Lin Tabak
Why I’d like to stand
During the past 8 years I have, together with Greens from other parties, pioneered with grassroots’ involvement in European politics, with as main reasons that I believe in shaping your world yourself, from the sub-local level right to the global issues to face, and that cross border action has a plus because of the new horizons it opens. During those years we saw the EGP officials’ attitude towards our project change from indifference to a mixture of curiosity and mistrust and, very recently, wholehearted support. And it saw the umber of parties that are somehow involved; go up from four to over a third of the EGP total. However, most of the work still has to be done. The main institutional hurdles having been taken, I am convinced that the Network now can put all its energy into what should be its core mission: to boost participation of Greens of all ranks, ‘sensibilities’ and specialities, in border crossing, borderless and European political action. I’m looking forward to give my energy to that project, if you allow me to.
What I propose:
•To share my passion with a lot of new people and parties, which I hope to convince, member by member and party by party – together with the rest of the team, by proposing projects that are relevant to what they already do, and by challenging people to add their own proposals.
•If done properly, such tailor made work is impossible to do by just a central pan-European team. And I believe it shouldn’t be. If we want to reach out to locally, regionally and nationally active Greens, we should invest in small sub-networks that are interconnected and profit from each other’s experiences.
•To gradually build a team that is inclusive – welcomes all who want to work with it and makes sure their interests and specialities are fully used; diverse in the broadest sense, turning difference of party cultures temperaments and views into a force; and responsible: without clear commitments the Network cannot deliver. If such a team won’t be ready during Heerlen 8, I commit myself to continuing to search until it is fully operational.
•I aim at involving the EGP, the GGEP, the GEF and parties wherever possible; the network’s aim shouldn’t be to build a parallel structure but to add an extra dimension to what is already being done. This way it can prove that it adds something to the Green movement, instead of taking away precious energy.
Why I think I can do the job
As a journalist specialising in the international dimensions of sustainable development, social housing, education and health care, I have build up a network across borders, and an ability to establish contacts all over the world. And as a journalist, I tend to integrate the preferences of many into a common story, rather than just putting forward my own beliefs.
During my work for the Dutch Green party and the Network, I have got familiar with a wide range of Green parties, and established smaller or bigger networks within Groen!, Écolo, Les Verts, Los Verdes, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, and the Green Party of England and Wales, and contacts in most other member parties of the EGP, which I intend to use to support Network members in parties that are underrepresented.
I am fluent in Dutch, German, English, French, and Spanish, and have a passive knowledge of Portuguese and Swedish
