Europe

The snap 10 November general election in the Spanish state has had as its first and clear consequence the strengthening of the extreme-right party, Vox, which grew from 24 to 52 seats, when in 2016 it did not have any. On the right, the Popular Party (PP) also increased its representation from 66 to 88 seats. PP and Vox combined ...

In a desperate move to shore up the Tories’ stumbling election campaign, Nigel Farage has announced his (right populist) Brexit Party will not stand in seats currently held by a Conservative MP. At one stroke Farage has killed any ‘anti-establishment’ credentials of his party. His pro-Tory tricks should be ruthlessly exposed anywhere the Brexit Party does contest. By Socialist Alternative ...

By Athina Kariati – New Internationalist Left – the CWI in Cyprus Climate change is having severe implications for the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean. According to scientists, the temperature of the area is increasing at a much faster rate than the global average and precipitation throughout the region is expected to decline. These factors, combined with the greed for ...

The last three months of 1989 saw the transition of Poland from a Stalinist regime to a country led by a “Solidarnosc” led government. Rather than lead to stable developing capitalism, Poland is now governed by the right-populist “Law and Justice” party. Each year on 11th November, Warsaw sees the largest far-right demonstration in Europe.  Paul Smith from Alternatywa Socjalistyczna, ...

Build a mass movement to win Organise to fight for socialism December’s general election has the potential to mark an historic turning point. It is an opportunity to build a mass movement to demand a society that works for the millions. It’s a chance to kick out the Tories and put Jeremy Corbyn in number ten. Corbyn can win this ...

Debates about the need to nationalise housing corporations have been continuing for months in Berlin and across Germany. The discussion was initiated by the Berlin based campaign to “Expropriate Deutsche Wohnen & Co.”, which the SAV (German section of the CWI-majority) supports. As a result, the state parliament is to vote on introducing a rent freeze. by Lucy Redler, SAV ...

The elections to the Federal Parliament in Switzerland last weekend saw a breakthrough for the Greens, who increased their vote to 13% of the vote and gained 17 seats. They now hold 28 seats in the National Council (lower house) and have become, for the first time in their history, the 4th largest party in Parliament. Socialist Party (CWI in Ireland) ...

The largely bottom-up mass protest movement against the prison sentences for pro-independence politicians is seeing a new, radicalised generation coming into struggle for the first time. However, for now, the movement lacks the democratic structures and political programme it needs in order to develop into a force fighting for an independent and socialist Catalan republic. The potential for that though ...

…But future upheavals await By Pedro, Socialistisch Alternatief (CWI in the Netherlands) After 4 years of a policy of conciliation by the left reformist parties BE and PCP, the general (parliamentary) elections in Portugal on 6 October gave a victory to the ruling “Socialist” party (PS), but without an overall majority or enthusiasm from the masses. The number and intensity ...

Escalate the general strike tactic, build the movement democratically from below  By John Hird & Rob MacDonald, Socialismo Revolucionario (CWI in the Spanish state) The Spanish state’s act of revenge against the Catalan people for daring to exercise their right to an independence referendum by handing out lengthy jail sentences to the political leaders who organised the vote on 1 ...