Following a meeting today with the representatives of the Convergencia para el desarrollo social (CPDS), the only opposition party in Equatorial Guinea, the president of the S&D Group, Gianni Pittella, stated:
"With a lack of media freedom and no rights to freedom of expression or demonstration, the political situation in terms of fundamental rights is terrible in Equatorial Guinea. We strongly support the democratic opposition. For the S&D Group the promotion of democracy in Africa is a fundamental priority for our political action.
"The total lack of progress towards democratisation in Equatorial Guinea – where the president's party and its allies apparently win elections with 99% of the votes, opposition representatives are prosecuted and there are no independent media or trade unions – shows a disappointing political picture. The S&D Group is committed to the promotion of democracy and will support political plurality in Equatorial Guinea by backing our sister party the CPDS and by highlighting the situation in Equatorial Guinea in the European Parliament debates".
!["We support opposition to re-establish democracy and rule of law in Equatorial Guinea](/sites/default/files/Pittella-and-Convergencia-para-el-desarrollo-social_large.jpg ""We support opposition to re-establish democracy and rule of law in Equatorial Guinea")
