The sixth conference of the European Anti-Capitalist Left (EACL) took place in Athens on June 9-10. Alan Thornett reports.
Plan McCombes from the Scottish A
Socialist Party introduced the debate on the political situation after the war. He stressed the increasing urgency for left unity across Europe and the need to get right the relationship between the political parties and the social movements.
The European ruling classes are making an all-out attempt to strengthen the European Union as a supranational imperialist State counterposed to the USA. The social democrat parties will play a key role in trying to convince the working class to accept cuts in jobs, wages, pensions, housing, education, health and labour rights in the name of competitiveness, as well as renewed euro militarism in the name of the "war against terrorism".
They will also defend the need for sacrifices on democratic rights and asylum, and support increased military expenditure and the building of a European army.
A series of very interesting reports were given on the anti-war movements in the various countries and the renewed neo-liberal offensive which has followed the war -in particular the attack on pensions. A report was given on the strike movement in France against the erosion of pension rights and on changes in education.
The EACL conferences have been taking place every six months, at the time of the EU summits, for the past three years. This one focused on the concrete issue of next year's European elections, and the possibility of a European-wide slate of the radical anti-capitalist left to contest it.
Recognised parties will get EU funding to fight the election Europe-wide. Already the Greens are preparing such a party as are some of the communist parties (CPs)
It is expected that to be recognised as a party you have to have an elected MP, or member of a recognised regional parliament, in 25% of the countries of the EU -which by then will be 25. This means we
CHIRAC TU T'ES TROMPE DE "FERRY French strikers wage the latest fightback against capitalist austerity programmes
ferent countries to be on our slate. support it. .••
BRITORIAUX * Y'Emploi PONSA cat would need parties with MPs in seven difA number of the organisations present already have MPs: the Left Block, the SSP, Rifondazioni Communista, the LCR, the Red Green Alliance and the Socialist Party of
The Greek organisation, Synaspsmos, has MPs but is more likely to join a CP based party, and in any case it is not clear that it would support a platform of the radical left. Rifondazioni is important to this project, but has not yet taken a decision on whether to
concerned RAFFARIN S.A КИТВЕРВИЧ ОК ФЕНОНТІОН on a manifesto for such a party, which the EACL will publish after its next Conference. which will take place in November.
Most seemed to think that the manifesto should be detailed enough to define the broad politics of our current, but should
ATTENDING the conference were: the Red Green Alliance from Denmark, the Socialist Alliance from England, the Socialist Workers Party from Britain (represented by Chris Harman), the Scottish Socialist Party, the Ligue Communist Revolutionaire from France, the Left Block from Portugal, Alternative Space from the Spanish state, Rifondazione Communista from Italy. There were also observers from other tendencies. also allow for more detailed and precise positions to be adopted at the national level
For example it should be against the Europe of the bosses, but allow different positions at the national level as far as alternatives to the EU (to withdraw or not) are
Achieving a European Party is important for us in the Socialist Alliance, since it could be an important factor in bringing a new coalition together as well as putting us in a better position in the election itself.
This would involve important progress being made in the bid by the Socialist Alliance for a united left campaign in England. In fact it would need more than a simple electoral arrangement between different parties
This would probably require a common name and a common manifesto - at least on the main political points. There is therefore a lot of work to be done at both the national and international level before such a European party can be achieved. The rewards for success, however, could be very great.