Some academic circles have pointed out that the European Union and its Member States suffer from a legitimacy deficit closely linked to the current fiscal policies. In a context which was characterised by the major presence of Labour, Socialist and Social Democrat Parties in the Member States' governments, this article draws attention to Une Stratégie pour la Solidarité of the Party of European Socialists (PES). It argues that this strategy is just a nominal one. Three theoretical assumptions are explored to explain this: the relation between the fiscal policies in the EU and the PES; the emergence of three types of conflicts between the member parties; and the absence of an effective 'pusher' strategy.