Last Wednesday (September 29), Social Platform took part in the Euro-demonstration: "NO to austerity", which gathered over a reported 100,000 activists and representatives of civil society organizations and trade unions.

Our delegation called on decision makers to analyze their austerity plans for their social consequences, adopt a Social Pact and prioritize quality employment, among other proposals.

The Brussels march was the central event of a European action day against the austerity plans, which are being introduced by member states as an response to the financial consequences of the economic crisis. Not only do the plans fail to address the social consequences of the crisis, the cuts that they bring come largely from social budgets, targeting those most in need.

Following the demonstration, Social Platform President Conny Reuter told the BBC that with 20 million working poor in the EU, now is the moment for decision makers to choose whether to pursue only growth and stability, or to finally address the problems of quality employment and precarious jobs.