The European Union
The European Commission, French President Hollande accelerate austerity
By Anthony Torres, 23 May 2013
While the French economy has entered into recession, the European Union and the French government are pressing to accelerate social attacks.
Beppe Grillo agitates against immigrants
By Marianne Arens, 22 May 2013
On May 14, Beppe Grillo published a racist blog post appealing to far-right forces.
OECD reports growing inequality worldwide
By Stefan Steinberg, 17 May 2013
The latest OECD report confirms that inequality in most industrialised nations has grown significantly since the world economic crisis broke out in 2007-8.
Austrian Social Democrats suffer massive losses in local elections
By Markus Salzmann, 17 May 2013
In regional elections in Salzburg, the Social Democrats and the Austrian Peoples’ Party recorded the largest loss of support since the Second World War.
Greek teachers defy military mobilisation orders
By Christoph Dreier, 16 May 2013
Greek teachers have voted to oppose the mobilisation order of the government and begin strike action on Friday.
Euro zone contracts for sixth consecutive quarter
By Andre Damon, 16 May 2013
The euro area economy contracted by 0.2 percent in the first quarter of this year, which was followed by further calls for austerity.
The rotten foundations of the Italian coalition government
By Marianne Arens and Peter Schwarz, 15 May 2013
An appellate court has handed down a four-year prison sentence for tax evasion to former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Greek protests against ban on strikes
By Christoph Dreier, 14 May 2013
Greek police served 88,000 high school teachers with civil mobilization orders on Monday.
Britain’s Queen’s speech: Anti-immigrant rhetoric in support of austerity
By Julie Hyland, 11 May 2013
By scapegoating immigrants as undeserving “scroungers”, the government intends to deny people, including European Union citizens, the right to access public services, including welfare, health care and housing.
German Left Party’s Oskar Lafontaine calls for return to national currencies
By Christoph Dreier, 11 May 2013
The founder and former chair of the Left Party, Oskar Lafontaine, is proposing the reintroduction of national currencies to drive down wages.
Marx 21 Congress: Anti-Marxists meet in Berlin
By Johannes Stern, 11 May 2013
The congress of the Marx 21 group taking place this weekend in Berlin is a shabby operation aimed at promoting right-wing and imperialist policies under a pseudo-left garb.
Left Unity: Director Ken Loach fronts initiative of Britain’s pseudo-left groups
By Julie Hyland, 9 May 2013
A campaign for a new “left” party has been launched by sections of Britain’s pseudo-left, modelled on SYRIZA in Greece.
Europe on the eve of mass working class struggles
By Ulrich Rippert, 7 May 2013
Against the background of the greatest economic crisis since the 1930s, the European Union is showing its true face—that of a dictatorship of finance capital.
Austerity policies heighten national divisions in Europe
By Stefan Steinberg, 6 May 2013
The official debate over austerity in Europe has broken out amid deepening economic crisis and mounting social anger in the working class.
Euro zone unemployment hits record high for 23rd consecutive month
By Andre Damon and Stefan Steinberg, 2 May 2013
Unemployment in the euro zone hit another record in March, with no end in sight to the economic and social catastrophe gripping Europe.
No retreat from austerity in Italy
By Chris Marsden, 2 May 2013
Enrico Letta heads a coalition tasked with continuing the savage austerity measures begun under Mario Monti.
Greek unions hold one-day general strike
By Robert Stevens, 2 May 2013
Public transport ground to a halt in the capital Athens, with no train or ferry services operating.
More mass layoffs in Greece
By Christoph Dreier, 30 April 2013
The Greek parliament has voted to dismiss 15,500 public service workers and slash the minimum wage.
Amid jobs collapse, French President Hollande backs austerity in Europe
By Alex Lantier, 30 April 2013
With 26 million workers unemployed in Europe, Hollande is signaling that he will keep supporting social cuts that are devastating the French and European economies.
A Grand Coalition for austerity in Italy
By Chris Marsden, 29 April 2013
The formation of a Grand Coalition government in Italy shows the degree to which the global financial oligarchy dominates political life.
Italian bank scandal reveals depth of financial crisis
By Mike Jobson, 29 April 2013
Italian prosecutors ordered the seizure of €1.8 billion in a probe of Monte dei Paschi di Siena bank.
