The first two parts of this project are in a different thread, but they are linked below
The state of the left in...
Prologue: the EU-wide Left
...Austria
...Belgium
...Bulgaria
...Croatia
...Cyprus
...the Czech Republic
...Denmark
...Estonia
...Finland
...France
...Germany
...Greece
...Hungary
...Ireland
...Italy
...Latvia
...Lithuania
...Luxembourg
...Malta
...the Netherlands
...Poland
...Portugal
...Romania
...Slovakia
...Slovenia
...Spain
...Sweden
...the United Kingdom
Epilogue: members of the EU-wide left not actually in the EU
Concluding Remarks on the state on the left in the EU
Edited by belgend ()
Before starting the listup, it might be clear that I’m a bit biased towards certain kinds of parties in the European left. I’m a member of the Worker’s Party of Belgium and I’m ok with its ideological line on international politics being between the left-reformism of the EL and the orthodox anti-revisionism of the KKE and INITIATIVE. I will also be hella biased towards other Belgian parties itp
Parti du Travail de Belgique – Partij van de Arbeid van België (PTB-PVDA)
The PVDA started way back in the ‘60s when the left wing of the Flemish nationalist movement split off to form the Studentenvakbond (Student Trade Union) and put forward economic issues instead of the cultural issue of having a Dutch speaking university in the city of Leuven. Discussions with German Marxists got them to Maoism, which resulted in part of the SVB creating the ‘party-in-construction’. That’s a dumb name, so people started calling them after their newspaper AMADA (Alle Macht Aan De Arbeiders/All Power to the Working People), TPO in French. AMADA would become PVDA in 1979 and followed the Maoist line until the fall of the Soviet Union. Anticommunism was answered with writing a book on Stalin, then a majority of the national council suddenly veered to identity politics which almost split the party, but since 2004 the party is headed to become a party that espouses ‘Socialism 2.0’, which is like the Marxism for the 21st Century but for Belgium (and not reformist). Gained their first MPs in 2014, and are now polled to also breakthrough in Flanders and become the second biggest party in French Belgium.
Membership: 10.000 (2016)
MPs: 2 national MPs, 2 regional MPs in Wallonia, 4 regional MPs in Brussels
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: associated member of the GUE
Position on the European Union
“Since the Rome Treaty the market is indeed the heart of the Union. It’s part of its DNA, handmade for capital. (…) The so-called founding fathers of the European Union represented their multinationals. (…) Thirty years after the Rome Treaty the European Round Table of Industrialists started to lobby for a single currency. (…) We must restart the European Union from scratch. (…) This requires the political overthrow and the economic disarmament of the super rich. (…) The movements of resistance all across Europe are the start of a new Europe.”
Original: https://pvda.be/artikels/60-jaar-rome-wat-het-europese-establishment-bekokstooft
Position on the recent polling results (almost most interesting recent text)
“1. Of course, this is only an opinion poll, which has an important margin of error. Recent experiences have shown that polls can be wrong, and seriously at that. There is still a year and a half to before the municipal elections, and two years before the parliamentary elections, so a lot of water will have passed under the bridge by then.
(…)
In a relatively short time, we have continued to build the party rapidly, and that was necessary. However, it would be wrong to rest on our laurels. Social challenges remain huge. The more we grow, the more complex tasks become. We are also facing, in a way, difficulties linked to this growth. This is not abnormal, but it is important to be aware of it.”
Original: http://ptb.be/articles/appeal-peter-mertens-chairman-ptb-pvda-great-challenges-ptb-pvda-transform-good-polls-real (it’s in English!)
Mouvement de Gauche (MG)
Founded in 2012 as a split from the Greens. Almost imploded in 2013 when the founder got suspected of killing his wife (it was eventually ruled a suicide). Are apparently almost set to no longer exist, as they will fuse with fellow ecosocialist party Vega.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
No position of their own, it just says it is co-signator of a position signed by Mélenchon.
On the announcement of the closure of Caterpillar Gosselies (also most interesting text)
“Citizens have the right to demand that the federal authorities use all possible means to regain unpaid taxes, to repay already part of the damage that the closure of the Gosselies site will bring in the entire region. The workers and their representative organisation know for long time now that het ‘Renault Procedure’ is most of the time just a procedure to win some time. (…) NEITHER CLOSURE NOR RESTRUCTURE, REAPPROPRIATE AND CONTROL IN OWN HANDS!”
Mouvement Verts & Gauches (VEGA)
A second split from the Greens in 2013 which has its origins in a Liège-based cooperative. Are practically the same party as MG but without the murder. Will fuse with MG this year.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: observer member of the European Left
Position on the European Union
“The European project, which you name in your political document for this congress, is in an existential crisis. It doesn’t seem to be able to respond to the challenges of our time, whether it is the environmental crisis that threatens human existence, the bad socio-economic crisis that crushes the Member States and their citizens since 2008 or the demographic challenges of migrations. The European instutitions’ only response is to continue the ultraliberal economic policies that are a disaster, destroy public services, increase poverty and inequality for the profit of one social class and the financial sector.”
Position on the closure of Caterpillar Gosselies
See the MG file, it was a joint declaration.
Linkse Socialistische Partij/Parti Socialiste de Lutte (LSP/PSL)
The LSP was founded after a split within Vonk, a leftist faction within the Flemush social democrat part sp.a in 1992. Vonk remained within the sp.a, Militant Links (Militant Left, then the name of the LSP) left the party. They are the Belgian section of the Committee for a Worker’s International. The LSP demands the creation of a new worker’s party left of the social democrats and the greens, and therefore work with ecosocialist and other trotskyist parties (and try to infiltrate the PVDA but that’s another story).
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: CWI
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
No own position, it just translates the position of the CWI
Position on the recent polling numbers of the PVDA
“Bart De Wever (chairman of the Flemish nationalist) is already hoping that a situation where the PS-PTB tandem dominates the Francophone political sphere can cause a breakthrough for seperation. (…) In all regions however, austerity is hitting hard and the support for traditional parties is undermined (…) The necessity of a left alternative is blatant all across Belgium. (…) We need to unite all forces left of the social democracy.”
Socialistische Arbeiderspartij/Ligue Communiste Revolutionnaire (SAP-LCR)
“The history of trotskyism is a history of splitters” -me, rn
The year is 1921, the then still young Communist Party of Belgium (RIP) is struck by internal struggle. The result; a trotskyist faction. Seven years later, this faction breaks away! It is now called the Kommunistische Oppositie, but that split too, and then there was a Linkse Kommunistische Oppositie. The KO was uh, KO. The LKO decides to infiltrate the social democrat BWP. But then they were told to fuck off because they were in favor of ~~a Fourth International~~. Now they were called the Revolutionaire Socialistische Partij. They created an antifascist resistance left of the antifascist resistance in Belgium, because of course.
After the war, we introduce Ernest Mandel, secretary of the Fourth International. “Woah there lads, have you tried infiltrating the social democrats?” They do it again.
*scene of splitting and expulsion missing*
In 1971 the Revolutionaire Arbeidersliga is founded. In 1984 the party got its current name after another split. It is, officially, the Belgian section of the OG Fourth International. Now they’re a bunch of leftists who really like identity politics and are pretty much all big fans of the PVDA (because no one else wanted them).
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: Fourth International (post-reunification)
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
No fundamental position on the EU, mostly positions on aspects of the Union. Most recurring critique: not democratic
Normally I’d put another position here, but most of the SAPs articles on their site look to just be reports of actions other people did. Sad.
Horselord posted:i'd like to thank belgian PVDA for making dutch PVDA look like loser bitches
tbh they do a pretty good job themselves of doing that.
---
The state of the left in… Bulgaria
This one was a bit more difficult seeing as I can’t read Cyrillic but I managed. Thanks tech monopolists for your translations.
Fun fact: there were elections in Bulgaria last Sunday, they were won by the conservatives and the social democrats. And now the conservative PM will probably form a coalition with the United Patriots, including ‘too right-wing for Wilders and Le Pen, I mean they are actual Nazis’ ATAKA
Komunisticeska Partija na Balgarija (KPB)
The official – according to themselves – successor of the Bulgarian Communist Party during the Soviet period, founded in 1996. Since 2001, the KPB has entered elections under the umbrella of the Coalition for Bulgaria led by the social democrats of the Bulgarian Socialist Party.
Membership: 20,000 (2012)
MPs: no
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: /
National affiliation: Coalition for Bulgaria
Position on the European Union
I don’t think their site has actually been updated since 2015, and there’s no analysis on the EU that I can find. Their programme is half saying that communism is rad and cool and win, and the other half is a summary of What Is To Be Done.
The latest edition of their magazine on the site
I can’t actually read any of this, but their site is so awful I couldn’t find the news section if I tried so here’s a flash player for their very inviting magazine
http://comparty-bg.org/bg/2011-05-26-20-15-39/rab-vestnik/book/97-10-dec-2015/24-2015.html
Balgarskata lewiza (BL)
A 2009 split from the Bulgarian Socialist Party, they are a left-reformist, democratic socialist party. Have a strong bond with the German party Die Linke. Hate NATO, but also the Russians.
Membership: 6,000 (2012)
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: European Left
Position on the European Union
I didn’t find a position on the EU on their site, sadly. They did support the Greek struggle against the European negotiations in 2015.
Who can change this? A pamphlet for the 2017 elections
“There is money, but they are not for people but for banks who suck the population dry like ticks. They gain millions from fees while SMEs squirm without funding. But the whole "political elite" is funded by them and naturally the “CCB” affair was hidden by a law passed by GERB, BSP, reformers, and other patriots … (…) The examples are endless, but one thing is clear – the social and economic practices imposed in our country are immoral and have failed! The question is - who can change this? We can! because we want it! ”
Original: http://www.levicata.org/bg/news/view/127/koj_moje_da_promeni_tova/
Sayuz na Komunistite v Balgarija (CKB)
CKB was founded in 1995 and considers itself ‘the political and conceptual heir’ of the Bulgarian Communist Party. Has joined their KPB brothers in the Coalition for Bulgaria in 2014, but left the coalition in 2017. On their site they also mention something called the Che Guevara Movement but I don't know if this is a faction within the CKB or just their name on social media
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: INITIATIVE
Position on the European Union
They don’t seem to have their own position on the EU, but follow the position of the INITIATIVE that the EU is an imperialist machine that must be abolished completely, they call for a Bulgxit (Bulxit? Buxit? Bulgexit?).
Why the communists leave the Coalition for Bulgaria
“Kornelia Ninova lied at the 49th Congress of BSP that the adopted congressional election program of the BSP was drafted, discussed and adopted by the Coalition "Left-BSP Bulgaria". It is abundantly clear that Kornelia Ninova has no intention to implement socialist ideas but prefers to fight, seemingly with GERD (because of the desire of this establishment BSP for "power for its own sake"), but not to liquidate the capitalist social system, which is completely contrary to the essence of the founders of the Party of Blagoevgrad (the Bulgarian Communist Party), of which BSP allegedly stems. (…) It is therefore correct that the new Coalition of Mrs. Ninova remains obedient and only tied to corporate interests. (…) With great pleasure and satisfaction we leave the coalition, moreover, we say that "Left Bulgaria" was virtually eradicated in the 49th Congress.”
Original: https://komunistibg.wordpress.com/2017/02/08/1-322/
There’s apparently also some party that really likes the DPRK but there’s no trace of them apart from a wiki page, so they might be just a CIA myth~
Edited by belgend ()
Hrvatski laburisti – Stranka rada (Laburisti)
The Laburisti is a political party founded in 2010 by Dragutin Lesar, a former trade union secretary during the Soviet period and later the vice-president of the liberal HNS. He left that party after disagreements with the president. They say they’re democratic socialist, but they might be social democrats in disguise.
Membership: 9,502 (2013)
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“The Croatian Labor Party believes that the European Union is currently moving in completely the wrong direction, in which the European political class and European bureaucracy clam high incomes, are smug and self-sufficient and completely alienated from the interests of the majority of European citizens. The political system of the European Union mainly serves the interests of big business, banking groups and large multinational corporations. Such long-term community has no future and can not survive. Therefore, the Croatian Labor Party advocate a radical change in direction and creation of the European Union which will be the core values of social justice and solidarity, for all citizens.”
Original: http://www.laburisti.com/modules/mastop_publish/?tac=444
On the Minister of the Interior letting Croatian fascists beating the shit out of Serbian Croats
“After the latest intolerable security vulnerabilities during the match in Split, as well as the failure of the police to ensure a safe passage for fans who have cars headed towards Rijeka, Croatian Labor Party - Labor Party seek to minister Blaise Orepić step down from office. (…) These unfortunate events are just the latest in a series of failures Minister Orepić. Recall recently, when the Ministry of the Interior approved the march organized by the right-wing A-HSP in the city center, followed by the Blackshirts lined up in the main square in Zagreb with the greeting: "Za dom spremni". It was a march to the US Embassy that was immediately condemned, and only after that arrived lukewarm response of the Government and by the president. (…) Minister Orepić must decide: either keep order in the country and uphold the laws and provisions of the Croatian Constitution or step down”
Original: http://www.laburisti.com/modules/news/article.php%3Fstoryid%3D3238
Socijalistička radnička partija Hrvatske (SRP)
The SRP was founded in 1997 by the editorial board of the leftist Croatian journal Hvratska ljevica (Croatian Left) and its editor Stipe Suvar, a former member of the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. It was meant to be a gathering place of all non-social democratic leftist parties in Croatia, but throughout the years all but one have split off. Only the trotskyist Radnicka Borba (Fourth International post-reunification fyi) remains as a faction within the party. Think the Croatian War of Independence was a civil war rather than a liberation war like other Croatian parties do. Like Yugoslavia.
