SPANISH prime minister Pedro Sanchez is set to welcome a host of left-wing leaders from across the world this Friday for a summit aimed at pushing back against the rise of the far-right.
The event, known as the Global Progressive Mobilisation, is taking place in Barcelona with around 3,000 participants from political parties, unions, academia and civil society organisations across dozens of countries.
It has been organised to strengthen alliances between fragmented left-wing movements and redefine social democratic policies for what leaders describe as a rapidly changing global political landscape.
The initiative is spearheaded by Sanchez alongside Brazil’s Lula, positioning Spain as a key player in shaping international progressive strategy.
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The summit runs alongside two major political events, including a Spain-Brazil bilateral summit and the fourth Democracy Defense Summit, bringing together representatives from around 20 governments.
Organisers say the goal is to respond to growing support for far-right politics, which has gained traction among working-class voters in both Europe and Latin America.
They argue this shift has been driven by economic pressures, insecurity and dissatisfaction with traditional political systems.
The gathering will focus on issues including defending democracy, regulating technological power, tackling inequality and accelerating the green transition.
More than 100 panels, workshops and meetings are scheduled over the two days, culminating in a final plenary session led by Sanchez and Lula.
The event has drawn participation from at least eight heads of government, alongside dozens of ministers and international political figures.
Barcelona has been chosen deliberately, with regional president Salvador Illa hosting the event as part of efforts to re-establish the city as a hub for major international summits after years of political instability linked to the Catalan independence crisis.
The city’s leadership sees the summit as an opportunity to boost its global political profile and reinforce its position as a centre for progressive politics.
Local officials have also highlighted the absence of expected large-scale protests, in contrast to similar events held in other Spanish cities.
Sanchez has framed the gathering as a response to what he described as increasing global instability and the erosion of democratic norms.
“We do not like what we are seeing in the world with an unabashed use of force and unprecedented scorn causing suffering in many parts of the world and hate speech,” he said.
The summit is intended to be the first in a series of international meetings designed to maintain momentum among progressive movements worldwide.
