During the 14th ETUC Congress, Laurent Berger, General Secretary of the French CFDT was elected to the Presidency with 95.9% of the vote. In an interview with Planet Labor on 24 May 2019 as the Congress draws to a close, the newly elected President explains how he perceives his non-executive function as well as outlining the subjects and questions he is looking to prioritize during his two-year mandate.
How do you perceive your role as ETUC President?
Laurent Berger. My role isn’t that of executing. Execution is reserved for the ETUC confederal secretary and to the ETUC staff. That said, I am clearly not here just as a spectator, I am here to clearly provide support. The Congress Action Programme outlines the ETUC’s main demands, but I will also be pushing for further focus on key issues arising for European unionism, such as for instance issues surrounding efficiency and the balance of power.
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