Membership: 3,500
MPs: no
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: INITIATIVE and EACL
Position on the European Union
Does not really have a profound analysis of the EU, from their texts it does seem to think that the EU is nothing more than the economic arm of NATO and a partner to the US. They’re also really mad at the IMF and the World Bank.
Position on the NATO invasion of Yugoslavia
“The aggression by the so-called. international community, and create a group of rich nations led by the US and NATO, carried out in spring 1999 on the FRY, was in essence an integral part of the struggle for space, which started after the tectonic sociopolitical processes 90s last century and whose goal was penetration of big business in the East and conquer new territory. Since the aggression 18 years have passed, but the consequences are still present, primarily those of health as a result of permanently contaminated soil from the use of radioactive ammunition. But the very process of enslavement is still going on. He is finalized, this time not by military means, in order to humiliate and drawn into the circle of interest of their oppressors - the EU and NATO.”
Original: http://www.srp.hr/18-godisnjica-nato-agresije-na-sr-jugoslaviju/
Crvena akcija (CA)
I think these guys might be the first Maoist group we’ve met so far. If you want to mail them you have to use their PGP key so you know they’re legit. Want to create socialism in one region in the Balkans. They’re big fans of the FARC, the PFLP and the DFLP, the PKK and the Naxalites. Do guerrilla actions against NATO buildings and also hate the EU. They have links to ICOR parties on their site.
Membership: 157 (unverified???)
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
Think the EU is an imperialist machine. Struggles against the privatisations the EU demands of its Member States. Socialism in the Balkans will happen as sovereign nations, without the hold of the EU.
Position on the participation of Croatia in the Syrian Civil War
“Now it is officially published what was previously known: Croatia for five years participated in the war in Syria by arming one of the parties. In this work Croatia reportedly earned millions of dollars. But neither Croatia, nor its inhabitants earned anything of this trade. They made stockbrokers rich at the misfortune of others. And that's not the worst. Because our guns did not go to just anyone. It went to Wahhabi groups supported by Saudi Arabia, to the butchers, to the persecutors of Christians and other minorities in the Middle East. At the same time, a variety of secret and public services repeatedly harassed our organization under false charges of "contacts with terrorists." But why? Because we are together with the democrats and revolutionaries in Israel and Palestine and speak out against segregation and Israeli state violence. Because we stood in defense of those who fight against Erdogan and his genocide against the Kurds. Because we in Syria supported the very forces - the Kurdish units - which are the most effective fight against terrorist butchers the Croatian government (both left and right) armed. They are striving for freedom, for equality and justice called terrorism, and various butchers and murderers of entire nations call their partners. If the Croatian authorities and their gendarmes want to fight terrorism their best act would be to disband. Beause our freedom-and their terrorism really have nothing in common. ”
Original: http://www.crvena-akcija.org/linija-★-21-teroristi-poskupljenje-podravka-francuska/
Radnicka fronta (RF)
The newest kid on the left block, formed in 2014 by a bunch of partyless workers and students. Croatian media call them Croatia’s answer to SYRIZA and PODEMOS. Were pronounced dead in 2015, but it turns out it was just a dissident faction that had access to their site that spread the news. That sounds cool and good and not at all a long-term problem. Think the Anticapitalist Cookbook is required reading.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
Not a very profound position, but their view on Europe is a Europe of solidarity where the EU does not play a role in, as it is a tool of capital.
On the militarization of education
“In addition to the commercialization and clericalization, militarization of the education system, no doubt, is another evil directed by neoliberal peripheral regime installed in the ‘90s in Croatia. These days 'militarization' knocked on the door of some of Zagreb's secondary schools. Anyone who thought that the militarization of, for example, the German Nazi-type thing of the past, think is wrong. However, they don’t establish some new 'Hitler Youth' organization or 'SS' units but not that it is excluded when it comes to domestic military and political reactionary circles imbued with the ideology Tudjmanism and under the dominant influence of the imperialist NATO. Anything is possible, history is it more than once proved and, therefore, never be too careful but also social awareness and for the necessary resistance. This is especially true for young people because, as the saying goes, "the young are the leaders of tomorrow” (…) With this project, as specified in the notice seeks to get as many young people get into the army, and to train today, it is more than clear to be used as 'cannon fodder' in new regional or world-wide armed conflict under the auspices of NATO.”
Original: https://radnickafronta.hr/rf-novine/369-militarizacija-mladezi-vojska-u-lovu-na-srednjoskolce
I wanted to add two more parties here but one of them looked to be a weird cryptofascist thing and the other one only existed on Wikipedia. Oh well
Note: this post only tackles the political parties working in Cyprus, I will be talking about the Northern Cypriotic Yeni Kibris Partisi when we get to the end, as I’ll probably be doing a ‘parties part of the EU-wide left from countries not actually in the EU’ post.
Anorthotiko Komma Ergazomenou Laou (AKEL)
Formerly the Communist Party of Cyprus and a clandestine organisation during British rule, AKEL was one of the most important actors in the national liberation from the British, the antifascist resistance during WWII and against both EOKA and TMT, the nationalists who would finally split Cyprus into two. AKEL has no members in Northern Cyprus as the TMT banned membership of ‘Greek-Cypriot’ parties for Northern Cypriots. AKEL was in government until 2013, as the financial crisis and failures to find an internal solution for the partition of Cyprus were blamed solely on the AKEL government. Their short-term solution for the Cyprus problem is a reform to a federal Cypriotic state, where Greek and Turkish Cypriots can keep their autonomy.
Membership: unknown
MPs: 16 national, 2 MEPs
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: independent within the GUE (observer member of European Left)
Position on the European Union
“Sixty years onwards, it is evident that the declarations and promises of the EU’s founders have not only not been confirmed, but are being refuted daily. Instead of “prosperity”, the peoples of Europe are counting the number of unemployed, homeless people and the poor in their millions, at the same time as billions are being channelled for the bailing out of the banks. Instead of “peace”, the European Union is being militarized continuously, turned into a twin brother of NATO, engaging in arms sales with the Middle East in armed conflict and declaring a “change in investments” directed towards the arms industry. The EU is carrying out military missions throughout the whole world, creating an EU military command and is involved in military aggressions and interventions. The EU’s hands are stained with the blood of Yugoslavia, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, whilst it has colluded for the resurgence of fascism in Ukraine. (…) This stark reality didn’t emerge out of nowhere. It is the result of the very capitalist nature of the EU itself and the neo-liberal policies that are dominant for decades now.”
Original: https://www.akel.org.cy/en/2017/03/27/60-years-of-the-eu-its-declarations-have-been-dispelled/#.WNyxH6KkLIU
Position on DISYs proposal to remove the vote on Enosis (the accession of Cyprus to Greece) as a national holiday
“AK: I want to clarify from the outset that the only reason that we back DISY’s draft proposal is to remove every possible argument from the Turkish side so that the negotiation procedure will continue in order to find a solution to the Cyprus problem. At the same time however, AKEL maintains its opposition to powers being transferred from one elected body to an appointed person, let alone when this refers to a person (Note: the Education Minister) which under specific governments still needs the approval of the Church to be appointed. Unfortunately, however, the House’s handling has provoked the problem and obliges us to make these moves. (…) It is political schizophrenia to honour the policy of Enosis, at the same time as the Greek Cypriot side wants to convince the Turkish Cypriots that our future is common. The idea of Enosis as far as we are concerned is buried since 1960, with the declaration of Cyprus independence. Certain circles and forces remained fixed on the idea of Enosis and provoked through their actions a terrible disaster, preparing the coup d’état, which in turn subsequently brought the Turkish invasion and the occupation of our territories by the Turkey which is still continuing.”
Original: https://www.akel.org.cy/en/2017/03/29/theres-no-room-for-pre-election-considerations-on-the-cyprus-problem/#.WNyyhaKkLIU
Nea Diethnistike Aristera (NEDA)
The Cypriot section of the Committee for a Worker’s International. Their proposed solution to the Cyprus problem is the demilitarisation and immediate re-unification of Cyprus and of Nicosia (in itself also a divided city). This also means creating militias of both Greek and Turkish Cypriots and also unifying all trade unions and parties.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: CWI
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
No own position, it translates positions from sister parties of the CWI
On the sentencing of Attorney General Rikkou Erotokritos
“Since the onset of the crisis so far we have seen a series of scandals to surface. Of these only a small part investigated and reached the court, characterized by the condemnation of the opposition. Bear in mind the case of Dromolaxia and the Paphos municipality where executives from AKEL and DIKO were sentenced. The main objective of these court cases was to create the impression that the AKEL and DIKO are to blame for the crisis. In the case of the former mayor of Larnaca, who has relations with the current government, it was "innocent until proven otherwise" and the ongoings hidden and kept away from the public. (…) Mr. Erotokritos had friendly relations with the TMP from the time when both were active in the area of the extreme right. Also Mr. Erotokritos was the lawyer who regisered the ELAM (Golden Dawn Cyprus) as a political party. As deputy chairman of the European Party he supported Nikos Anastasiadis in 2013 for something and seems to have gotten the post of Attorney General in return.”
Original: https://nedacy.wordpress.com/2017/03/17/katadiki-rikkou-erwtokritou-to-psari-vrwmaei-apo-tin-kefali/
There’d be two other parties here but they both only exist on Wikipedia. A tiny country with a small left, that Cyprus.
You ever had a moment when all practices and rules you knew suddenly turned out to not fucking matter anymore? I thought I had a good view on what political programme I could expect when I read the name of the party. But no, the social democrats in the Czech Republic call themselves National Socialist unironically and the Worker’s Party for Social Justice is a fucking fascist party.
It’s insane
Komunisticka strana Cech e Moravy (KSCM)
Founded in 1989 and the Czech successor of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. They were in a federation with the Slovakian Party of the Democratic Left, until that party became a social democratic party in 1992. The first years of the party’s history were marked with a battle between a left-reformist wing headed by president Svoboda who wanted to turn the party into a democratic socialist party, and an ML wing under Svoboda’s eventual successor Grebrenicek. An orthodox antirevisionist faction was ousted from the party during the same congress, as tendency right was removed. They get fucked over by the Czech state a lot, their youth wing was banned between 2006 & 2010, and there’s a majority in the Senate that thinks the KSCM should be forced to disband.
Membership: 42,994 (2016)
MPs: 33 deputies, 1 senator, 3 MEPs
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: independent within the GUE (observer member of the European Left)
Position on the European Union
Nothing on the EU since December 2016 at least, apart from an article where they say the Czech Republic doesn’t need to take in refugees because they’re NATOs refugees or something and the Czechs were always neutral? (and also because of those damn Ukrainians we got already)
Statement by Chairman Filip Vojtech for the Central Committee
“I did not and do not want to go back to the past. On the contrary, our goal is to go forward, and forward it to socialism of the 21st century. In order not to doubt what I think reiterate our goal. For us, socialism is a democratic society of free, equal citizens, society politically and economically pluralist, taking care to preserve and improve the environment, providing people a decent life and promoting peace and security (…) Most of our political opponents and rivals begin with the fact that in 1989 there was a devastated state. I do not want to discuss the realities. Critics forget that the state was free of debt that all industrial and agricultural production, as well as scientific research to serve the growth of personal and social consumption in Czechoslovakia, we had developed a comparable education and health, that a large number of countries around the world were envious of us. And compared with the present time we really were as citizens owners of the means of production.”
Strana demokratickeho socialismu (SDS)
Founded in 1997 as the fusion of two splits from the left-reformist wing of the KSCM, but they still work together with the KSCM like in the 2014 elections. The SDS is a founding party of the European Left. Hate social democrats because they are for democracy without socialism, hate communits because they are for socialism without democracy. Think private ownership can also be social ownership.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: European Left
Position on the European Union
“We support the involvement of the Czech Republic into the European Union, which we understand not only as an instrument of European integration and a way to give Europe a louder voice in the world, but especially as a step towards the gradual removal of regional and social disparities. To fulfill this mission, the EU needs further to further strengthen the solidarity within the Union, but also its openness to the outside world and an honest effort to cooperate with the world. An important role here is the strengthening of democratic and self-governing mechanisms of decision-making within the EU, which we consider one of the main tasks of the near future. We are convinced that the Czech national interests best served by honest endeavor of our policy in this direction, precise and equitable delimitation and distribution of self-government and delegated powers at the level of municipalities, regions, nation states and the EU as a whole. The expression of this principle is the use of the referendum as a tool for decision on joining the EU.”
