánchez added that “they have tried to make us ashamed of our ideas and our past. But that is over. It ends today. In Barcelona, on 18 April 2026, shame changes sides. And it will do so forever.” He also said that “we are proud to be pacifists, environmentalists, trade unionists and feminists. Proud to be left-wing and social democrats. Proud to be progressives. Progressivism is more necessary today than ever.”

“We are not going to buy into their pessimism. Nor their hopelessness. We are going to defend the idea that a better world is possible, and we are going to do so by bending the arm of those who believe they are untouchable.”

From the stage of the GPM, leaders delivered a united message of mobilisation and democratic resilience.
Stefan Löfven, President of the PES, set the tone with a call for unity:

“We raise a fundamental issue: equality — between nations, between cultures, between people, regardless of background, ethnicity or gender. As progressives, this is the foundation of everything we do. This is what binds us together. And to those who seek to divide us: No pasarán. You will not divide us. We will prevail.”

The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said in his speech that he is convinced that the Global Progressive Mobilisation is a “serious movement” that must “act 365 days a year to restore what is most sacred in the world: democracy and multilateralism.”

Progressives must use “coherence” in the face of billionaires who feed the fallacies of meritocracy but then pull away the ladder so that others cannot climb, destroy nature and manipulate the algorithm. That is why progressives must choose equality. “Our motto must be to always stand on the side of the people.”

INTERVENTIONS BY PROGRESSIVE LEADERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

Before the speeches by Pedro Sánchez, Stefan Löfven and Lula da Silva, the plenary session of global leaders featured numerous progressive leaders from all over the world. The First Secretary of the PSC and President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, said that “progressives all over the world are united by an immense responsibility: to recover humanity’s common project, a shared heartbeat for peace.”

Neera Tanden, President of the Center for American Progress in the United States, also took the floor and asked people to “not forget that Trump’s policies are policies that make the working class suffer, forcing millions of middle-class Americans who are losing purchasing power to pay the price, while he and his family are making millions through corruption.”

Democratic US Senator Chris Murphy, thanked Pedro Sánchez “because he has shown the world how bullies should be treated,” and referred to Donald Trump’s administration“ as the most corrupt government” in the history of the United States. And Minnesota Governor Tim Walz explained that in the United States “we see the concentration of power and a paramilitary force terrorising our populations. We have a president willing to shoot anyone and go to war without threats. That is fascism, or at least someone with a taste for fascism.” “Do not count us out; many of us believe in humanity first and not America first,” he said to the applause.

The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people and sent a clear message to the United Nations that was met with applause: “The United Nations has become an organisation in which truth is missing, because those who are part of the Security Council are the very ones who continue to violate, constantly, all the rights and all the laws that institution itself has adopted.”

From the central stage of the plenary of the first Global Progressive Mobilisation, there were also announcements, such as that of former Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, who announced that she will run again, and who called for “joining forces” because there are “millions of people waiting for us to win a better future.”

There were also thematic blocks within the plenary: justice, economy and environment. In that block, the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, said that the energy transition will be fair, affordable and green if dependencies are reduced and people are placed at the centre, now and in the future. “Moving in this direction is worthwhile if we want to build a common future for all.”

From Turkey, represented among others by Özgür Özel, came the message “no to war, yes to peace. Either everyone or no one. No one is saved alone.”

From Palestine, former Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said: “It is written forever that Palestinian refugees have the right to return to their homes. I am not here to complain, to cry; I am here as a Palestinian, proud to be one, who has fought for freedom. Palestine will be free with the support of all of you.”

Mexico’s Environment Minister, Alicia Bárcena, stressed that “we need progressives to build real states with close and participatory democracies; they must be built with the people. Everything with the people, nothing without the people,” adding that “democracy must be feminist.”

The President of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Iratxe García, reiterated in her speech that progressives must “strengthen fundamental rights: the right to abortion, LGBTI rights, the defence of real equality, and not allow gender violence to be denied.”

