Progressive International (PI) is a left-wing political international with over 70 member groups, including trade unions, political parties, peasant organisations, and social movements. It has been described as a "worldwide anti-capitalist organization." The organization was founded by the Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 and the Sanders Institute through an inauguration in 2018 before officially launching in May 2020.
Origins
The Progressive International was formally inaugurated in November 2018 via an open call by the Democracy in Europe Movement (DiEM25) and the Sanders Institute and launched in May 2020 for progressive forces to form a unified front. The open call echoed two twinned appeals which were published in 2018 by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and former Greek minister of finance Yanis Varoufakis to form an international movement to combat the rise of authoritarianism represented by U.S. President Donald Trump.”Bernie Sanders and Yanis Varoufakis call on progressives to unite against Trump’s Nationalist International (Calling on progressives worldwide to form an international movement to combat the rise of authoritarianism represented by Donald Trump.)”, 15 September 2018, https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/bernie-sanders-and-yanis-varoufakis-call-on-progressives-to-unite-against-trump-s-nation/#:~:text=openDemocracy%20Facebook-,Bernie%20Sanders%20and%20Yanis%20Varoufakis%20call%20on%20progressives%20to%20unite,pit%20one%20group%20against%20another.%E2%80%9D .
The founding was supported by a council of over 40 advisors including Ece Temelkuran, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Yanis Varoufakis, Carola Rackete, Nick Estes, Vanessa Nakate, Noam Chomsky, Arundhati Roy, Naomi Klein, Niki Ashton, Rafael Correa, Fernando Haddad, Celso Amorim, and Alvaro Garcia Linera.
The International claims to counter what it calls the resurgence of authoritarian nationalism worldwide as well as the rise of disaster capitalism. As its mission, the Progressive International aims to "unite, organize and mobilize the world's progressive forces."
Governance The Progressive International is guided by an advisory Council that sets the organisation's political and strategic direction. The Secretariat, which includes translators, web developers, graphic designers, policy analysts, and community organisers oversees the day-to-day organisational operations, separated into several thematic areas: Movement, Blueprint, Wire, and Observatory.
The Cabinet serves as the main executive organ responsible for development, planning, and staffing decisions. The Cabinet draws its membership from the other two bodies, consisting of eight Council members: Srećko Horvat, Aruna Roy, Pierre Sané, Fatima Diallo, Rachmi Hertanti, Julian Aguon, Renata Ávila and Scott Ludlum, as well as general coordinators David Adler and Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla.
Activities and projects Observatory In October 2020, Progressive International said that it was "particularly concerned about the integrity of the presidential elections in Bolivia" and sent an observer group made up of Members of Parliament from around Europe to observe the election.
On 15 November 2021, the Progressive International launched their global observatory "as attacks on democracy escalate across the world" and "authoritarian leaders are getting organised to capture the courts, criminalise opposition, and rig the rules to hold onto power," said General Coordinator David Adler in a statement.
The founding was endorsed by Noam Chomsky, Rafael Correa, Ertuğrul Kürkçü, Guillaume Long, Celso Amorim, Fernando Haddad, Jeremy Corbyn, Aruna Roy, Aída García-Naranjo and Andrés Arauz according to the Brazilian daily paper Folha de S.Paulo. The same article included a statement from Adler which singled out Narendra Modi in India and Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil as being part of a wider network of authoritarian threats.
Belmarsh Tribunal On 2 October 2020, Progressive International launched the Belmarsh Tribunal to convene groups of legal experts and Julian Assange supporters. In the first year guests included Lula da Silva, Srećko Horvat, M.I.A. and Slavoj Žižek. The hearings claimed that the charges against Assange were an "ongoing attack on press freedom." The tribunal was modeled after the 1966 Russell–Sartre Tribunal, which investigated American involvement in the Vietnam War. In 2022, the third tribunal, which took place at the People's Forum in New York City, coincided with the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Jeremy Corbyn and the Peace & Justice Project participated in the 4th Belmarsh Tribunal in Washington, D.C., in 2023. NumberDateLocationLive-stream recording links published on YouTube12 October 2020RemoteThe Belmarsh Tribunal (2020)222 October 2021LondonThe Belmarsh Tribunal: Free Julian Assange (2021) presented by Novara Media325 February 2022New York CityThe Belmarsh Tribunal (2022) presented by The People's Forum420 January 2023Washington, D.C.The Belmarsh Tribunal D.C. (2023) presented by Democracy Now!54 March 2023SydneyThe Belmarsh Tribunal Sydney (2023)
Hague Group
Positions Blockade of Cuba The Progressive International has been critical of the United States embargo against Cuba. Progressive International is an organizer of the Nuestra América Flotilla, which will attempt to break the US blockade and provide humanitarian aid to Cuba during the 2026 Cuban crisis.
Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 4 March 2022, the Cabinet of the Progressive International issued a statement denouncing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and calling for an "immediate diplomatic solution" and for the dismantlement of NATO. On 9 March 2022, Progressive International organised their first Forum for Peace, in response to the "brutal invasion of Ukraine" and its escalation "toward intercontinental war."
On 13 May 2022 a joint press conference hosted by Jeremy Corbyn, Ece Temelkuran and Yanis Varoufakis on behalf of the Progressive International, DiEM25, and MeRA25, presented the Athens Declaration, which stated: "The war on Ukraine calls for support for victims of war and a new non-aligned movement." The statement demanded an immediate ceasefire and respect for international law, and opposed "military blocs" and what it called "a New Cold War."