What is the left? By the SDS
Ranking highest values of the left is about as follows:
First environmental preservation of the environment (we have a playground in which we live and play our political games);
2nd Peace (war ends democracy, ideological disputes are replaced by the struggle to survive, innocents die);
3. Justice, which is of course subject to truth, objectivity and responsibility (for the assessment of fairness it should be, if possible, a true integral knowledge, have the ability to objectively assess, on that basis, then you can formulate and construct bilateral and multilateral ties, feedback (conditions for) equality, equality, the relationship between inputs and outcomes, costs and revenues.
4. Solidarity and partnership, not hostile relationship to others. It is the solidarity with the weak, especially in cases of impaired health, but also weaker socially, intellectually. And not to wrongdoers, exploiters, etc. fraudsters."
Original: http://www.sds.cz/view.php?cisloclanku=2017030901
Socialisticka Solidarita
Czech section of the International Socialist Tendency. Supposedly founded in 1990 by a punk band who had talks with the Socialist Workers Party in the UK. Had a split in 1998. If you go to their site they give you a weird RPG-esque scorecard where they score 100% on anticapitalism, climate justice, the emancipation of the workers and against all forms of oppression. Don’t ask them why they haven’t done anything yet.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: IST
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“The European Union (EU) fails to address a number of substantive issues. As examples, consider refugee humanitarian crisis, undemocratic institutions of the EU and the situation in Ukraine. What is now happening in Europe, could be summed up Marxist classics and the Italian revolutionary Antonia Gramsci, the crisis consists precisely of the fact that the old is dying and the new is still not born; in the meantime, hideous creatures roam. Do we in Europe really only have the choice between returning to a shell of the nation state, or unconditional obedience to unelected bureaucrats? (…) Europe must be social again, solidarity and egalitarian. Democracy must regain its popular dimension and that can only be brought by the radical left, whether it be in the form DiEM25, Plan B, or something else. “
Original: http://solidarita.socsol.cz/2016/zahranicni/varufakisovo-diem25-jako-zachrana-pro-eu
Position on the social democracy in the Czech Republic
“The congress of the Social Democrats in Brno continued to run in the party line and did not bring a big surprise. Again, however, he showed the inability of the parties to respond to the problems of the contemporary world. The congress was a parade of left-wing conservative ideology, which shows how the party was trying to face the decline of their results and which part of the voters in they will target in the upcoming elections. (…) What solutions for the Social Democrats appears to it to regain more support citizens? Leaving the leftist conservative attitudes in the current situation does not look real. One of the first steps would be to find authentically leftist presidential candidate, who will have a chance to beat Miloše Zeman (…) To paraphrase password Varoufakisova DIEM25 movement, social democracy will be humanistic or won’t be.”
Original: http://solidarita.socsol.cz/2017/domaci/co-ma-delat-socialni-demokracie
I put a secret in this one, did you find it??
Socialistisk Folkeparti (SF)
A democratic socialist split from the DKP in 1959 after founder Aksel Larsen criticized the Soviet intervention in Hungary in 1956. Supported the social democratic cabinet between 1966 and 1967, until the VS split from them. Campaigned against the Single European Act and against the succeeding European Treaties until they campaigned to vote yes on the European Constitution of 2006. Were part of the Thorning-Schmidt cabinet. The party’s ideological goal is popular socialism, a Nordic brand of socialist thought that’s “both green and left” and was created by Aksel Larsen. The end goal for Denmark is a democratic socialist state. Have shifted between the Greens and the GUE several times on a European level.
Membership: 17,833 (2010)
MPs: 7 national, 10 regional, 1 MEP
International affiliation: Global Greens
European affiliation: NGLA within the European Green Party
Position on the European Union
“We need more than ever a European Union that is in charge of sustainable growth and development. A Europe that fights poverty, works for a joint effort against climate change, ensures decent working conditions for working people and combat international crime. (…) SF thinks that Denmark is central to European cooperation. (…) Euroscepticism reflects how the bourgeois-dominated Europe has let the weakest suffer the crisis without investing in growth and sustainable energy development. (…) That is precisely why SF works with the Green Left to lead Europe in a more democratic, sustainable and socially just way.”
Original: http://sf.dk/det-vil-vi/danmark-i-verden/eu
Their site seems to be pretty much just a promotional thing? I don’t see anywhere where they have a news section to actually know their position on more recent things.
Enhedslisten – De Rød-Grønne (Ø)
The Enhedslisten started off in 1989 as an electoral alliance between the DKP, the trotskyist SAP, and the left-reformist VS. The DKP and the SAP still exist and have their own organisational structures (see later this post). In the first years, the main goal was to unite all progressive parties in Denmark. However, the Greens and the humanists refused to join, and SF thought the project was bound to fail from the start. The ideological goal of the party is socialism, however right now they mainly try to protect the working class from attacks on their rights from the government. Actively campaigns for a withdrawal out of NATO and the EU. They never competed in an election for the EP, but will in 2019. Supported the Thorning-Schmidt cabinet, but was not part of it.
Membership: 9,483 (2013)
MPs: 14 national, 15 regional, support the MEP of the People’s Movement Against the EU
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: European Left and EACL
Position on the European Union
“Enhedslisten wants an international cooperation that takes people and the environment into account. The EU is too often guided by economic growth. (…) The EU prioritizes the market over health, environment and welfare, contrary to the Enhedslisten. Therefore we work for a break with the EU’s internal market and demand the right for each EU country to adopt better standards than the EU. (…) We will do away with multinationals’ exploitation of the third world and the rulers and the EU who support them.”
Original: http://enhedslisten.dk/politikomraade/eu
Position on the report of workers’ health and safety in Denmark
“The Minister recognizes that safety and health measures in key areas going the wrong way. The number of employed people with significant mental stress increases and the percentage of employees with significant musculoskeletal injuries increases. Figures from the ministry show that accidents in construction has increased from 4,539 (2011) to 5117 (2016). As a solution to the problem, the Minister set up an expert committee to rethink safety and health measures. It is a scandal, says Enhedslistens working environment spokesman, Christian Juhl. (…) I look forward to the debate in the parliament hall in the morning and expect that the Minister have any other suggestions than putting problems in a pickle jar. My requirements will be immediately getting into a plan of action and activate the 1.25 billion crowns, which is stored in Prevention Fund to realize it. "
Original: http://enhedslisten.dk/2017/03/30/el-efter-alarmerende-arbejdsmiljoetal-regeringens-indsats-er-en-skandale
Danmarks Kommunistiske Parti (DKP)
The DKP started as the Left-Socialist Party of Denmark in 1918, when the leftist factions of the Social Democrats split off after several discussions about working with the Radical Liberal Party. They’d get their current name in 1920 after joining the Comintern. The years after were filled with splits (at one point there were two DKPs) and reunifications, at one point being so bad that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union intervened directly. From 1929 until the invasion of Nazi Germany the DKP followed the Soviet line, however there was already a revisionist faction in the party. After WWII when the DKP was no longer clandestine, Aksel Larsen and the revisionist faction were ousted (this ended up to become SF) and the DKP followed the Soviet line until 1989. After 1989 the DKP mainly works within the Enhedslisten, but it still has its own organisational structure, its newspaper and its own international contacts. The DKP actively campaigns against the EU.
Membership: 300 (2009)
MPs: represented through the Enhedslisten
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: /
National affiliation: Enhedslisten
Position on the European Union (also most recent position piece)
“USA sees the EU as an enemy, a threat to US world domination. It was predictable; for it has long been a basic (and quite official) doctrine in US foreign policy that no other power can be allowed to grow into a threat to US world domination. That the EU is "an instrument of Germany" is certainly true. It was German finance capital with a need to expand who called on Hitlers Nazis. When the attempt to unite Europe under the German capital's leadership by military means ended in the disastrous defeat, it had another path available; the need was still there. The new answers were Coal and Steel Union, the Community and later the European Union: Other means, the same goal. (…) And while - ironically, one might say, but also logically enough - the EU is beginning to disintegrate. It becomes clearer and clearer that finance capital Europe is not and never will be the peoples' Europe. Why do people rebel against it, it turned out to be a prison and not the promised freedom. We got Brexit, and more to come. ”
Original: https://dkp.dk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Debatpanel5-Hedin.pdf
Socialistisk Arbeijderparti (SAP)
Danish section of the reunified Fourth International and co-founder of the Enhedslisten. Still has its own organisational structures and propaganda channels next to the Enhedslisten. Founded in 1980 as the successor of the Revolutionary Socialists’ League.
Membership: unknown
MPs: represented through Enhedslisten
International affiliation: Fourth International (re-unification)
European affiliation: /
National affiliation: Enhedslisten
Position on the European Union
“The majority for Britain leaving the EU was an expression of class revolt against the EU of the upper class. This provides a good starting point for the Left to become the head of a rebellion against the EU, which has been the hub of social dumping, erosion of tax-financed welfare schemes and democratic influence, suppressing all attempts to depart from neoliberal policies and total failure to respond to the climate crisis. If the Left doesn’t manage to take the lead in this fight - on an anti-racist and internationalist basis - it will be more or less racist forces of the extreme Right that will profit. (…) The Left in Europe must assert its natural place as those who take the lead in fighting and confronting the capitalist and neoliberalist steamroller named EU.”
Original: http://www.sap-fi.dk/side.php?id=1667
Position on the collective bargaining agreement
“Friday issued Conciliator overall draft settlement proposal, accepted by both LO and DA. Monday morning is expected the technical review to be in place and the overall vote on the majority of private agreements under the LO / DA, valid for approximately 500,000 Danish employees can begin. 42-hour work weeks, lack of redistribution and no effective action against social dumping is a direct cause of recommending a no. (…) It has meant that trade unions and employers now have opened the floodgates for the payment of their huge resources in various training and competence funds to cover the employers' training of employees. This means that the training that employers would otherwise have to pay for, now will be covered by the funds that trade unions have fought for over the last several years by demanding increased employer contributions to the self-selected training. (…) Unity must take the lead in this agitation, and Enhedslistens members and departments must throw himself wholeheartedly into the work, not only alone and departments, but together with colleagues and professional organizations og. The main task right now is to organize for an answer in her job and in her union, then in wider no-initiatives. “
Original: http://www.sap-fi.dk/side.php?id=1793
Kommunistisk Parti i Danmark (KPiD)
The KPiD was founded in 1990 by the factions in the DKP who were opposed to creating the Enhedslisten. They campagin actively for the exit of Denmark out of the EU and are told to be more orthodox than the DKP.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“This is not a congratulatory telegram to the working class in Fort EU - it is a struggle statement against everything the EU stands for To celebrate the start of a "common" Europe the EU Member State leaders gathered in Rome. Their gathering began with the Pope in the Vatican. Vatican ensured that many of the Nazi war criminals to flee and avoid punishment after putting Europe in ruins and killed millions of people during World War II. But it does not prevent EU leaders in the observance of the Treaty of Rome genesis. In the EU there are over 30 million poor people, and only one in ten over 21 years who have work. But they must be described as "working poor" and must stand in line at the Salvation Army soup kitchens with the promise of "rose in the sky when you die". People find that their social security benefits will be removed, and others that the retirement age has been raised, as there is still profit in them. Fishermen feel that there is more money to scrap their fishing boats than catching fish. The workers who have tried to working conditions and a wage they can live on, have been stripped of their rights (Lex Laval). It is the reality of working in the EU, where the possibility of profit has first priority over the protection of nature and people. With the necessary political will trade capital courts get to decide over national legislation. There is no future for "United States of Europe", working in the service of capital. There is only one way: OUT OF EU!!!”
Original: http://kommunisterne.dk/2017/03/27/ud-af-eu/
Position on the collective bargaining agreement
“There has been an agreement in the industrial field. After tough nocturnal negotiations in which workers' representatives were tired first, they reached on a collective bargaining proposal. After we experienced the big corporate profits and stock prices in the top, the members had expected to get a larger slice of the "cake". We therefore do not understand that CO industry with Claus Jensen from the Danish Metal and Mads Andersen from 3F industry group believe they have made a good deal. (…) The small adjustments of "minimum wage" and the different rates for overtime and allowances of having to work when it suits the companies, does not correspond to the profits that companies have harvested. We will not settle for crumbs to the thin tea! It is time that those who create the profit, receives them. Therefore - Vote no to the agreement proposal.”
Original: http://kommunisterne.dk/2017/02/13/ok-17/
Kommunistisk Parti (KP)
The KP was founded in 2006 as a fusion of the Hoxhaist DKP/ML and Communist Unification. They still publish Arbejderen, the newspaper of the DKP/ML. Contested the 2013 elections alongside KPiD.
