Objectives

PES Local's objectives are:

• To reinforce local autonomy on the basis of the European charter of local autonomy adopted by the Council of Europe, in 1985.

• To encourage contacts and co-operation between the parties and their organisations of elected members, notably by exchange of publications, organisation of seminars and conferences, on themes appropriate to local authorities.

• To construct a network of elected local and regional socialists in order to develop the exchange of ideas and to defend their interests.

• To encourage co-operation between the socialist parliamentary groups in the European Parliament, in the Committee of the Regions (CoR) and in the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE), as well as in the Committee on Local Authorities of the Socialist International (SI).

Organisation

PES Local is directed by a Bureau. This is composed of two members representing each party or organisation of elected members. The Executive Bureau of PES Local was elected on on 2 December 2021 and meets twice a year on average. The President of PES Local is Christophe ROUILLON, Mayor of Coulaines, Conseiller général of Sarthe, Vice President of the Committee of the Regions.

First Vice-President is Frank MEYER (Germany), Lord Mayor of the city of Krefeld, Vice-President of the Bundes-SGK, President of the SGK North Rhine-Westphalia, member of the policy committee of the German Section of CEMR, member of the board of the euregio rhein-maas-nord.

The Vice Presidents are:
Kata TÜTTŐ (Hungary), Member of the Budapest City Council, Member of the party executive of the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), President of the Committee of the Regions.

Tom JUNGEN (Luxembourg), Mayor of the Municipality of Roeser, Member of the Committee of the Regions;

Susana AMADOR (Portugal), former Member of the Portuguese Parliament, former President of the Municipal Assembly of Loures

The Treasurer is Dr. Günther SIDL (Austria), Member of the European Parliament.

Deputy Secretary General is Peter HAMON, Deputy Director and Secretary for European and International Affairs of the Bundes-SGK, Head of the Secretariat of PES Local.

Former Presidents are Honorary Presidents of PES Local:
Roland SCHÄFER (Germany), former Mayor of Bergkamen, Honorary President of the Association of German Towns and Municipalities; Claudy LEBRETON, former President of the Conseil Général of the Departement Côtes d’Armor (France); Martine BURON, former Mayor of Chateaubriant (France); Herbert SCHMALSTIEG, former Mayor of Hanover (Germany); Bernard POIGNANT, former Mayor of Quimper (France), and Jean-Claude VAN CAUWENBERGHE, former Minister-President of the Governement of Walonie (Belgium).

Mónika LAMPERTH, former Minister (Hungary), Kurt GASSNER, former Mayor of Schwertberg (Austria) and Sir Steve BULLOCK, former Mayor of Lewisham (United Kingdom), are Honorary members of the Bureau.