EU demands further austerity in Slovenia
By Markus Salzmann, 29 April 2013
Slovenia is regarded as the next likely candidate for an EU bailout to shore up its banks.
Unemployment hits record highs in Spain, France
By Alex Lantier, 26 April 2013
The number of unemployed workers in Spain and France reached all-time highs, as Europe’s economic collapse accelerates under the impact of devastating austerity measures.
Anti-government sentiment dominates elections in Iceland
By Jordan Shilton, 26 April 2013
Elections in Iceland this weekend are likely to see a massive anti-government vote, putting an end to four years of rule by the Social Democrat-Left Green coalition.
Democratic Party’s Enrico Letta will try to form Italian government
By Alex Lantier, 25 April 2013
After two months of crisis following February’s elections, recently reinstalled Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has tasked Enrico Letta with forming a government.
European Union cites Boston attack to justify major anti-terrorist operation
By Chris Marsden, 24 April 2013
On April 17 and 18, anti-terrorist units of numerous European Union member states participated in an operation involving simulated terrorist attacks in nine different countries.
Spain: Polls show support for all parties, unions and monarchy at record low
By Alejandro López, 24 April 2013
The huge decline in support for the political parties, trade unions, and the monarchy can only mean huge social struggles are on the horizon.
Mass evictions continue in Spain
By Franci Vier and Paul Mitchell, 23 April 2013
None of the main demands of the anti-evictions petition launched by the Mortgage Victims Platform have been included in a new law by the Popular Party.
Italy: Napolitano re-elected as president
By Peter Schwarz, 22 April 2013
The reelection of Georgio Napolitano as Italian president is a strictly temporary solution.
Presidential vote heightens political crisis in Italy
By Peter Schwarz, 20 April 2013
The election of Italy’s president, like the previous general election, has exposed deep divisions and bitter power struggles within the ruling elite.
EU, Greek government plan more mass layoffs, privatisations
By Robert Stevens, 19 April 2013
Under terms agreed with the “troika” some 15,000 public sector workers will lose their jobs by the end of 2014, including 4,000 jobs this year.
EU finance ministers demand more austerity at Dublin summit
By Stefan Steinberg, 15 April 2013
Despite data indicating that Europe’s recession will continue this year, European finance ministers meeting in Dublin over the weekend agreed to intensify austerity measures.
European Union demands more austerity in Greece
By Robert Stevens, 13 April 2013
Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem has warned that Greece needed to “speed up its efforts” in order to comply with the troika’s austerity programme.
Putin in Germany: Rising tensions between Moscow and Berlin
By Clara Weiss, 13 April 2013
The relationship between Moscow and Berlin is characterized simultaneously by growing economic cooperation and increasing political tensions.
The Cypriot bailout marks a new stage in the euro crisis
By Christoph Dreier, 11 April 2013
Fifty-five years after the founding of the European Economic Community, the project of unifying Europe on a capitalist basis has been irrevocably shattered by the global economic crisis.
Germany: Bundestag allows police access to private PINs and passwords
By Johann Müller, 11 April 2013
Revisions to the German Telecommunication Act legalise the monitoring of private data stored on mobile phones and in the Internet.
Eastern European auto industry in crisis
By Markus Salzmann, 10 April 2013
Low wages are no longer low enough and auto companies are increasingly moving production to North Africa.
Germany’s Left Party defends the looting of Cyprus
By Christoph Dreier, 10 April 2013
With the escalation of the euro crisis, the Left Party is moving closer to the Merkel government and essentially supports its brutal course on Cyprus, which means the unprecedented looting of the country.
European Union demands cuts after Portuguese court rules bailout unconstitutional
By Paul Mitchell, 9 April 2013
The Portuguese Constitutional Court’s ruling against EU budget cuts reveals the politically criminal and illegal basis of the pan-European onslaught on the working class.
European Union imposes austerity bailout on Cyprus
By Robert Stevens, 9 April 2013
The terms dictated to Cyprus by the European Union in exchange for a bailout are predicated on the destruction of the pay and conditions of the working class.
Class war in Europe
By Julie Hyland, 4 April 2013
The punitive measures imposed on Cyprus mark a qualitative deepening of the European bourgeoisie’s class war offensive.