Membership: unknown (Communist Unifcation said to have 86 members when the fusion happened)
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“The Denmark we want is a free, autonomous and independent country that has left the EU (…) Today there are three main imperialist centers consisting of the US, EU and Japan (…) It is concrete Denmark's membership of the EU, which has paved the way for this "globalization" of the Danish economy and business. It is secured by EU Treaty provisions on free access for the establishment of free movement of goods and services, and free import and export of labor, also known as freedom of movement. The effects of the Danish working class is the brutalization of the work process with inflated pace of work, physical and mental impairment and lending problems, closures, relocation of production abroad, privatization of public services and driving down wages. EU priority of the interests of monopoly interests have large negative effects on the environment”
Original: http://www.kommunister.dk/politik/principprogram
Position on the collective bargaining agreement
“The Technical Committee of the Communist Party encourages to vote NO to the collective bargaining agreement as a conciliator has submitted a ballot of the affected union members. (…) There is no logic in increasing the working time when the government constantly increases the retirement age. And while we must work hard more and further undermine wages and working conditions of the massive social dumping imposed by the EU. A NO majority requires the mobilization of the local trade unions and among union representatives and professional active in the workplace. VOTE NO”
Original: http://www.kommunister.dk/nyheder/stem-nej-til-ok-2017
Internationale Socialister (IS)
A 1984 trotskyist split of VS and the Danish section of the International Socialist Tendency. Joined ATTAC when it was founded, but left several years after. Joined Enhedslisten in 2006, but left in 2015.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: IST
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
I haven’t found it, but I did find that they apparently have a bunch of articles that detail the class structure of Stalinist regimes. Which is cool and good if you’re into coopting leftist students.
Position on the collective bargaining agreement
“The result of collective bargaining has always been a test of power between employers and workers. The past several years we have seen mildly scraped agreements - which have been sold on crisis talk. (...) The struggle for solidarity protection against social dumping and to raise the minimum wage is the most important fight to improve conditions for workers - and not just in the sectors concerned. It is not a struggle as the construction and transport sectors can win alone. It is a battle that must be backed up and severally on from many sides. Vote NO to OK17 and start the fight for a larger share of corporate profits.”
Arbejderpartiet Kommunisterne (APK)
The successor of the Party-Building Communist Organisation Oktober, a 1997 Hoxhaist split from the DKP/ML. They got their current name in 2000. They’re the first openly Hoxhaist party in this thread, which is pretty neat.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: ICMLPO (Unity & Struggle)
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“When the Cold War broke out in the late 1940s, the United States decided on common ground between its Western European allies. NATO was founded in 1949; without West Germany. But the US also wanted a military re-equipped strong West Germany. It could arouse any concern in neighboring countries. However, in May 1950 the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman took the bull by the horns and proposed the creation of a "coal and steel community" between mainly France and West Germany (but open to others) where their respective heavy industrial resources underlagdes a common "high authority" - beyond democratic control - and exploited jointly. Thus one could definitively eliminate the risk of countries rearmed separately and could correct their weapons against each other. (…) And what was the EU's response? Maastricht Treaty which in all areas resulted in increased centralization and integration in depth, and folded the basis for the single currency, common justice and the common foreign and defense policy. And since it's just gotten worse with every new treaty - with increased centralization, militarization and removing what is the welfare schemes in member countries. The toasts will be quickly forgotten. But the fight against the EU will continue.”
Original: http://kpnet.dk/udafeu/jesper/er-det-et-fredens-projekt-der-fylder-60-aar-i-dag
Position on the increased defense spending by Trump and Lokke Rasmussen
“Lars Løkke Rasmussen breathed a sigh of relief after the visit to Trump. The president continues the US market for armament and war - and Denmark's friendship with imperialism first man can be maintained. On behalf of Denmark Lokke is ready for Trumps new wars. It is high time to speak out! (…) The Danish Prime Minister has assured the US president that Denmark is all the way - no matter what. Denmark will be a reliable partner to war and destruction. And Denmark can become not only a target for terror, but a bombing target. (…) A broad alliance of peace forces must be built in Denmark. Both in order to stop the insane buildup that means social cuts and increased poverty, and aimed at Danish withdrawal from the history of the world most dangerous war alliance.
Original: http://kpnet.dk/2017/03/31/trump-og-loekke-lader-militaerudgifterne-eksplodere-det-er-paa-tide-at-sige-stop/
Eestimaa Ühendatud Vasakpartei (EÜVP)
The 2008 conclusion of a merger of the democratic socialist Estionian Left Party (the successor of the Communist Party of Estonia) and the Constitution Party, a party that mainly focuses on the Russian minority of Estonia (24% of the population, Estonia says it’s a puppet party for Putin). Founding member of the European Left.
Membership: 2,012 (2014)
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: European Left
Position on the European Union
Haven’t seen it on their site, at least nothing since May 2016.
Resolution of the EÜVP XX Congress
“Estonian United Left Party has taken the party's renewal rate and open up new perspectives and approaches to the Estonian domestic and foreign policy. Party wants to actively promote, disseminate and implement the recommendations of the Left Movement, aimed at socially-oriented building of a free society. (…) Only the consistent protection of democracy and a social economic orientation allow Estonia to develop progressively. The country doesn’t lack money but lacks the ability to use it. Resources for necessary changes can be found in military spending cuts, introduction of progressive income tax and state structures by pooling. In order to become something, must be willing to change anything. We can do it!”
Original: http://vasakpartei.ee/uncategorized/xx-euvp-kongressi-resolutsioon/
And that’s it for Estonia. Before you get the idea of making a Hoxhaist party to save the Estonian left, be aware that the Estonian state tried to ban communist symbols and parties and that Estonian capital has been slinging a very vicious form of anticommunism since the ‘70s. So a lot of Estonians just don’t like the left in general. MCCARTHYISM
Vasemmistoliitto (VAS)
VAS was founded in 1990 as a merger of several leftist parties in Finland (the Finnish Social-Democratic League, members of the Communist Party and Democratic Alternative). Because of this, the party is made out of several factions. One faction attempted to merge VAS with the social democratic SDP, but that faction was ousted in 2005. The end goal of VAS is to strengthen democracy in such a way that it is stronger than global capital. Historically divided on the question of the EU.
Membership: 10,500 (2013)
MPs: 12 national MPs, 1 MEP
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: European Left
Position on the European Union
“The Grand Committee of the Finnish Parliament discussed the government to influence the EU today. I asked that the committee would require a stronger social justice, a more efficient tax competition in the absence of, a more ambitious climate policies, as well as the realization of human rights in responding to migration and refugee policy. Membership of the European Union has more than 20 years been the Finnish way to handle a significant part of international trade and other relations. At the same time membership has been supporting the well-being and security of citizens. Outside the EU, Finnish influence, for example, world trade or climate policy would be lower. (…) However, Europe needs the EU precisely because, for example, to prevent tax competition in the Member States in accordance with the short-sighted national interests against the common interest. The same applies to climate policy, consumer protection, banking regulation and workers' rights. All EU regulation is by no means futile. The much-talked "norm voluntary work" and a quantitative reduction in standards obscured by the fact that the level of economic development and a better world also need common rules.”
On expanding the delivery of TBE vaccines to Kotka
“Left Alliance Aino-Kaisa Pekonen and Joona Mielonen push for an anti-tick-borne encephalitis TBE vaccine for the expansion of Kotka, which is one of the areas at risk of the disease in Finland. (…)
Anti-TBE TBE vaccine is included in the national vaccination program, the disease most effort by the Åland Islands, and has since been extended also to Pargas and Simon township. In these areas, the vaccine is provided free of charge to residents and summer residents, under certain conditions, and naturally accessible.
Effective protection is required to obtain at least three approximately EUR 50 paying injection, ie a total of EUR 150.
- This is a particularly significant amount of low-income people. It would be better for society that all the inhabitants of risk areas would take the vaccine, so a serious disease will not spread further, says Pekonen”
Suomen Kommunistinen Puolue (SKP)
The current SKP is the result of a split within the old Communist Party of Finland. On one hand there was the majority of the CC who wanted to modernize the party in a Eurocommunist fashion led by Aarne Saarinen, on the other there was the minority led by Taisto Sinisalo, who wanted to return the party to a pro-Soviet line. The Taistolists were expelled in 1984 and formed the SKPy (SKP Unity) in 1987. SKPy would keep the pro-Soivet line Sinisalo struggled for and supported the perestroika. SKPy also received the monetary support of the Soviets that SKP used to have. Between 1992 and 1994 the SKPy was a member of VAS, but tensions were high and when SKPy decided in 1993 to officially become the successor of the old Communist Party, the alliance was ended. It used to have the electoral front Democratic Alternative.
Membership: 2,500 (no date)
MPs: no
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: European Left
Position on the European Union
“The EU had promised to bring peace, stability, prosperity and employment. But instead of peace and stability, Europe has reaped only instability and discord. Instead of prosperity, austerity is deepening inequality, and rising unemployment not employment is on the increase. In particular, the policy pledges made to workers have without exception turned out to be inadequate. The EU has clearly shown that it is by nature a project of capital and the bourgeoisie. (…) Breaking with the EU’s treaties, which are undemocratic and impoverish working people, has been an aim of the Party for as long as Finland has been an EU member”
Position for the Finnish municipal elections
“Everywhere in our country things are coming apart. This includes the scrapping of the welfare that concerns practically everyone, and in which only the rich are winners. The austerity policies of the right wing are wrecking social security, public services, the environment, workers’ conditions and human rights more rapidly than ever before. Public service privatization and marketization are accelerating at both national and municipal levels. Many of these self-generated public services would, in addition to producing welfare, have added to our public finances. There is not a shred of democracy in privatized services.
At the same time increasingly more dividends and capital gains are being disbursed to capitalists. Slashing public spending does not affect weapons procurement, into which the government is pouring more billions. For those living and resident in Finland this sort of policy is unsustainable. It fuels nationalism, racism and violence. And the continual pursuit of profit leads inevitably to environmental degradation.”
Kommunistinen Työväenpuolue – Rauhan ja Sosialismin Puolesta (KTP)
The KTP was founded in 1988 by a faction of the SKPy that thought that the SKPy strayed too much from Marxist-Leninist thought by supporting the Gorbachevist perestroika. However, the KTP has had a lot of splits in its short history as well. It expelled the Helsinki section of the party when it broke democratic centralism and joined an alliance with right-wing parties against the EU after the majority of the CC voted against it, and it expelled members of the Turku and Raisio sections when they made an electoral alliance with the Finnish Blue-Whites, a fascist organisation. One of the central issues of the KTP is the necessity of an independent marxist-leninist party. Hate the Euro, love the DPRK and Juche.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: boycott the European Parliament
Position on the European Union
“The European Union has a free trade capitalist system, which is run primarily in the interest of multinational monopoly capitalism. European Union defenders can certainly say it promotes cultural diversity, or the friendship and cooperation between the peoples, but as materialists we are not concerned so much with the face of things externally, but what they really are.”
Programme for the municipal elections
“General goals 9.4. 2017 municipal elections:
- Detachment from the EU, the euro and the NATO
- Invest in municipal services
- Prevent the privatization of municipal property, municipal services and functions - not SOTEa
- Healthcare municipality as a service - no profiteering capitalists
- the foundation of municipal self-government with its own production and business
- Local government support employment - rich tax
- The municipal work must be done by the labor, the Convention's task is to strive for full employment on their territory
- Näennäisdemokratiasta proper involvement of local people in decision-making
- The municipality comprehensive participation in the network, which local residents are involved in decision-making in residential areas, schools, workplaces must be created “
Sosialistinen Vaitoehto
Finnish section of the Committee for a Workers’ International. Founded in 2002.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: CWI
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
I tried to find it but half of the links on their site don’t fucking work. Why are trotskyists so bad in sitebuilding? Their site seems to just be a frontpage and if you click an English version it just sends you to the CWI site. A bad party.
in the perifery of VAS and they seem to hold similar positions as other cwi-parties.
also it should be said socialism is not on the program of VAS
kruki posted:i'm finnish and i haven't actually heard of "Sosialistinen Vaihtoehto". reading from their site seems like they exists
in the perifery of VAS and they seem to hold similar positions as other cwi-parties.
also it should be said socialism is not on the program of VAS
yeah from what I saw VAS has turned to social democracy pretty much immediately, what a shame
also check out the muslim convert hoxhaist Abdullah Tammi. I might drop an efffort post on him just cuz hes a loveable weirdo. claims he worked for kgb. tried to create finnish islamic party. ran as a candidate for Suomen Työväen Puolue (Finlands Labor Party). nowadays affiliated w/ Punakaarti (The Redguard) which he founded and I havve no idea wtf it even is. also hes banned from estonia.
http://www.ktpkom.fi/ajankohtaista/ktp-eroaa-skpsta/
"One of the major differencces being the political question of the day concerning our stance on EU. KTP has consistently demanded secession from the EU ever since Finland joined the union back in 1995. We haven't taken any part in euro parliamentary elections. Our stance is that the EU acts as a politico-militaristic undertaking by the capital to subdue the proletariat.
