First was Obama’s campaign, with clear messages to the citizens in order to encourage them to believe that the USA could change and as a result the rest of the world would change too.
Then there was Greece. In December of 2008, after the murder of a young innocent child, downtown Athens, riots broke out, emphasizing the fact, that something goes wrong in this world…and Europe especially.
Then was Iceland and Lithuania. People getting angry and restless. Future is not promising and world leaders are watching a financial game that obviously cannot control. Or at least cannot persuade us the rest, about their competence.
Last week in Davos world leaders and bussinessmen/women argued on what is needed for the future. I have personally watched most of the panels and interviews. My sense was that multinationals and politicians, were trying to persuade that system is good, system must be saved!!! But at the same time in Belem, Brazil (world social forum) , the other fraction of world politics (Chaves, Morales and the rest) were announcing the death of capitalism.
This very sunday Iceland choose the first openly gay PM Johanna Sigurdardottir. A taboo issue in politics was undermined by an emergency situation, that keeps social prejudices aside. At the very same day, in France, Jean Luc Melenchon creates the “Left Party” and tries to persuade Aubry (Parti Socialiste) and Olivier Besancenot (Anticapitalist Group) to form a united “left front”. And declares European Elections as a referrendum on the future of global economy. The coincindence is that Left Green Coalition in Iceland puts as a priority the future integration to EU.
SPD in Germany tries also to come closer to DieLinke, Oscar Lafontaine’s left party. Similar moves are taking place worldwide. And my question is how this process of massive changes during this crisis will influence European Elections of 2009? Is it possible to have a more radical and left composition of MEP’s after June’s elections?
For sure we will, is my estimation. And the cause is obvious. So far the neo0liberal system of self regulated markets, proved worng. Companies are not able to survive, in order to keep the culture of sky-rocketing profits alive, to promise the same revenues to share holders etc. The world is not suddenly poor. Someone keeps the money away and labour force is not a suspect for that. So, in the period that a new deal is needed, would be difficult for cosnervative parties to persuade that have the sollutions in their pockets. And voters would not be tricked easily.
Left has also another advantage: The culture of global solidarity. But solidarity among politicians and social movements and not between stock markets and CEO’s. We are far away to speak for reviving marxism. But as President Barak Obama puts it : We are in “New Deal” era. And Europe in June will decide who will negotiate this deal!!!
