2010 European Year against poverty: Which Left alternatives for the fight against poverty in the "First World"?

1 March 2010 - This year the European Union will focus its overall political attention to the crucial question of poverty in Europe. The impact of the current economic crisis is creating an accelerated impoverishment of working and middle classes across Europe: unemployed without social benefits, pensioners with falling incomes, working poor young women, homeless migrant workers…and a long list of political constituencies of the Left. What should be the left-wing political principles inspiring practical policies to tackle this issue at the EU level?

Transform!Europe invite you to discuss this on the 1st March 2010 European Day Against Poverty at the Garcia Lorca Center, 47-49 rue des Foulons, Brussels (Tram Station- Anneessens) from 18:30-21:00 followed by free buffet meal and drinks.

Gaby Zimmer - Member of the European Parliament, Group GUE-NGL, Die Linke, Germany.

Francine Mestrum - Lecturer University Libre de Bruxelles, Global Social Justice Network, researcher on development, poverty and globalisation.

Stephen Bouquin - Senior lecturer of Sociology at the University of Amiens, France.

With participation from Walter Baier (Vienna), Michel Rousseau (Euromarches), Elisabeth Gauthier (Paris)