SKP has increasingly attached itself to the structures of EU, taken part in elections and even joined the Party of European Left along with Vasemmistoliitto in 2009. The party is irreversibly rooted in the union's structure and receives notable monetary aid from it. Parties belonging to the Party of European Left have formed a clique of their own in euro parliament that closes the gap between socdem and green parties"
ikno no one cares but its nogt like I have anything BETTER to do..
did you know france has posadists? i'm not doing a writeup as it seems they don't exist as an actual party but they're there
troolari posted:also check out the muslim convert hoxhaist Abdullah Tammi. I might drop an efffort post on him just cuz hes a loveable weirdo. claims he worked for kgb. tried to create finnish islamic party. ran as a candidate for Suomen Työväen Puolue (Finlands Labor Party). nowadays affiliated w/ Punakaarti (The Redguard) which he founded and I havve no idea wtf it even is. also hes banned from estonia.
the BANNED FROM ESTONIA tour 2017
Horselord posted:annoyed great britain is listed by the name of it's state. i wanna hear what you have to say about the swp (rapist trots) and the spgb (dementia patents)
i was surprised it even made the list, considering
drcat posted:Horselord posted:annoyed great britain is listed by the name of it's state. i wanna hear what you have to say about the swp (rapist trots) and the spgb (dementia patents)
i was surprised it even made the list, considering
I've still got two years until it's official and I hope I finish this before then
The state of the left in… France
its bad.
Parti communiste français (PCF)
Yes, even after all the dumb shit the PCF has done over the last almost 100 years, it’s still the biggest leftist party in France. The main cause of that is probably the fact that when class struggle happens in France the PCF is the only competent party on mobilizing unions, in particular the CGT. Founded in the 1920s and following the Soviet line since 1924, it supported the Front Populair of Léon Blum and opposed the Munich Agreement. It was banned during WWII and was part of the French resistance, after which it was part of government until McCarthyism struck Europe. This would mean it was isolated during the Fourth Republic. After denouncing the radical movements of the ‘60s as they weren’t strike actions, Georges Marchais, PCF leader in the ‘70s, thought electoral gains were more interesting than actually being a communist and had a rapprochement with the PS. After that approach didn’t work either, the PCF has decided to move away from parliament and tried to make alliances with social movements on the streets, as they should have all the fucking time. Part of the Front de Gauche. Against capitalism, but also against Actually Existing Socialism because that’s the only thing all the factions agree on.
Membership: 138,000 (2012)
MPs: 7 deputies, 17 senators, 2 MEPs
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: European Left
National affiliation: Front de Gauche
Position on the European Union
“The liberal Europe has failed, it’s time to refound it.(…) It’s dangerous to think you can ‘relaunch’ the economy through an economic integration with different speeds, or with the militarization of the continent through the common defence policy. The EU will collapse if it does not reinvent itself. We have to go to an upwards convergence of social norms, and use the ECB to invest in public services, industry and renewable energy, respecting the choice of the people and becoming a global peace actor. Europe must be useful to Europeans.”
On the American bombing of Syria
“The bombardments of Syria last night, and the return to a hawkish position by president Trump, will escalate the internationalisation of the Sryian conflict. Trump feeds the military escalation and the chance for represailles at a moment when the Syrians desperately need the war to stop now. The PCF condemns the bombings, demand François Hollande call for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to stop the current military action and continue with the measures made in December 2015. The PCF supports all actions that call for the end of the Syrian conflict and a political solution for Syria.”
Parti de gauche (PG)
What do you when you’re a social democrat in the minority of your party? Well you just leave it and hope to group together all the other movements left of the social democracy in your party, dingus. That’s just what Jean-Luc Mélenchon did when his motion in the PS congress of 2008 only got 20% of the vote. Pretty much only known for being a vehicle for Mélenchon, the Front de Gauche and La France Insoumise and other Mélenchon electoral lists. Their ideology is democratic socialism as thought of by Jean Jaurès, most famous for being shot for being against WWI.
Membership: 9,000 (2014)
MPs: 1 MEP (it’s Mélenchon)
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: European Left
National affiliation: Front de Gauche
Position on the European Union
“Either we change the EU or we leave it (…) The Treaty of Rome started a European integration based on free trade and the competition under workers. We must make Europe a place of social justice, cooperation and democracy. The PG, Mélenchon and La France Insomise support the efforts for a Plan B in Europe.”
Hey you gotta vote Mélenchon
“Mélenchon is refusing TINA, There Is No Alternative (…) Voting Mélenchon is also rejecting the hate of Le Pen (…) Mélenchon is the only alternative to Macron or Le Pen”
Lutte Ouvrière (LO)
Ok so actually the party isn’t called Lutte Ouvrière, it’s called Union Communiste but everyone knows the paper and that’s called LO so haha. Founded in 1936 by David ‘Barta’ Korner, a Romanian trotskyist that assembled several other trotskyists by entering several other trotskyist parties at the demand of Leon himself. Thought the 4th Internationale was too petit boujee and with tens of militants the Union Communiste was founded. It would end in 1950 after a split, be refounded as Voix Ouvrière in 1956, banned in 1968 and re-refounded in 1971 with the first festival of Lutte Ouvrière. Party that had the first woman as a presidential candidate. Says that none of the current 4th internationales are actually internationales.
Membership: 8,000 (2010)
MPs: no
International affiliation: Internationalist Communist Union
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
No article on the EU since 2014, where the EU is called ‘neither the cause of the crisis, nor the solution to overcome it’
Position on the bombing of Syria
“The worries of the United States aren’t the Syrian people, but American interests in the conflict. American bombs will not prevent a continuation of this conflict. They won’t put a stop to the Syrian regime. Like the regime’s bombs, they are state terrorism, which feeds in return islamic terrorism. This bombing is just another example of the failure of imperialism”.
Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste (NPA)
Olivier Besancenot, then leader of the Ligue Communiste Révolutionaire, got a pretty good result for a small trotskyist party in the presidential elections of 2007. It is at this point, the height of the LCR’s popularity, that the LCR decides to disband itself to create a new anticapitalist party to gather all the far-left activists of France. Originally trotskyist, the party is open ‘to all currents who are anticapitalist and revolutionary, marxist or more libertarian’. The NPA is not part of the Front de Gauche. It does however, call for alliances with other anticapitalist movements since the presidential campaign of automobile worker Philippe Poutou in 2012. Fundamentally, the NPA calls for a ‘democratic socialism of the 21st century’.
Membership: less than 2,000 (2016)
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: EACL
Position on the European Union
The last time they mention the EU on their site is 2010, during an article on the Icelandic crisis.
The ten times Philippe Poutou showed himself during the Big Debate
“1) When he refused to be on the group photo.
2) When he started the debate at 2000 km/h
3) When he reminded the other candidates that he and Arthaud are the only candidates with a ‘normal job’.
4) When he attacked Fillon and Le Pen and got an applause
5) When he left the stage to talk to his mates
6) When he attacked Fillon on referenda
7) When Fillon threatened him with a trial
8) When he accused Le Pen of lying
9) When he accused Macron of not knowing anything about working
10) When he refused to address just the French”
Gauche Révolutionnaire
Founded in 1992 when they were expelled from the LCR after their position won the majority in their youth organisation. They had 60 members at the start. Shortly after they joined the CWI, and they were part of the NPA between 2009 and 2012. They no longer think the NPA is a viable step to a new workers’ party. Support Mélenchon in the presidentials.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: CWI
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
Only mentioned the European Union during a campaign to support Greece
Vote Mélenchon! End the politics of the PS, the right and the FN
“Although we have our differences, if we all unite for Mélenchon, we can show a clear rejection of the politics of the traditional parties. The more votes Mélénchon will receive, the stronger we will be in the streets (…) However, even if Mélenchon is elected, we must keep fighting that he will keep his promises. Likewise we will have to battle Macron or Le Pen if they are elected. (…) We want socialism (…) La France Insoumise and the parties in it must discuss creating a new worker’s party.”
Parti communiste des ouvriers de France (PCOF)
Created in 1979 as an alternative to both the PCF, who had turned revisionist according to the members, and the maoist PCMLF, as maoism is also revisionism. Adherent of Hoxhaism, the PCOF calls for the creation of world socialism. It called for a no vote on the European Constitution referendum and was part of the Front de Gauche until 2016, when it became apparent for them the FdG was only an electoral alliance, and not the demanded spark of a unified left party. The PCOF does not endorse anyone in the presidentials so far, as they want to know the opinion of the people in struggle first.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: ICMLPO (Unity & Struggle)
European affiliation: /
National affiliation: Front de Gauche
Position on the European Union
Their category on EU articles on their site is literally called ‘Against the European Union of monopolies and reactionaries’ so that should give a pretty good idea of what they think. They also say the fall of tbe EU means the fall of neoliberalism.
The most interesting position pieces they have are a bunch of day by day articles on a strike of sans-papiers workers in Rungis, so they’re pretty good on the class struggle part at least, better than most of these shites.
Parti ouvrier indépendant (POI)
Founded in 2008 by Daniel Gluckstein, a man who’s been in 12 parties and 13 factions in the French left (and who also founded the ‘international’ the POI was part of and no longer exist). Wanted to regroup all left-wing currents in a new single party. Campaign actively against EU. Daniel Gluckstein got expelled in 2015 after he created his own faction in his own party, he’s now founder of the POID, which I won’t be talking about as they’re literally just a newspaper.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
I wish I could tell you but their site has been under construction ever since Gluckstein left. HMMMM
Pôle de renaissance communiste en France (PRCF)
Founded in 2004 by members of the PCF who were opponents of the Huist (named after PCF leader Hue) mutation where several demands (like leaving the EU) were axed in favor of joining governments with the PS. Completely against any cooperation with the PS. Actively campaigns against EU and NATO. Calls for a critical endorsement of Mélenchon for the presidentials.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: INITIATIVE
Position on the European Union
“For France to truly awaken, we need a progressive Frexit now! (…) If we do not unite all communist forces and support class and mass syndicalism, we can say that like in football, this election is a game of 11 players, and in the end the (capitalist) Germans win.” (There were probably politically better points in the article but it was really long and a struggle – heh – to read)
In the first round, defend peace, let Frexit win, beat the right with the critical support of MELENCHON
I wanted to put the most interesting part here but halfway they just started talking about some general strike in Guyana so there’s a lot of fluff in that article.
Organisation communiste marxiste-léniniste – Voie proletarienne (OCML-VP)
OCML-VP was founded in 1976 from all the Marxist-leninist student movements during May 68 in France. Their analysis of Actually Existing Socialism is that the Eastern bloc and the Soviet Union were state capitalist since the 30s, and reject all mentions of Stalin. The Cultural Revoltuion of Mao is ‘the most advanced example of mass struggle against capitalism’. Boycott the presidentials.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: ICMLPO (International Newsletter)
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
Not found on their site
The rest of their position pieces seem to be more about their own party than anything else, which is a bit sad.
Horselord posted:the spgb (dementia patents)
i keep an old SPGB flyer on my desk that says "TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE" in big letters. the power of this self own brings me joy in the darkest of times
The state of the left in… Germany
Die Linke
Die Linke was founded in 2007 as the merger of the Linkspartei.PDS (the successor to the East German SED but all the communists were ousted during the reunification of Germany) and WASG. It is the current leader of the opposition in the German Bundestag, being the third biggest party in Germany. It’s sort of a big tent leftist party, having both marxists and left-reformists within the party. The end goal is the end of capitalism and the creation of a democratic socialism. Its policies, however, are mostly Keynesian reformism with a slighty more left rhetoric. Is against any action of the Bundeswehr outside of Germany, want to replace NATO with a security organ that includes Germany, wants to dissolve all American bases in Europe. It is pro-EU, but against the Lisbon Treaty and the general line of the politics of the EU. Thinks the post-Maidan government of Ukraine is fascist. Thinks Actually Existing Socialism was state capitalist. Under surveillance by German secret services.
Membership: 58,989 (2015)
MPs: 64 Bundestag, 159 Landtag, 7 MEPs, prime minister of Thüringen, coalition partner in Brandenburg and Berlin
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: European Left
Position on the European Union
“DIE LINKE argues for a social, democratic and peaceful Europe. The European Union is not in many areas. It is based on contracts which primarily focus on the interests of the companies. Troika's crisis policy has exacerbated these problems. We are arguing for a European Union that is freed from the clash of the financial markets and the austerity policy. For the distribution of social wealth from top to bottom. We want to strengthen the rights of the employees, the unemployed, the pensioners - for a good life for all in Europe. For a Europe in which people and the populations are not placed together and the natural bases of life are not destroyed - for a Europe of solidarity neighbors. In the war and weapons export be banned. We are fighting with all those who want a restart of the European Union - democratic, socially, ecologically, peacefully.”
On the bombing of Syria
“This will not contribute to de-escalation," Dietmar Bartsch said today in the ARD morning magazine on the US air strike against Syria. "I am very worried when I see that Russia and the United States are operating in an airspace, which is a huge danger potential, so you can only do one thing, and that is really a Security Council. This madness with the chemical weapons has to be clarified, the responsible persons have to be held accountable.This is completely clear, but I do not believe that bombs lead to peace. "The IS is cheering.”