European unemployment rises for 22nd consecutive month
By Stefan Steinberg, 4 April 2013
The latest figures from the Eurostat statistics office confirm that the continent’s economic recession is taking a rising toll on jobs and living standards.
As government crisis drags on
Italian president appoints expert commissions
By Marianne Arens, 4 April 2013
The ruling class in Italy is desperately seeking to override the election result of February 25 and develop a political mechanism to continue the austerity policies that were decisively rejected by the electorate.
SYRIZA makes political pact with the nationalist right
By Christoph Dreier, 4 April 2013
The alliance with right-wing nationalists clearly shows SYRIZA’s class character.
Greek parliament overturns right to free, universal education
By Robert Stevens, 2 April 2013
The cynically-named Athena Plan, calling for mass closures of universities and technical institutions, was passed in flagrant violation of the Greek constitution.
Reports reveal rapid pauperisation of the Spanish working class
By Alejandro López, 2 April 2013
Recent statistical surveys attest to the massive drop in working class living standards in Spain since the onset of the global financial crisis.
Britain: Conservatives and Labour step up witch-hunt against immigrants
By Paul Mitchell, 1 April 2013
UK Prime Minister David Cameron calls for the denial of welfare rights to migrant workers and immigrants.
After Cyprus, more austerity in Greece
By Robert Stevens, 30 March 2013
Fresh from its financial looting of Cyprus, the European bourgeoisie is threatening to withhold funds from Greece unless it complies with mass sackings in the public sector.
Attempts to form Italian government collapse
By Marianne Arens, 28 March 2013
A month after Italian elections produced a hung parliament, the latest attempts to form a government have collapsed amid mass opposition to austerity.
Cyprus to face savage cuts and economic dictatorship
By Jordan Shilton and Chris Marsden, 23 March 2013
The fate of Cyprus illustrates how the European Union imposes the dictatorship of the global speculators, banks and corporations on the working class.
SYRIZA leader Tsipras addresses the British pseudo-left
By Robert Stevens, 23 March 2013
Alexis Tsipras, the leader of Greece’s SYRIZA spoke in London at several events last week.
Europe threatens Cyprus with bankruptcy in power struggle with Russia
By Alex Lantier, 22 March 2013
Cyprus’ parliament passed legislation granting the state emergency powers, including capital controls to block sudden outflows of money from the country.
Europe in crisis as Cyprus faces national bankruptcy
By Jordan Shilton and Chris Marsden, 21 March 2013
The collapse of Cyprus’s financial system is being avoided only by the continued closure of the banks, which may be kept shut until next Tuesday.
Cyprus banks close as bailout terms spark Europe-wide crisis
By Jordan Shilton and Chris Marsden, 19 March 2013
Terms attached to the European Union bailout for Cypriot banks triggered heavy losses on financial markets.
EU summit sparks run on Cyprus banks
By Stefan Steinberg and Chris Marsden, 18 March 2013
The decision by the European Union summit to levy a tax on Cyprus bank deposits to pay for a rescue package resulted in a stampede to withdraw cash from the country’s banks.
EU summit wants more austerity
By Peter Schwarz, 14 March 2013
The summit attended by 27 leaders of the European Union in Brussels tonight resembles a besieged fortress.
German interior minister agitates against immigrants
By Martin Kreikenbaum, 11 March 2013
Last week, Hans-Peter Friedrich denounced immigrants from Eastern Europe, stoking up resentment against alleged "benefit tourism" from other EU states.
The political significance of Beppe Grillo’s Five-Star Movement
By Marc Wells and Peter Schwarz, 9 March 2013
To understand the rise of Beppo Grillo one must take account the deep crisis of European capitalism and the bankruptcy of the traditional parties of the “left”.
Italian parties endeavor to form a government
By Marianne Arens and Peter Schwarz, 6 March 2013
Italian parties are trying to form a government to continue the austerity measures of ex-premier Mario Monti.
Bulgaria: Protests continue after government’s resignation
By Markus Salzmann, 27 February 2013
Protests and demonstrations are continuing in Bulgaria despite the resignation of the right-wing government of Boyko Borisov.
