www.europeturnleft.eu
Topics overview
Introduction into the thematic areas
– Europe swing to the right – fight back!
– Fortress Europe – refugees welcome!
– Neoliberalism in Europe – stop austerity
– New social movements in Europe – organize the change
https://www.europeturnleft.eu/en/topics-overview/
After the economic crisis in 2008, the neoliberal fairytale of austerity was given a new boost. The neoliberal ideology reflects the idea the dismantling of the welfare state is urgently needed… [more]
Europe turn left!
Topics overview
Introduction into the thematic areas
In recent years, the European idea is being questioned and offensively attacked more than ever. Anti-European movements such as the Brexit or the spread of right-wing populism are leading to an increasing re-nationalization. The project of a united Europe sticking together in peace is threatened. The young generation, however, has developed a certain sense of Europeanism and shows solidarity with refugees and people in dire need. The construction of Fortress Europe, though, is completely contrary to what they consider as European values. Nevertheless, many young people living without any prospects and under unemployment or precarious employment relationships are lacking an idea of how the European Union can promote their interests – or of how European solidarity could look like.
We want to carry out an in depth-analysis of the situation(s) in Europe and discuss and discover the current struggles and utopias together with comrades and friends from Germany and Europe. To this end, we have divided the programme into four pillars:
Europe swinging to the right – fight back!
“Law and Justice” in Poland, the Front National in France, the FPÖ in Austria, the Alternative for Germany – there is an alarming swing to the right across Europe which on the one hand, is reflected by recent electoral successes and which long since, on the other hand, leads to growing hatred and violence. For us it is not enough to explain the success of right-wing populists through peoples’ discontent regarding the current policy and their alleged fears. Nor can we blame it on the arrival of refugees or the global terrorism.
Right-wing ideologies have never disappeared from Europe and now are given new, civic look filled with hatred. The so-called “bourgeois middle-class” experiences an authoritarian intensification and fears social decline. This agitation provides breeding ground for racist and inhuman violence – against refugees, people of colour, and leftists. In recent years, the Falken and the Jusos are more and more becoming targets of attacks. We count on democratic discourse and solidarity to help against agitation. We represent the leftist answer to this right-wing populism.
Neoliberalism in Europe – stop austerity!
After the economic crisis in 2008, the neoliberal fairytale of austerity was given a new boost. The neoliberal ideology reflects the idea the dismantling of the welfare state is urgently needed. Austerity means that all state expenditures are reduced to a minimum so that on paper, the state has a balanced budget. For the people, in turn, this means receiving bad or hardly any services and as a result suffering culturally, socially and in health.
Due to the crisis as well as the bad policy of the European Central Bank many countries, in particular in South Europe, got caught in a debt trap. The answer of the neoliberal policy was to keep those countries alive through emergency credits and force them to radically cut down their expenditures. Austerity being a salutary concept has been refuted more than seventy years ago. All the same, the governments have opted for this way. The result is high unemployment, increased infant mortality, the return of long repressed diseases due to a bad provision of healthcare, evictions for families etc.
We will look for alternative economic approaches on both greater and smaller scale – for this purpose we will invite leftist theorists, politicians as well as cooperative collectives and activists.
Fortress Europe – refugees welcome!
More than 5.000 people have drowned in 2016, fleeing to Europe. Myriad of people have died on their way across the mainland. The one responsible for the fatalities at Europe’s external borders is the EU’s and its Member States’ asylum policy. We want that people asking for asylum are not forced to risk their life any longer in order to receive shelter. Further, the repulse of refugees through so-called third countries cooperating with the EU to secure the borders has to end.
It is not the refugees who have to be fought but the causes of flight. Due to its export of military equipment Europe contributes to the fact that people are forced to flee.
Together with refugees and activists we will discover the opportunities of showing solidarity with refugees and of how the fortress Europe can be dismantled.
New social movements in Europe – organise the change!
There are many young people being interested in politics and wanting to change things. However, they do not feel as if they belong to one of the social democratic or socialist parties. Instead, they get involved in organisations, movements and collectives outside the spectrum of political parties. We know: Outrage alone is not sufficient. Just reusing old formulas is not sufficnet either, though. Youth organizations have to consider it as their task to enter into dialogue and form the link between established parties and extra-parliamentary movements.
On this account, we invite organizations, movements and collectives from different countries to explain to us what they are fighting for. Together we will examine the question of why people are turning away from leftist parties and to which extent leftist parties are needed in order to general a social change and accomplish social justice. At the same time, we will not only seek links but also a way of how to work together on projects promoting a just future.
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