Revolting Europe
social democracy
Portugal’s poll-leading Socialists propose making pensioners pay for ‘anti-austerity’ budget if elected
Portugal’s socialists have come under fire for proposals that would see pensioners pay for their plans to ‘turn the page on austerity’ if they are elected in general elections in the autumn. “There is an alternative, it’s possible to turn the page on austerity and have better economic results,” Socialist leader Antonio Costa said, Reuters … Continue reading
Spain’s socialists pick new leader on road to nowhere
Spain’s opposition Socialists will elect a new leader on Sunday, in a an effort to reverse the party’s dramatic electoral decline and head off the challenge from new and existing parties to its left. After seven years in government, the Socialists were ousted by the right wing Popular Party in a landslide general election in … Continue reading
Merkel and the Social Democrats – a view from France
By François Delapierre The European right has its model: Germany. Angela Merkel emerged reinforced out of Sunday’s elections. After two terms, she achieved great strides forward for the CDU- CSU coalition. The paradox is that this is a non-exportable German exception. Moreover, austerity policies imposed by the Chancellor have created her own Conservative colleagues great … Continue reading
Is there a future for the German Left?
Die Linke’s Congress last weekend was an important one. It is election year, with Federal polls due in the autumn. And it has been facing pressure over its position on Europe, with a minority challenging the party’s strong support for the Single Currency. A six-year old fusion of eastern and western German radicals, Die Linke, … Continue reading
The great crime scene of Greece
It wasn’t too difficult picking out the Fat Bastard in the crowd of Russian models, craven moochers and media mavens. Besides, he and I were both desperate for coffee and heading for the same empty urn. By Greg Palast Read on in the Morning Star
Portugal’s Socialist Party, between illusion and cowardice
Portugal’s Socialist Party is now 40 years old. But what happened to the ‘socialism’? asks Joao Mineiro The socialist party, founded in April 1973, has transformed itself its a strange thing called “democratic socialism”, a kind of third way, in which the project of the socialization of the economy, building the popular movement and the ambition … Continue reading
Hollande and Miliband take a right turn
European social democracy, having abandoned any residual shame, has started off on the road to neo-liberalism, without looking back, says Carlo Formenti As if to steal from Italy’s Mario Monti the prize for the European political leader most decided on ridding himself of the limits on the excessive power of employers over the labour force, … Continue reading
Spain’s Socialists must turn left to save democracy
By Antonio Mora Plaza In her initial comments after the collapse of the Socialist vote in the Galician and Basque regional elections on October 21, party spokesperson Elena Valencia talked of a ‘negative election cycle’ caused by the crisis and – I guess this is something – the [austerity] measures taken in May 2010 taken … Continue reading
Primaries shift centre of gravity left in Italy’s centre-left
When launched in 2005, primary contests seemed like a good idea to help revive the Italian centre-left’s flagging fortunes and divisions at a time when Silvio Berlusconi’s grip on power appeared unassailable. Over 4.3 million people took part in contest for the leader of the Union alliance that gave overwhelming backing to former premier and … Continue reading
Greece’s Communist Party (KKE) on coalition government
Statement by KKE The people must strengthen the KKE and ally with it – This is the prospect which can bring hope A large mass rally-intervention was carried out by the KKE on Friday night in Syntagma Square. The rally took place a few hours before the vote of confidence in the government, which was … Continue reading
“Third man” gives left a lift in Socialist primaries race
By Tom Gill First the expected news: on Sunday the two main contenders for the French Socialist party’s primary elections for their Presidential candidate – Francois Hollande and Martine Aubry – have sailed through. With almost all votes counted mid-afternoon Monday former Socialist leader Hollande had 39.2% of the vote, against 30.7% for Aubry, a … Continue reading
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