Initial results indicate stalemate in Italian election
By Peter Schwarz, 26 February 2013
The Italian election result presages fierce social conflicts and political upheavals.
Cyprus poses danger for euro zone stability
By Jordan Shilton, 26 February 2013
As the new Cypriot government of Nikos Anastasiades pledges further austerity, the financial crisis gripping the island threatens the stability of the euro zone.
Workers mount 24-hour national strike against social attacks in Greece
By Christoph Dreier, 21 February 2013
Tens of thousands of Greek workers went on strike on Wednesday to protest government austerity measures and attacks on the right to strike.
SYRIZA censures deputy for questioning Greek claims of disputed islands
By Christoph Dreier, 21 February 2013
The Greek Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) has expelled one of its members from a parliamentary committee after he distanced himself from anti-Turkish chauvinism and the Greek army.
In the Italian elections, Rifondazione Comunista emerges as a bourgeois party
By Marc Wells, 12 February 2013
Rifondazione is joining the Citizens’ Revolution alliance of prosecutor Antonio Ingroia, completing its transformation into a bourgeois party.
Class tensions in Europe at the breaking point
By Peter Schwarz, 11 February 2013
European governments are responding to social opposition with strike bans and methods of state violence traditionally associated with dictatorships.
European Union summit agrees on austerity budget
By Peter Schwarz, 11 February 2013
With the first cut to its own budget, the EU has given a clear signal for the continuation of its austerity agenda.
Greek government imposes martial law on ferry strikers
By Christoph Dreier, 7 February 2013
The criminalization of striking workers harks back to the police state conditions that prevailed under the fascist regime of the Greek colonels some 40 years ago.
Greek government threatens striking ferry workers with martial law
By Christoph Dreier, 5 February 2013
The Greek government has announced that it intends to ban a strike by ferry workers against wage cuts and sackings and place the workers under martial law.
The human cost of Italian austerity
By Paul Bond, 29 January 2013
As the social catastrophe deepens, all parties in Italy’s general election have agreed to impose further austerity measures.
Striking Athens subway workers defy court ruling
By Robert Stevens, 24 January 2013
The strike by Athens subway workers continued into its seventh day yesterday in defiance of a court ruling declaring the work action illegal.
Italy: Beppe Grillo’s inexorable move to the right
By Marianne Arens and Peter Schwarz, 24 January 2013
The Five-Star Movement led by comedian Beppe Grillo is regarded as the protest organisation with the best chance of success in the Italian elections.
Greek SYRIZA leader meets with German finance minister
By Christoph Dreier, 15 January 2013
On Monday, Alexis Tsipras met with the German finance minister to discuss the credit agreements between the European Union and Greece.
Europe in 2013
By Peter Schwarz, 10 January 2013
Europe remains mired in its deepest economic and social crisis since World War II.
Greek government parties, opposition call joint demonstration
By Christoph Dreier, 8 January 2013
The alliance calling for a protest demonstration on January 19 against the Chrysi Avgi has no intention of conducting a serious struggle against the fascists.
Italian Prime Minister Monti resigns
By Peter Schwarz, 11 December 2012
Monti resigned for tactical reasons. He is attempting to secure a long-term and stable parliamentary majority for his increasingly unpopular austerity measures.
Euro zone finance ministers demand deeper cuts in Greece, Europe
By Robert Stevens and Jordan Shilton, 13 November 2012
A meeting of euro zone finance ministers on Monday delayed a further 31.5 billion euros in aid to Greece.
What way forward for workers in Greece?
By Christoph Dreier, 9 November 2012
While this week’s strikes and mass protests show the immense potential power of the Greek workers, the policy of the trade unions and their political allies is aimed at suffocating the struggle to defeat the austerity measures.
Defend the Greek working class!
By Christoph Dreier, 2 November 2012
A critical precondition for a struggle of the European working class against austerity is political solidarity with the embattled Greek working class.
The dead-end of Catalan independence
Part two
By Alejandro López and Paul Mitchell, 2 November 2012
This is the conclusion of a two-part article. Part one was published November 1.
The rise of separatist agitation in Europe
By Chris Marsden, 30 October 2012
The growth of separatist movements throughout Europe is a retrograde development that cuts across the critical struggle to unite the working class in opposition to the social counterrevolution being carried out under the auspices of the European Union.
