Global Responsibility: Past and Present

Under his leadership, the federation of socialist and social democratic parties – which had previously been active mainly in Europe – made its voice heard worldwide and gained numerous new members, particularly in Latin America and Africa. During Brandt’s presidency, the SI became a globally influential organisation: in many regions of the world, it successfully supported left-wing reformists in their struggle against political oppression and for democracy, human rights and better living conditions.

Since the turn of the millennium, however, the Socialist International has lost much of its significance: in protest against the membership of certain parties with authoritarian tendencies, several European social democratic parties – including the SPD – have ceased their active participation and, in 2013, founded the ‘Progressive Alliance’ as a means of distancing themselves from and competing with the SI.

In the face of the current crisis of multilateralism and the rise of anti-democratic regimes and parties – not least in Central and South America – the question arises as to whether, and by what means, networks and party alliances such as the SI or the Progressive Alliance can once again become influential actors in the struggle for democracy and social justice.

Following a keynote address by Bernd Rother, Anne-Katrin Mellmann, a long-standing DLF correspondent for Latin America (now at the ARD’s Berlin studio), will discuss the topic with him, former SPD foreign policy expert Karsten Voigt, and political scientist Claudia Zilla from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP).

Admission is free. Online registration is requested.

• The event will be available as a podcast afterwards.

IN GERMAN