Deutsche Kommunistische Partei (DKP)
Founded in 1968 by the so-called ‘Socialist Centre’, a bunch of several leftist movements and trade unionist organisations who were looking to create a party to replace the banned Communist Party of Germany, banned since 1956 for disagreeing with the West German constitution. The creation of the party was helped by the East German SED. The party, while technically illegal for having links with the former CP, was left alone by the German government as it was during this period that the German state – in particular Willy Brandt – wanted to thaw relations with the East bloc. Its end goal is communism, which it defines as the end of the exploitation of humans by humans.
Membership: 3,000 (2015)
MPs: no
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“Europe is bigger than the European Union. But the European Union is very important to the economy and the policies of the rest of Europe. In the construction of the European Union, the Internal Market and the Monetary Union, the interests of the corporations are concentrated on a large market, free of borders and regulations. From a position of strength in Western Europe the other markets are attacked. After a phase of capitalization at the Western European level - with an overweight in German investment in the other EU countries - an accelerated process of transatlantic and international mergers is taking place. (…) Due to its greater economic and financial potentials, Germany has taken on the role of a decisive leadership power, which it is currently trying to achieve in cooperation with the ruling circles of France. Based on this role, German monopoly capital is once again pursuing the old strategy of German imperialism to pursue an aggressive economic, political and military expansion policy towards Eastern and South Eastern Europe as far as the Caucasus and the Middle East. (…) Europe, however, is not only the Europe of corporations but also the collective historical consciousness of the peoples over the catastrophe of fascism and war. Europe is also the cultural, political experiences and social struggles with which the workers' movement has aroused social and democratic rights. In a part of Europe it was proved that a society without capitalist exploitation is possible.”
On the bombing of Syria
‘The DKP condemns the missile attack by the US Army on the Syrian air base Al-Shairat. Patrik Köbele, President of the DKP, said on Friday, "Regardless of whether the Syrian army is actually responsible for the death of more than 80 people by poison gas - for which there is so far no evidence - the US attack is a violation of international law . " (…) The confrontation of the most aggressive part of US imperialism and its allies - especially the FRG - against Russia will be further intensified at the expense of the Syrian people. It was never a question of a peace solution for Syria, which can only be achieved on the basis of national sovereignty. The goal has been and is the weakening of all the countries that are in the way of the Western world's claim to welfare - especially Russia and China.”
Marxistisch-Leninistische Partei Deutschlands (MLPD)
Founded in 1982 it is the successor of several anti-revisionist parties of the 60s and 70s. It says it bases itself on the theories of Marx, Engels, Lenin and former Communist Party chairman Ernst Thälmann. It does not believe in Stalinism and Maoism and calls them buzzwords to divide the communist movement. Against Kruschevism and Dengism. Trade unions have a policy to expel members of the MLPD. Their chairman before this week was Stefan Engels who is a meme in some circles but don’t ask me why.
Membership: 1800 (2015)
MPs: no
International affiliation: ICOR & ICMLPO (International Newsletter)
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“The declared goal of the bourgeois parties in Brussels and Berlin was to overcome the crisis of confidence in the EU and win the European population for this imperialist alliance. This undoubtedly failed. Not even the second-choice party took part in the election at all. The participation rate stagnated throughout the EU at 43 percent. Just because it was relatively high in Germany at 48.1 percent, it did not sink much more. The increased participation in Germany is linked above all to a stronger link to the municipal elections. (…) In contrast to the Left Party, the MLPD has aggressively opposed its assertion that its criticism of the EU is right and reactionary. The criticism of the EU from a revolutionary, leftist point of view became a new hallmark of the MLPD. This was connected with an environmental policy focus with the newly published book "Disaster Alarm! What to do against the willful destruction of the unity of man and nature? "When the MLPD made an election campaign, it also succeeded in attacking the greening nimbus of the EU and the greenwashing of the Alliance Greens. (…) With the further development and strengthening of ICOR parties, a revolutionary potential and an important point of reference for the masses is slowly being built up in Europe. The absence of such parties in the majority of the EU countries favors the growth of ultra-reactionary to fascist parties. This is especially the case in France, Sweden, Austria, Finland or Hungary.”
Position on the bombing of Syria
“She warns: 'The open threat of the ultra-reactionary and fascist-like US President Trump to a military' retaliation 'against Syria, which he has made the night before, is a direct threat to world peace. This threatens a direct military confrontation and escalation between the imperialist competitors USA and Russia. The sudden reversal of Trumps in his Russia policy shows how illusory the hopes were for a peaceable cooperation between the reactionaries Putin and Trump from the beginning. Those who are in favor of peace must now take a clear position against all imperialists. For this reason, the election campaigns of the INTERNATIONALIST LIST / MLPD to the regional elections in NRW 'against any imperialist aggression!'”
Sozialistische Alternative (SAV)
Founded in 1973 around the newspaper VORAN, the militants would infiltrate the SPD to promote a Marxist platform. Back then it was already the German section of the CWI. VORAN thought that the SPD became too middle class in 1994 (about 180 years later than every decent communist). Currently trying to enter Die Linke.
Membership: 300 (2015)
MPs: no
International affiliation: CWI
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
I’d tell you but their site, like other trotskyist websites, doesn’t seem to like me.
Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (SGP)
German section of the International Committee for a Fourth International, which they think is the correct Fourth International but it’s probably not even a real internationale. Founded in 1997, hate Stalin.
Membership: 300 (no date)
MPs: no
International affiliation: ICFI
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“SGP is an opponent of the European Union and its institutions. They are the result of the efforts of the German and European bourgeoisie to unite the continent under the dictates of the most powerful corporations and banks. The answer to the EU, however, is not the re-establishment of inner-European borders and the defense of national sovereignty. In the age of globalization there can be no return to the national state and to economic nationalism. The SGP does not advocate protectionism or "free trade," but fights for the socialization of the productive forces, the elimination of national borders and the creation of a planned, rationally interwoven global economy. It advocates the establishment of United Socialist States of Europe. It pursues this goal within the framework of an international strategy: the global unification of workers of all countries and the creation of United Socialist States of the world.”
Their site apart from their program seems to just be their promotional stuff for the Berlin elections, without real position pieces
Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands
Founded in 1990 in East Berlin, which made it legally a former East German party and thus their name does not fall under the KPD Ban of West Germany. Thinks Actually Existing Socialism also extends to the DDR. Hates Chrushchev, likes the Kims. Erich Honecker joined the KPD after he got ousted out of SED-PDS.
Membership: 155
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“The EU is a construct which in Europe serves as the foundation of a newly emerged imperialist center that exacerbates the economic and political contradictions within the imperialist world and, as Lenin predicted, proves to be the blackest "reaction on the whole line". There is no trace of international and peace-promoting activity. This is precisely why the EU constitutional project has failed so far. The KPD strongly rejects any attempt by the FRG to resuscitate the ratification process for the implementation of the present EU constitutional texts.”
Position on the bombing of Syria
“In violation of international law, the United Nations Charter, the US launched a rocket attack on the territory of the sovereign state of Syria on the night of 7 April 2017. Supposedly, the "national security interests of the US" were threatened by the release of chemical agents from unknown.
The IS, with the help of NATO intelligence services, has once again succeeded in provoking the US, now under the leadership of President Trump, to a military action. Without awaiting any internationally recognized result of the investigation, the imperialist leaders immediately established that it could have been only Syrian forces. (…) The imperial strategy of the West, however, is to torpedo any political solution while preserving the sovereignty of the Syrian state. In addition, the attitude of US President Trump to the Assad government is to be influenced in the direction of open military aggression. This strategy will lead to a tightening of the military confrontation with Russia. The danger of a 3rd big world fire is as high as never.
All the opponents of the war, all the peace forces, all Communists, Socialists, Democrats, humanist forces are called upon to counteract this dangerous activity of the US administration with the imagery as a cosmopolitan.
We call on our absolute peace-making to the government of the FRG and other NATO countries by powerful protests, demonstrations and resistance to the war policy."
Edited by belgend ()
if anyone is willing to do this i will give you lots of kindness and upvotes
troolari posted:which german parties are afflicted with the zionist paratist thought antideutsche. just die LInke?
i don't think there are any parties with an antideutsche group (at least not organized). the minority of the Kommunistenbund that started antideutsche never integrated itself with any of the post-reunification parties
me: just fuck me up fam
The state of the left in… Greece
Synaspismos Rizospastikis Aristeras (SYRIZA)
The biggest party in Greece since they lied to the Greeks about being a party with a spine that would fight the good fight against the EU alongside the people of Hellas. Founded in 2004 out of the Space for Dialogue for the Unity and Common Action of the Left, when a bunch of parties wanted to look for an electoral alliance for the next elections. The parties of the 2004 SYRIZA were left reformist traitor scum Synaspismos and a bunch of small parties, half of them splits from the KKE. In July 2013 the parties within SYRIZA decided to disband themselves and merge into a unitary SYRIZA, which makes this writeup a bit easier. Very very big tent and thus very very divivded structurally. Is against the EU unless voters don’t want that then it’s pro-EU.
Membership: unknown
MPs: 144 national MPs, 4 MEPs, leading party in the Tsipras Cabinet
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: European Left
Position on the European Union
“As for the EU, SYRIZA denounces the dominant extreme neoliberal policies and believes that it must be and can be transformed radically in the direction of a democratic, social, peaceful, ecological and feminist Europe, open to a future of socialism with democracy and freedom. That is why SYRIZA is for cooperation and coordinated action of the left forces and social movements on an all-European scale. In any case, we do not hold euro-centric views and reject a '' fortress Europe ''. “
On the bombing of Syria (but it’s not the one you think!)
“The Department of International Relations and Foreign Policy of SYRIZA expresses its horror at yesterday's new war crimes in Syria to use chemical weapons, which are banned by international convention for years. One must be the answer to the horrid crime. Here and now ending the war in Syria, withdrawal of all foreign troops, especially regional powers, strengthening efforts for a credible peace process in the UN, which would pave the way for peace with democracy and justice in the troubled Middle Eastern country.”
Kommuounistiko Komma Elladas (KKE)
The KKE was founded as the Socialist Labour Party of Greece in 1918 in the aftermath of the October Revolution, which makes it the oldest active party in Greece. Vanguard of the Greek working class, the main force against imperialism during the Greek Civil War, the main opposition against the Junta of the Colonels, the main opposition against left-reformist traitor scum SYRIZA and the final boss of European Communism. Thinks any step towards sociaism that isn’t an immediate overthrow of capitalism is reformist shite. Was really sectarian towards the new social movements during the Syntagma protests which was a really bad time imo. Defends Actually Existing Socialism, but thinks Currently Existing Socialism is all reformism and treason to real socialism. Member of the Working Group of the IMCWP and founder of INITIATIVE, the only split in the EU-wide left. Responsible for 75% of parties in the Greek political sphere.
Membership: unknown
MPs: 15 national, 2 MEPs
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: INITIATIVE
Position on the European Union
“1. The completion of 60 years since the establishment of the EEC, which became an EU, not a day of celebration for the people of Europe, millions of poor, unemployed, underemployed. It is an anniversary that have every reason to celebrate the European monopolies, governments and their parties, since through this transnational capitalist union unfurled previous years an attack on the rights of peoples. These celebrations can not hide nor reactionary - anti-popular character of the EU nor the antagonisms that strengthen within the alliance, putting into question the very coherence and highlighting the rottenness and decay of capitalist production.
(…)
4. KKE prides itself firmly combat the accession of Greece to the EEC initially, then the EU and the Eurozone. Struggle against the anti-labor - unpopular policies. Revealed the true imperialist character of the EU, warned about the negative consequences in the lives of the people. He explained that the anti-labor - unpopular measures implemented under the memoranda, started before the crisis, since the early 90s. Applicable in all Member - States. He went against the "convergence myths" and "solidarity" to cultivate all the other parties. Beyond the ND and PASOK which took the lead, as governments, the accession of Greece to the EU / Eurozone and SYRIZA (former PLUS), with mutants communists, strongly supported this option, giving the "left", "progressive "alibi. “
On the bombing of Syria
“KKE condemns US attack on Syria, using American missiles from ships at the Mediterranean and expresses its solidarity with the long-suffering Syrian people.
The people know that the US and its allies, which created criminal organizations, type Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, view and utilize pretexts to justify interventions and imperialist wars in Syria, Iraq, in the region of the Middle East and North Africa, which is a field of acute antagonisms with victims peoples. This they did in the past.
These developments demonstrate the dangerous policy of the government SYRIZA - ANEL, which deeply involve the country in imperialist designs, featuring among others the military base of Souda and other military bases and infrastructure for US companies, NATO and the EU in the region .
KKE calls can now close the Souda base and other military bases. To disengage the country from the imperialist plans and wars.”