German-French tensions dominate European Union summit
By Peter Schwarz, 20 October 2012
The public clash between Merkel and Hollande is symptomatic of growing tensions within the European Union.
Mass protests and police violence in Greece
By Christoph Dreier, 19 October 2012
As EU leaders assembled in Brussels to discuss how to proceed with the euro crisis, tens of thousands demonstrated in Greek cities against austerity measures.
Flemish nationalist gains in regional elections renew pressure on Belgium
By Paul Bond, 19 October 2012
The victory of the separatist New Flemish Alliance in last weekend’s regional elections has again increased pressures threatening the break-up of Belgium.
The European Union’s Nobel Peace Prize
By Peter Schwarz, 15 October 2012
The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union is aimed at providing political support to all those who, in the name of defending the EU, are carrying out the most brutal attacks against working people since the 1930s.
Former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer urges dictatorial powers for the EU
By Christoph Dreier, 9 October 2012
Green Party veteran leader Fischer is advocating German domination in Europe and the removal of all democratic constraints over budget policy in the euro zone.
SYRIZA deepens European Union ties as austerity intensifies in Greece
By Christoph Dreier, 4 October 2012
The Greek government is encountering increasing difficulties in enforcing cuts and under these conditions the SYRIZA coalition is assuming growing significance for the ruling elite.
Millions of Greek workers join one-day general strike against austerity
By Stefan Steinberg, 27 September 2012
Millions of Greek workers stopped work and hundreds of thousands participated in demonstrations Wednesday to oppose the latest package of austerity measures introduced by the coalition government led by Antonis Samaras.
Thousands demonstrate in Madrid against austerity
By Alejandro López, 18 September 2012
On Saturday, firefighters, doctors, nurses, postal employees and others suffering the austerity measures being imposed by the Popular Party government marched through Spain’s capital.
EU, IMF demand lower wages, longer hours in Greece
By Stefan Steinberg, 6 September 2012
The letter leaked to the press before EU and IMF talks in Athens calls for a six-day work week, new minimum wage cuts, and other attacks.
German chancellor visits Moldova
By Markus Salzmann, 28 August 2012
German chancellor Angela Merkel visited Moldova and raised the issue of the impoverished country’s possible accession to the European Union.
European Union intensifies pressure on Greece for social cuts
By Christoph Dreier, 23 August 2012
The aim of European meetings this week is to put pressure on Greece to commit to further social cuts, while ruthlessly implementing those already agreed upon.
How German philosopher Jürgen Habermas proposes to save the EU
By Peter Schwarz, 20 August 2012
In a recent article, Jürgen Habermas and his co-authors make a veiled attempt to fan German nationalism, arguing for a return of European greatness on the world stage.
European recession deepens, unemployment climbs
By Stefan Steinberg, 17 August 2012
Four years after the most serious economic crisis in Europe since the Second World War, the continent is once again sliding deeply into recession.
The euro bailouts and the crisis of democracy in Europe
By Peter Schwarz, 7 August 2012
In a recent comment, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said that Europe would fall apart if governments were “bound by the decisions of their parliaments.”
Europe’s austerity zone
By Chris Marsden, 12 July 2012
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s announcement of a further 65 billion euros in cuts and tax hikes confirms that no shift from austerity can be expected from either the European Union or any of its constituent governments.
Record unemployment in euro zone
By Christoph Dreier, 3 July 2012
The record unemployment in the euro zone is the result of the austerity measures imposed by the European Union, particularly in southern Europe.
EU steps up internal border controls
By Martin Kreickenbaum, 19 June 2012
Two decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Europe is again raising its internal frontiers in order to force refugees to return to the misery of their home countries.
G7 holds emergency meeting amid deepening European banking crisis
By Peter Schwarz, 6 June 2012
The euro crisis has worsened dramatically over the past few days, sparking a frantic series of international meetings and conference calls.
SYRIZA leader Tsipras lays out right-wing policies for Greek crisis
By Alex Lantier, 6 June 2012
On May 31, SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras gave Time magazine a long interview on his party’s program in Greece’s June 17 elections.
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