For the EU Secretary in the CEF, “democracy is not defended only with laws; it is defended with social justice and by defending multilateralism, because a world without rules is a democracy that loses. We must defend democracy, strengthen it and make it useful.”

From Italy, the Secretary General of the Democratic Party, Elly Schlein, thanked Pedro Sánchez for his leadership. “Thank you for showing that the progressive agenda works with four simple words: no to war. Thank you for defending our dignity. These illegal wars must end now.” She also encouraged young people to get involved in politics.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley warned that “only if we have strong countries will we have a fairer world. But if ordinary people allow not-so-good politicians to rise to the top and turn a blind eye to what is happening, people get used to thinking that if they make it to the top, they will always remain unpunished.”

THE PANELS

The Global Progressive Mobilisation, held this Friday and Saturday in Barcelona, concludes its first edition with the successful participation of more than 3,000 attendees from across the five continents, representing over 100 progressive organisations. Together, they exchanged ideas and shaped common responses on key priorities including equal opportunities, the defence of democracy and the rule of law, social justice, labour rights, green policies and peace.

Across around 80 panels, discussions focused on delivering concrete solutions to today’s global challenges - from strengthening democratic resilience and tackling inequality, to advancing a fair green transition and ensuring that technological change benefits society as a whole.

The panels also served as a platform to share policy experiences and best practices, with government representatives, experts, civil society and international organisations contributing to a collective effort to build credible and actionable progressive alternatives at global level.

The Global Progressive Mobilisation concluded with the adoption of a declaration, setting out a shared commitment by progressive forces worldwide to defend democracy, strengthen multilateralism and deliver social and economic progress.

The GPM is promoted by the political platforms of the Party of European Socialists and Democrats (PES), Socialist International (SI), and Progressive Alliance (PA). In 2026, invited partner organisations include International progressive organisations, trade unions, foundations, think tanks and NGOs sharing the same purpose.

The declaration is available below.

Call for a Global Progressive Mobilisation
GPM Declaration, Barcelona, 18 April

At a moment of profound global disruption, progressive forces across the world must raise their united voice. The world we have known in the last decades is gone. We are entering a new era of international relations, and as progressives from every continent, we are ready to offer new solutions. We come together to show our vision, our strength, our resolve.

The United Nations’ creation aimed at turning the tide of history. To prevent future wars, to maintain international peace and security, to promote cooperation between nations, to protect human rights. The UN is based on the idea that the future must be built on cooperation and respect of international law, on securing peace and multilateralism, on upholding people’s right to self-determination and human rights, and on advancing social and economic development. It is based on a vision of shared values.

Today, this vision is under attack. An international reactionary movement intends to replace it with a world of division between nations and people; a world driven by transactional relations, a world in which global public goods are destroyed.

The rise of this international reactionary movement is exacerbating many global crises. If we don’t stop them, the consequences will shape the decades ahead.

• Inequality is widening between nations, societies and the individuals within them.
• Labour rights are under pressure, extreme poverty remains a daily reality for millions of people, and the cost-of-living crisis and unaffordable housing are becoming one of the defining injustices of our time.
• Consecutive crises and armed conflicts have increased poverty. The reduction of humanitarian and development assistance creates huge health related challenges, food scarcity affecting mostly vulnerable groups, women and children.
• Devastating wars and armed conflicts persist across the world, from the Middle East to Eastern Africa, from Europe to Asia. New crises are happening or looming such as in Cuba or in Venezuela. In Ukraine, in Gaza, in Lebanon, in Iran, in Sudan, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Myanmar and in every other place where conflict rages, the human consequences are dire.
• Respect for international law, national sovereignty and non-interference is being dismantled.
• Democracy and the rule of law, freedom of speech, independent justice, which are the foundations of open, and inclusive societies are being undermined.
• ⁠Gender equality and women’s rights gained through long and persistent struggles are being questioned.
• ⁠Ethnic and religious minorities and vulnerable groups are under constant attack.
• Action on climate change – and with it, humanity’s future – is under threat.