Laiki Enotita (LAE)
LAE was founded in 2015 as a split from SYRIZA by 25 MPs who did not agree with the solution to the bailout agreement and Tsipras’ handling of the situation. Along those 25 parliamentarians a whole bunch of small parties formerly part of SYRIZA or ANTARSYA (see later) joined as well, proving that LAE didn’t understand that being a big tent party is one of the reasons SYRIZA couldn’t have a strong opposition towards the EU. Against the Euro. Doesn’t officially exist yet.
Membership: unknown
MPs: 1 MEP
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: independent within the GUE
Position on the European Union
“The exit from the eurozone and the implementation of a radical program starring organized people, implies a collision path with EU options and anti-democratic, supranational institutions. Because already by the Maastricht Treaty, the EU constitution process serves the neoliberal plan, boosts imperialist ambitions of leading powers and undermining popular sovereignty.”
Position on the latest bailout agreement with Europe
“The agreement ending the coalition SYRIZA - ANEL with lenders - "financial assassins", with the full support of the traditional parties of the Greek parliament, means that the troika together with the whole Greek political traditional block (old and new), ask again and other "blood" from the Greek people. (…) We call on workers, pensioners, the unemployed, youth and all the people in a general uprising to not pass these new inhumane and destructive measures.
We also call all left, democratic and anti-memorandum forces to establish as soon as a major political "front" based on a radical program exit from the crisis and survival of the people and country.”
Plefsi Eleftherias
A party founded in April last year by Zoe Konstantopoulou, speaker of the Greek parliament during the Tsipras Cabinet until 2015. Member of LAE.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
National affiliation: LAE
Position on the European Union
No analysis of the Union itself, but the majority of its founding declaration is on stopping the debt payments to the EU.
The rest of their site, and probably their party too sadly, is a lot of self-promotion for Konstantopoulou.
Xekinima – Sosialistiki Diethnistiki Organosi (XEKINIMA)
Formed during the military junta of the colonels by former members of PASOK and the KKE. Greek section of the CWI. Supported SYRIZA until the Memorandum, now member of LAE.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: CWI
European affiliation: /
National affiliation: LAE
Position on the European Union
No general position on the EU, but they have a small pamphlet on the capitulation by SYRIZA.
There’s probably some position pieces on Greece on the site but they’re hidden by reports of actions of fronts where CWI hangons hang out abroad. The most recent Greek thing I found was them interviewing someone who attended a rape trial where the suspects were declared innocent.
Aristeri Anasynthesi (ARAN)
Founded in 2003 by two parties that were even smaller than this one, it’s a political party that bases itself on the theories of Mao and Althusser of all people.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
National affiliation: LAE (although they still say they’re part of ANTARSYA on their site, awkward!)
Position on the European Union
Called for a NO vote on the 2015 referendum, but that’s it, at the bottom of that article there’s a commercial for Viagra? Site seems to not be updated since 2015.
Aristeri Antikapitalistiki Syspirosi (ARAS)
Maoist party founded in 1998, used to be part of ANTARSYA, now LAE.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
National affiliation: LAE
Position on the European Union
Their site doesn’t work and hasn’t been updated since January. Do these parties actually exist?
Aristeri Syspeirosi (A.S.)
Founded in 2012 as a split from ARAS. That’s about it.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
National affiliation: ANTARSYA
Position on the European Union
“An updating should be put and a third pursuit, that of an exit outof EU. So by establishing a rupture triptych with imperialism (USA mechanisms, NATO, EU) which is a prerequisite for the implementation of any policy would serve - even and partly - the interests of the laboring people in the country now literally crushed. A peace-loving policy away from alliances with the State of Israel and the dictatorship of Egypt. A policy which does not seek sharpening but cooperation between the two sides of the Aegean. A policy which puts the country side by side with their employees unique allies who can and who are the workers of the region and the world.”
On a razzia against a pro-refugee protest in the University of Macedonia
“The reactionary deanery of the University of Macedonia, led by Achilles Zapranis (known for its extremist beliefs and his connections with EDC NDFK) got the option to call the police forces as a personal guard at the site of the university asylum. (…) The occasion was just an event for the refugees, which jointly organized by the right-wing and reactionary deanery of Zapranis. Targeting it was nothing but showdown of the deanery trying to play the role of a Trojan horse for the proceeding of the restructuring, the hub of which is the abolition of university asylum and the ability of the police to intervene against movement inside.”
Neo Aristero Revma (NAR)
Founded in 1989 by several former KNE (KKE Youth) members after Synaspismos (then still with the KKE) joined the conservatives of Neo Dimokratia in government. Their youth wing was called the KNE (as most of the bureau of the KNE had defected to NAR) until the ‘90s
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
National affiliation: ANTARSYA
Position on the European Union
No position of the EU of their own, link to ANTARSYA Coalition or other leftist magazines’ opinions. The rest of their site are just announcements of their events and video interviews they do on ANTARSYAs tv channel.
Organosi Kommouniston Diethniston Kommouniston Elladas - Spartakos (OKDE – Spartakos)
1985 Trotskyist split of the OKDE (who we’ll also see in this post). It is the Greek section of the re-unified Fourth International, however it is part of a faction within this internationale. It founded the Revolutionary Marxists after the Fourth International stopped supporting ANTARSYA in favor of SYRIZA.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: Fourth International (post-reunification)
European affiliation: /
National affiliation: ANTARSYA
Position on the European Union
Their site seems to be full of opinions from other parties and announcements of their events. Why can’t parties think of their own shit for once.
Επαναστατικό Κομμουνιστικό Κίνημα Ελλάδας (EKKE)
Antirevisionist party founded in the ‘70s, but not a split of anything? Must be an anomaly or the CIA.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
National affiliation: ANTARSYA
Position on the European Union
Don’t have a proper one, quote other parties in the anti-revisionist sphere. Their last post is from January 2017 and their ‘new site’ has been up since 2014. But it’s still under construction, much like a decent party in Greece :’(
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Σοσιαλιστικό Εργατικό Κόμμα (SEK)
Founded in 1971 by Greek students in exile in the UK, where they met Tony Cliff and joined the International Socialists.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: IST
European affiliation: EACL
National affiliation: ANTARSYA
Position on the European Union
No proper position on the EU, calls for an exit out of the EU with ANTARSYA.
All the articles on their site are just a photo and then a description of what the photo is.
Kommounistiko Komma Elladas (marxistiko-leninistiko) (KKE (m-l))
Result of a 1976 split within the OMLE, itself a split of the KKE as a result of the Sino-Soviet split of the ‘60s. When Mao died, there was a discussion within the OMLE on several aspects of Mao’s theoretical work. The majority of the OMLE voted to reject the Third Worlds Theory, however a minority disagreed and formed the M-L KKE. The main Maoist party in Greece. Still have good relations with the M-L KKE and even have an electoral alliance with them, so really what’s the point of having two parties.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
The position of the KKE m-l on the EU doesn’t really exist, as the KKE m-l just calls the EU ‘Germany’ and has recently only talked about it as a dividing factor within the US establishment. The rest of the site is mostly reports of their speeches on events organised by bigger parties.
Marxistiko-Leninistiko Kommounistiko Komma Elladas (M-L KKE)
Just look at the previous party but this one still accepts the Three Worlds Theory.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“Within the European prison there is no hope.”
On a Greek state visit to the US
“The keen interest of the American monopolies to penetrate the Greek economy and in particular energy confirmed by the appearance of the US giant ExxonMobil in the Greek oil market, the strategic agreement signed with the Greek Petroleum (HEP). The ExxonMobil, the head of which was until recently the current US Secretary of Rex Tilerson, shows serious interest in Southeastern Mediterranean. He has already participated in the third licensing round for exploration and exploitation in the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and should not escape attention that in 2014 had purchased the data of seismic surveys of the Norwegian PGS for land south of Crete - particularly for southeastern part of Crete. And according to reports, the Exxon Mobil had informed the then Samaras government for the high interest in the area, of course, because of the delicate balance with Turkey, because of the non-demarcation of the continental shelf, can not be described as 'easy'. (…) US imperialism is present in our country and the region not only with warships, planes and bases, but the green dollar.”
Ergatikó Epanastatikó Kómma (EEK)
(It might be a coincidence but I say EEK a lot too dealing with Trots). EEK self says they’ve got a history that goes way back to the sixties but what it really was back then was a newspaper with a youth section and the actual party wasn’t founded until 1985.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: Coordinating Committee for the Refoundation of the 4th International
European affiliation: /
Position of the European Union
“60 years later, the attempt of the ruling classes to integrate Europe economically proved a disaster.
Catastrophe, first of all for the working class and the poor popular strata are experiencing unemployment, the destruction of wages and pensions, the collapse of public health, education and violation of democratic rights.
Catastrophe for millions of refugees, victims of US imperialism and the EU countries in the Middle East and Africa. In an attempt to rescue the refugees encounter in front of the "Fortress Europe" to Frontex, the closed corridor of the western Balkans, the barbed wire and despicable agreement with Erdogan, the concentration camps which are called "shelters" the violence of the police , the inhumanity of racists and fascists.
Catastrophe and the same capitalist system as the global crisis hits wild utmost economic and monetary union and vent. H Greece has been driven into bankruptcy and the burdensome yoke of debt, while the banking system in Italy, and the German Deutsche Bank, are also threatened with collapse.
In 1920 Leon Trotsky warned that the upcoming America will try to shred Europe. 100 years later, America led by Trump will attempt to make Europe popcorn. All acute conflicts -which predicted Trotski- will accelerate the revolutionary developments on the European continent.”
Orgánosi yia tin Anasigkrótisi tou Komounistikoú Kómmatos Elládas (OAKKE)
ALRIGHT EVERYBODY LISTEN UP YOU THINK THE US AND THE EU ARE THE WORST THINGS RIGHT NOW? HELL NO, YOU’RE WRONG. IT’S THE RUSSIANS AND THEIR CRONIES CHINA AND IRAN. DON’T LISTEN TO THE KKE THEY’RE NOT REAL COMMUNISTS LIKE US. WE SHOULD SUPPORT ISRAEL AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM BY PEOPLE WHO CLAIM THE OLD STEREOTYPE OF THE STATELESS CAPITALISTS, FUCK RUSSIA. WE SHOULD SABOTAGE FACTORIES TO SAVE THE EARTH. PROTESTS LED BY THE KKE AND SYRIZA ARE PSYOPS AND NOT REAL THINGS. THE EU IS OBJECTIVELY GOOD BECAUSE IT REMOVES THE DISTRACTION OF NATIONALISM, AND WE SHOULD VOTE FOR EVERY INTEGRATION. CHECHENS DID 9/11
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: CIA
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
JUNCKER IS A RUSSIAN PSYOP!!! IF WE DON’T GET IMF SUPPORT THE RUSSIAN ALLIES IN GERMANY WILL BE STRONGER THAN EVER
Position on anything, really
FUCK RUSSIA
Organosi Kommouniston Diethniston Elladas (OKDE)
The original Left Opposition in the KKE that got expelled in 1928. Did not think they were fundamentally different from the KKE until the KKE followed the Soviet line in the 30s. Founded in 1934 as the merger of all trotskyist movements active at the time. OKDE-Spartakos are a split of this party.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“On March 25 marks the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the EEC, that evolution is the imperialist European Union. The Association of European capitalists had as objectives a) To gather the capitalist camp against the East Blocks b) be a currency basis for expansion / consolidation of European multinational c) promote economic, geopolitical interests of European imperialists around the globe. All these objectives mean a massive attack on the European proletariat - made clearer by the means 80 and the predominance of neoliberalism. Since the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 and the agreements that followed - notably the Stability Pact and the adoption of the single currency, the EU completed as a full anti-labor / unpopular tool that impose on the working classes and peoples of Europe permanent austerity , the ongoing demolition of labor, democratic, social rights in favor of the bourgeoisie and the imperialists, particularly German imperialism.”
All other articles on their site are announcements of events in Greece.
Κίνηση για την Ανασύνταξη του ΚΚΕ 1918–55 (ANASINTAXI)
The answer to the question “What if thE rHizzonE posters made a party”. The mostest anti-revisionist party on the planet, baby. Think Ludo Martens is a revisonist and Another View on Stalin is actuallly Anti-Stalin. Don’t participate in elections. Follow Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist-Maoist-Zachariadist (after the KKE chair until 1956) thought. Put scare quotes in the names of communist parties they don’t like (“K”KE, “C”PI(M), etc...)
Membership: unknown
MPs: boycott elections
International affiliation: ICMLPO (Unity & Struggle)
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“BOYCOTT THE EUROELECTIONS
GREECE OUT OF THE IMPERIALIST EU RIGHT NOW
Not recognise and deny to pay any debt
Movement for the REORGANITATION of KKE 1918-55”
The rest of their site is just a whole bunch of stuff by the ICMLPO and its parties.
Magyar Munkaspart
Founded in 1989 by a minority within the MSZMP, the Workers’ Party of Hungary that did not agree with the transition to a social democratic party within the post-Wall democracy. Opposes NATO and thinks the EU Refugee Plan was an act of agression against the sovereign Hungary. Used to be called Hungarian Communist Workers’ Party but then Hungarian parliament banned all references to “totalitarian” regimes in parties. Has had several splits in its history of which all seem to have become inactive.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: INITIATIVE
Position on the European Union
“In 1953, when I was born, there was no EU. The intention had to create, but it was not easy to reach an agreement between Germany and France. Since the world is the world, they both wanted to dominate Europe. Just between ourselves, the people of Europe owe them two world wars.
