The Good Lobby and the European Disability Forum’s joint analysis of the manifestos of European political parties, released today, shows that most political parties pay limited or no attention to disability issues in their manifestos.
The analysis classified the manifestos into three levels:
- Careful integration of persons with disabilities in their manifestos (good): 2 parties
- Some integration of persons with disabilities in their manifestos (average): 4 parties
- No integration of persons with disabilities in their manifestos (bad): 4 parties
Careful Integration
The European Greens manifesto has by far the most mentions of disability issues in line with the European Disability Forum’s manifesto for the European elections. They include a section called “For a Europe that is accessible to all” and commitments to better integration in public participation, de-institutionalisation, equal pay, mental health coverage and reduced fares on transport. They are the only party to have a manifesto in Easy to Read.
The Left puts a strong focus on advancing the Equal Treatment Directive, fighting the digital exclusion of persons with disabilities, and ensuring quality care structures.
Some integration
Four parties have limited measures on disability.
The Party of European Socialists mentions “pushing for the adoption of the” Equal Treatment Directive and for the implementation of the EU Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
European People’s Party mentions disability in terms of implementing the European Disability Card and the European Care Strategy.
The ALDE Party mentions persons with disabilities in the context of digital equality and commits to ensure hate speech against persons with disabilities is added to the list of EU Crimes.
The European Democratic Party commits to the European Disability Card and uses vague language on” ensure equal rights for people with disabilities.”
No integration
The European Christian Political Movement has a section dedicated to disability, focused on inclusion in education, employment and public facilities. However, they strongly oppose the Equal Treatment Directive, which is an important demand of the disability movement.
The manifestos of the European Free Alliance and of the European Conservatives and Reformists’ make no mention to disability.
The Identity and Democracy group does not have a manifesto.
Full analysis
Read the full joint analysis on the website of the Good Lobby.