• Artificial intelligence and the digital space, while offering immense opportunities, also poses critical risks to the future of our societies if not framed and managed positively.

Our united presence here proves that this destructive course can and must be reversed.
It is a commitment to collective action - across regions, movements, and generations - to defend democracy and peace, and turn transformation into shared prosperity.

It’s a moment for COMMON MOBILISATION.

MOBILISATION FOR DEMOCRACY. We are here to defend democracy, the sovereign right of the people, the rule of law, and fundamental rights. To fight back against the enemies of democracy, to counter disinformation and hate, and to advance credible, hopeful alternatives rooted in solidarity and justice. To protect civil liberties, support trade unions and collective bargaining, free and independent media, and open civic space. Democracy starts in our cities, with our mayors and local representatives, at the local level where policies meet everyday realities and improve citizens life. This is the first line of defence, for freedoms, for social inclusion, for justice. Our Call in Barcelona relies on this vital local strength to forge a better future for all.

MOBILISATION FOR PROGRESSIVE ECONOMY. We are here to stand for economies that truly deliver affordable lives, stronger public services, universal healthcare, decent work and a sustainable environment. When markets and private actors are left without oversight from governments and the democratic control of the people, the consequences are felt everywhere: unaffordable housing, overstretched public services and rising inequality that feeds the very resentment that reactionary forces exploit. On the contrary, progressive governments lead the way. Public investment with purpose, action for the green transition, and strong social policies build societies with better and more stable jobs. We also stand for economies where everyone contributes their fair share. A billionaires tax is fair and a democratic imperative, and key for successful welfare states. For us politics must create a Common Good Economy, one that pushes a concrete reform agenda to bring human dignity, social justice, and a sustainable future for all.

MOBILISATION FOR EQUALITY. We are here to advance equality within our societies. We promote gender equality and women’s rights which are fundamental for humanity. We combat racism and all forms of discrimination, including against sexual minorities. We advance fair and humane migration policies. For us equality means social justice through fair wages, universal public services and all the conditions necessary for a dignified life.

MOBILISATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. We are here to deliver a just green decarbonisation that protects our planet while improving people’s lives. Climate action must be ambitious, science-based, and promote intergenerational justice, recognising the differing responsibilities and capacities among nations, and ensuring that no community or country is left behind in this fight. This is the fight for our survival.

MOBILISATION FOR AI AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION. Technology can be a tool for progress, but we cannot accept disinformation shaping our societies and algorithms that reward hate. We are here to shape a digital governance and artificial intelligence that is inclusive, human-centred, and democratic. It must respect the human-in-control principle. Digital transformation must reduce inequalities, strengthen workers’ rights, protect fundamental freedoms and serve the public good globally. It must not deepen societal divisions or concentrate power in the hands of tech oligarchs.

MOBILISATION FOR PEACE. We are here to uphold international law, strengthen multilateralism, and defend peace. We stand for win-win diplomatic relations, conflict prevention, and dialogue over escalation. Peace is not only the absence of war. It must be built through justice, cooperation, and respect for the dignity of all peoples. We must treat every nation as equal and deepen international cooperation. On the world stage, equality means fighting neo-imperialism, economic exploitation, and misuse and abuse of resources.

It is essential to reform the UN to strengthen multilateralism, to make global governance fairer and more effective in addressing modern crises such as climate change, pandemics, and conflicts.

This is the mission that we are defining for the international progressive movement as we meet in Barcelona on 17–18 April 2026 for the Global Progressive Mobilisation (GPM).

It brings us together across borders, generations, and movements. From Latin America and the Caribbean to Africa, North America, Asia, the Pacific and Europe, we are united by our shared conviction that peace, coexistence, equality, democracy, and cooperation are not outdated ideals, but the foundations for the future.

We call on all progressive citizens and movements to join forces.

Together we will work for peace, democracy, equality, and social progress.

ON SOURCE: Global Progressive Mobilisation