Gaza war
The Progressive International has been critical of the Gaza war and characterizes Israel's actions in Gaza as a genocide. In early 2025, it prompted the creation of the Hague Group, an alliance of states with the aim of upholding international humanitarian law; the group hosted an emergency conference in July 2025 to take concrete measures in order to stop the genocide.
China On September 4, 2024, Council members of the Progressive International published a collective statement opposing the "Cold War" against China by the United States.
Iran The Cabinet of the Progressive International denounced Israel's bombing of Iran in June 2026, stating "A war on Iran threatens to have catastrophic consequences for the peoples of the region — and the world."
Members Progressive International is made up of member organizations that are political parties or movements. Member media organizations participate in the wire service.
Political parties CountryParty/OrganizationAbbreviationNational LegislaturesGovernmentIdeologyNotesSolidarity Party of AfghanistanSPASocial democracy, Democratic socialism, SecularismAfter the Fall of Kabul on August 15, 2021, the Taliban took de facto control of Afghanistan and banned all other political opposition parties and groups.Lëvizja Bashkë (The Together Movement)LBSocial democracy, Democratic socialismTSCSocial democracyMember of the Broad Front (Frente Amplio)FADemocratic socialism, Socialism of the 21st centuryEuropean Realistic Disobedience FrontMeRA25Democratic socialism, Syndicalism, Anti-neoliberalismSemilla MovementMSSocial democracy, Anti-corruptionLiberty and RefoundationLibreSocialism of the 21st century, Democratic socialismAffiliated with the Savior Party of Honduras and the Christian Democratic Party of Honduras in the National Congress of Honduras.Communist Party Marxist – KenyaCPMKMarxism–Leninism, Pan-AfricanismLandless People's MovementLPMSocial democracy, Democratic socialism, Land reformIn government in the regions of ǁKharas and Hardap.African Action CongressAACEco-socialism, Pan-AfricanismMembership is part of the Coalition for Revolution (CORE).Haqooq-e-Khalq PartyHKPTrotskyism, CommunismProgressive pro-democracy movement.Green–Left FrontZLFGreen politics, Participatory democracy, CooperativismDirect successor of Don't Let Belgrade Drown.The LeftLevicaDemocratic socialism, Eco-socialism, Anti-imperialismIn coalition with Freedom Movement and Social Democrats.Catalunya en ComúCatComúLeft-wing populism, Green politicsIn coalition with Sumar in the Cortes Generales.FADemocratic socialism, Eco-socialism, MarxismAlliance for Change and TransparencyACT–WazalendoDemocratic socialismSocialist Refoundation PartySYKPMarxism–Leninism, Socialist feminismAffiliated with the Peoples' Democratic Congress.Democracy in Europe Movement 2025DiEM25Democratic socialism, Alter-globalization
Movements CountryParty/OrganizationAbbreviationIdeologyNotesCentral de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores de la ArgentinaCTA-T KichnerismTrade union organizationTrabajadores Unidos por la TierraSelf-managed economy Agricultural cooperativismRural agricultural organizationNational Garment Workers’ FederationNGWFLaborism FeminismTrade union federation of garment workers in BangladeshWiphalas por el Mundo (Wiphalas Across the World)Democratic socialism Revolutionary socialism Anti-imperialismWiphala organizationCentral Única dos TrabalhadoresCUTDemocratic socialism Class struggleMain trade union federation in BrazilFederação Única dos Petroleiros (Federation of Petroleum Workers)FUPLaborism Class strugglePetrol workers unionMovimento dos Trabalhadores Sem-Teto (Movement of Homeless Workers)MTST Right to housingHousing rights organizationCommon FrontiersLaborism InternationalismMulti-sectorial national working groupUkamauHousing rights organizationPeople's CongressLeft-wing nationalism IndigenismoSocial and political movement based in ColombiaUSOOil workers unionInstituto de Desarrollo de la Economía AsociativaIDEACWorkers' self-management Buen vivirNon-profit organizationFederación de Cooperativas de la Reforma Agraria de la Región CentralFECORACENPeasants and Indigenous community organizationLaborismLabor NGOGuatemalan Trade Union, Indigenous and Farmer MovementMSICGDemocratic socialismTrade union centerLuchemosFeminismFeminist organization, associated with LibreAndhra Pradesh Vyvasaya Vruthidarula UnionAPVVUAlter-globalization Anti-marketUnion federation of rural informal workersMazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (Association for the Empowerment of Labourers and Farmers)Participatory democracy Working class interestsNon-profit organization focused on right to information and employmentNational Alliance of People's MovementsNAPMAlter-globalizationAlliance of progressive social movements in IndiaTelangana Gig and Platforms Workers UnionTGPWUWorkers union in TelanganaAksi Ekologi & Emansipasi RakyatAEEREnvironmentalism Economic democracyEnvironmentalist collective of Indonesian researchers and activistsOfficine CivicheParticipatory democracy Eco-socialismSocial justice organization based in Ciampino, ItalyMathare Social Justice CentreParticipatory democracy Peasant interestsCommunity organization in Mathare, NairobiImagined MalaysiaPost-capitalismNon-profit history organizationCollective Movement for the Arts and Culture of MexicoMOCCAMArtivismCollective of arts and culture workersNamibian Domestic and Allied Workers UnionNDAWULaborism