When I was in school, in the sixties, it was the Common Market, forerunner of the current EU. True, it dominated all of Europe, even the socialist half. (…) What will be the future of Europe? The crisis is evident. The EU can not provide work for all citizens. The refugees flooded the EU, and are beginning to shape their face. Easterners are not asking the German-French to leave, but they can not really break up, because depend on them. They would reach new markets, but that hardly goes without war. They create new institutions, leading to reforms, while it seems that the social base is leaving the EU. The intellectuals, the middle class is cracked. The workers, the working masses do not want to bear the austerity measures. Europe is filled with fear. Fear of terrorism, of migrants, of poverty, of war, of insecurity. What is Europe? Europe can not remain like this. Europe will live, if we take into our hands. there is a way for Europe: socialism.”
They don’t actually seem to have position pieces on their site. They seem to get a random news article and go “hmm thats quite a thing isn’t it”. The category for their news as translated by Google is called “your word against ours”. ???
A BAL – Balpart
Founded in 2014 by former members of the Hungarian Socialist Party, the Green Left and Mankaspart. It wants to be the Hungarian response to Die Linke and SYRIZA.
Membership: unknown
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: works alongside European Left
Position on the European Union
“Constructive criticism on the EU, referendum on NATO membership
Say yes to Europe, no to a two-tier Super State, the European Union must not be interrupted permanently by the center developed countries and poor floundering crisis in the Member States. We say yes to economic and social group together the peoples of Europe, in disadvantaged countries to catch up.”
And all there is on their site seems to be just their ideological program. It seems like the party was made yesterday when it clearly isn’t? Hungarian politics are weird and sad.
p.s. Die Linke has really good posters in Cologne. This is my contribution
belgend posted:excuse me but can you please NOT post untagged spoilers itt ta
The state of the left in… Germany
Die Linke
Die Linke was founded in 2007 as the merger of the Linkspartei.PDS (the successor to the East German SED but all the communists were ousted during the reunification of Germany) and WASG. It is the current leader of the opposition in the German Bundestag, being the third biggest party in Germany. It’s sort of a big tent leftist party, having both marxists and left-reformists within the party. The end goal is the end of capitalism and the creation of a democratic socialism. Its policies, however, are mostly Keynesian reformism with a slighty more left rhetoric. Is against any action of the Bundeswehr outside of Germany, want to replace NATO with a security organ that includes Germany, wants to dissolve all American bases in Europe. It is pro-EU, but against the Lisbon Treaty and the general line of the politics of the EU. Thinks the post-Maidan government of Ukraine is fascist. Thinks Actually Existing Socialism was state capitalist. Under surveillance by German secret services.
Membership: 58,989 (2015)
MPs: 64 Bundestag, 159 Landtag, 7 MEPs, prime minister of Thüringen, coalition partner in Brandenburg and Berlin
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: European Left
Position on the European Union
“DIE LINKE argues for a social, democratic and peaceful Europe. The European Union is not in many areas. It is based on contracts which primarily focus on the interests of the companies. Troika's crisis policy has exacerbated these problems. We are arguing for a European Union that is freed from the clash of the financial markets and the austerity policy. For the distribution of social wealth from top to bottom. We want to strengthen the rights of the employees, the unemployed, the pensioners - for a good life for all in Europe. For a Europe in which people and the populations are not placed together and the natural bases of life are not destroyed - for a Europe of solidarity neighbors. In the war and weapons export be banned. We are fighting with all those who want a restart of the European Union - democratic, socially, ecologically, peacefully.”
On the bombing of Syria
“This will not contribute to de-escalation," Dietmar Bartsch said today in the ARD morning magazine on the US air strike against Syria. "I am very worried when I see that Russia and the United States are operating in an airspace, which is a huge danger potential, so you can only do one thing, and that is really a Security Council. This madness with the chemical weapons has to be clarified, the responsible persons have to be held accountable.This is completely clear, but I do not believe that bombs lead to peace. "The IS is cheering.”
Deutsche Kommunistische Partei (DKP)
Founded in 1968 by the so-called ‘Socialist Centre’, a bunch of several leftist movements and trade unionist organisations who were looking to create a party to replace the banned Communist Party of Germany, banned since 1956 for disagreeing with the West German constitution. The creation of the party was helped by the East German SED. The party, while technically illegal for having links with the former CP, was left alone by the German government as it was during this period that the German state – in particular Willy Brandt – wanted to thaw relations with the East bloc. Its end goal is communism, which it defines as the end of the exploitation of humans by humans.
Membership: 3,000 (2015)
MPs: no
International affiliation: IMCWP
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“Europe is bigger than the European Union. But the European Union is very important to the economy and the policies of the rest of Europe. In the construction of the European Union, the Internal Market and the Monetary Union, the interests of the corporations are concentrated on a large market, free of borders and regulations. From a position of strength in Western Europe the other markets are attacked. After a phase of capitalization at the Western European level - with an overweight in German investment in the other EU countries - an accelerated process of transatlantic and international mergers is taking place. (…) Due to its greater economic and financial potentials, Germany has taken on the role of a decisive leadership power, which it is currently trying to achieve in cooperation with the ruling circles of France. Based on this role, German monopoly capital is once again pursuing the old strategy of German imperialism to pursue an aggressive economic, political and military expansion policy towards Eastern and South Eastern Europe as far as the Caucasus and the Middle East. (…) Europe, however, is not only the Europe of corporations but also the collective historical consciousness of the peoples over the catastrophe of fascism and war. Europe is also the cultural, political experiences and social struggles with which the workers' movement has aroused social and democratic rights. In a part of Europe it was proved that a society without capitalist exploitation is possible.”
On the bombing of Syria
‘The DKP condemns the missile attack by the US Army on the Syrian air base Al-Shairat. Patrik Köbele, President of the DKP, said on Friday, "Regardless of whether the Syrian army is actually responsible for the death of more than 80 people by poison gas - for which there is so far no evidence - the US attack is a violation of international law . " (…) The confrontation of the most aggressive part of US imperialism and its allies - especially the FRG - against Russia will be further intensified at the expense of the Syrian people. It was never a question of a peace solution for Syria, which can only be achieved on the basis of national sovereignty. The goal has been and is the weakening of all the countries that are in the way of the Western world's claim to welfare - especially Russia and China.”
Marxistisch-Leninistische Partei Deutschlands (MLPD)
Founded in 1982 it is the successor of several anti-revisionist parties of the 60s and 70s. It says it bases itself on the theories of Marx, Engels, Lenin and former Communist Party chairman Ernst Thälmann. It does not believe in Stalinism and Maoism and calls them buzzwords to divide the communist movement. Against Kruschevism and Dengism. Trade unions have a policy to expel members of the MLPD. Their chairman before this week was Stefan Engels who is a meme in some circles but don’t ask me why.
Membership: 1800 (2015)
MPs: no
International affiliation: ICOR & ICMLPO (International Newsletter)
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“The declared goal of the bourgeois parties in Brussels and Berlin was to overcome the crisis of confidence in the EU and win the European population for this imperialist alliance. This undoubtedly failed. Not even the second-choice party took part in the election at all. The participation rate stagnated throughout the EU at 43 percent. Just because it was relatively high in Germany at 48.1 percent, it did not sink much more. The increased participation in Germany is linked above all to a stronger link to the municipal elections. (…) In contrast to the Left Party, the MLPD has aggressively opposed its assertion that its criticism of the EU is right and reactionary. The criticism of the EU from a revolutionary, leftist point of view became a new hallmark of the MLPD. This was connected with an environmental policy focus with the newly published book "Disaster Alarm! What to do against the willful destruction of the unity of man and nature? "When the MLPD made an election campaign, it also succeeded in attacking the greening nimbus of the EU and the greenwashing of the Alliance Greens. (…) With the further development and strengthening of ICOR parties, a revolutionary potential and an important point of reference for the masses is slowly being built up in Europe. The absence of such parties in the majority of the EU countries favors the growth of ultra-reactionary to fascist parties. This is especially the case in France, Sweden, Austria, Finland or Hungary.”
Position on the bombing of Syria
“She warns: 'The open threat of the ultra-reactionary and fascist-like US President Trump to a military' retaliation 'against Syria, which he has made the night before, is a direct threat to world peace. This threatens a direct military confrontation and escalation between the imperialist competitors USA and Russia. The sudden reversal of Trumps in his Russia policy shows how illusory the hopes were for a peaceable cooperation between the reactionaries Putin and Trump from the beginning. Those who are in favor of peace must now take a clear position against all imperialists. For this reason, the election campaigns of the INTERNATIONALIST LIST / MLPD to the regional elections in NRW 'against any imperialist aggression!'”
Sozialistische Alternative (SAV)
Founded in 1973 around the newspaper VORAN, the militants would infiltrate the SPD to promote a Marxist platform. Back then it was already the German section of the CWI. VORAN thought that the SPD became too middle class in 1994 (about 180 years later than every decent communist). Currently trying to enter Die Linke.
Membership: 300 (2015)
MPs: no
International affiliation: CWI
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
I’d tell you but their site, like other trotskyist websites, doesn’t seem to like me.
Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (SGP)
German section of the International Committee for a Fourth International, which they think is the correct Fourth International but it’s probably not even a real internationale. Founded in 1997, hate Stalin.
Membership: 300 (no date)
MPs: no
International affiliation: ICFI
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“SGP is an opponent of the European Union and its institutions. They are the result of the efforts of the German and European bourgeoisie to unite the continent under the dictates of the most powerful corporations and banks. The answer to the EU, however, is not the re-establishment of inner-European borders and the defense of national sovereignty. In the age of globalization there can be no return to the national state and to economic nationalism. The SGP does not advocate protectionism or "free trade," but fights for the socialization of the productive forces, the elimination of national borders and the creation of a planned, rationally interwoven global economy. It advocates the establishment of United Socialist States of Europe. It pursues this goal within the framework of an international strategy: the global unification of workers of all countries and the creation of United Socialist States of the world.”
Their site apart from their program seems to just be their promotional stuff for the Berlin elections, without real position pieces
Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands
Founded in 1990 in East Berlin, which made it legally a former East German party and thus their name does not fall under the KPD Ban of West Germany. Thinks Actually Existing Socialism also extends to the DDR. Hates Chrushchev, likes the Kims. Erich Honecker joined the KPD after he got ousted out of SED-PDS.
Membership: 155
MPs: no
International affiliation: /
European affiliation: /
Position on the European Union
“The EU is a construct which in Europe serves as the foundation of a newly emerged imperialist center that exacerbates the economic and political contradictions within the imperialist world and, as Lenin predicted, proves to be the blackest "reaction on the whole line". There is no trace of international and peace-promoting activity. This is precisely why the EU constitutional project has failed so far. The KPD strongly rejects any attempt by the FRG to resuscitate the ratification process for the implementation of the present EU constitutional texts.”
Position on the bombing of Syria
“In violation of international law, the United Nations Charter, the US launched a rocket attack on the territory of the sovereign state of Syria on the night of 7 April 2017. Supposedly, the "national security interests of the US" were threatened by the release of chemical agents from unknown.
The IS, with the help of NATO intelligence services, has once again succeeded in provoking the US, now under the leadership of President Trump, to a military action. Without awaiting any internationally recognized result of the investigation, the imperialist leaders immediately established that it could have been only Syrian forces. (…) The imperial strategy of the West, however, is to torpedo any political solution while preserving the sovereignty of the Syrian state. In addition, the attitude of US President Trump to the Assad government is to be influenced in the direction of open military aggression. This strategy will lead to a tightening of the military confrontation with Russia. The danger of a 3rd big world fire is as high as never.
All the opponents of the war, all the peace forces, all Communists, Socialists, Democrats, humanist forces are called upon to counteract this dangerous activity of the US administration with the imagery as a cosmopolitan.
We call on our absolute peace-making to the government of the FRG and other NATO countries by powerful protests, demonstrations and resistance to the war policy."
dont see the RAF mentioned here..?
drcat posted:Mélenchon is getting a bunch of attention. Is this because he is considered safe and liberal, or is it something worth real attention? If the answer to this is complicated I was thinking I might make a Mélenchon thread, but for now I will just ask here
p.s. Die Linke has really good posters in Cologne. This is my contribution
it's a bit complicated
you have to remember that Mélenchon came from the PS out of a disagreement on his motion and was part of the French state apparatus as a secretary of state for secondary education. but the movement behind him is incredibly diverse and interesting and has a lot of decent orgs behind it (in particular the JC and the orthodox factions within the PCF) which are very interesting for a revolutinary party
it's really the french bernie sanders story tbf, different from Poutou as Poutou has neither the previous ties with establishment to make him mediafriendly and neither the contacts with social movements to make him interesting on an activist level