In recent months, Europe has become an arena of class battles. Every day, popular European publications are full of messages about protests. Belgium, Germany, France, Sweden, Great Britain, Romania, Greece, Italy – it seems that there is no such country in Europe in which there would be no strikers.
This leaves a mark on the political process. More and more Europeans are looking with hope at political parties and their leaders, expecting a change for the better. But there is no change yet. Because in the world another economic crisis has begun. It is too early to speak about the climax of the crisis itself, but it will come in the 2010s. Now we are witnessing only the beginning of this crisis, which will continue for the next two, three years and will affect the next decade.
And this is a very disappointing forecast. It is known that the more feverish the economy, the more the socially least protected population suffers. And therefore, the role of left-wing parties is growing, which set themselves the task of protecting the working man from market instability. It is the left parties that are constantly talking about development alternatives, calling for a change in the world, to make it more humane.
For example, the Party of European Left, which includes PCRM, even has the slogan: “Another Europe is possible!”
Spanish Socialists Start and … Win
An interesting example of Spain. Here, in early March, the Socialist Workers’ Party won a second time. Its leader, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, as if trying to prove to everyone that society lives not only by tradition, is truly defiant.
For the first time in Spanish history, Zapatero brings nine women to the government – more than half of ministerial portfolios. Moreover, the pretty Carmen Chacon is appointed Minister of Defense. The military stretches out in front of a woman. The generals, among whom are people from the time of General Franco, are forced to carry out the orders of a woman! And this despite the fact that in Spain there are strong gender prejudices – according to sociologists, almost a third of Spaniards believe that women have no place in politics.
But that is not all. Carmen Chacon is pregnant. She is seven months old. Such a vivid and emotional anti-militarist appeal was not long ago.
But this was not enough for the socialists. The Ministry of Equality has appeared in the new Spanish government. Its purpose is to overcome the prejudices of Spanish society and, finally, to end the beating of women on domestic grounds. This ministry will be headed by 31-year-old Bibiana Aido. In an interview with Radio Liberty, she said: “We can’t tolerate women being killed on household grounds every week!”
There is no place for the notorious political correctness. This is political honesty. Moreover, the honesty of the youngest minister of Spain.
By the way, this also has a sensation: the 31-year-old minister is the first time in the history of the country. Whether the Spanish socialists will be able to strengthen the economy of their country, to orient the policy towards a person, to solve, it seems insoluble, the problem of Basque separatism – time will tell. In the meantime, one thing is clear – society trusts left ideology.
Alessandra Mussolini offers her services
If in Spain the left, despite everything, is strengthening their position, then in Italy, the right, Silvio Berlusconi, is celebrating revenge.
This can be explained in different ways: by the global economic crisis, which hit the Italian economy more than ever, by the Neapolitan garbage sabotage, which reminded the world of the Italian mafia, Berlusconi’s very energetic campaign, which he could afford as a media tycoon. But frankly, the main problem was the fragmentation of the left movement.
Prior to the recent elections, nine parties ranged from clericals to communists in the left-center parliamentary bloc of Romano Prodi. This led to a political crisis.
By the way, the Communists of Italy have long been talking about the need to join forces. The secretary of the Communist Renaissance Party, Franco Jordan, announced last fall the creation of a new “anti-liberal, pacifist, secular left bloc” based on the union of the main Italian left parties: the Communist Renaissance Party, the Communist Party of Italy, the greens and the breakaway part of the “Left Democrats”.
However, this project has not yet been implemented. Perhaps the presence of several communist parties on the Apennine Peninsula, which are also constantly criticizing each other, undermined the authority of the left.
The Communists did not get into the new Italian parliament. But Berlusconi, as in 2001, again regained power in the early parliamentary elections. It is now clear that for the third time Berlusconi will head the Italian government. Moreover, given the support in parliament, he can repeat his record: hold on to power the entire five-year mandate. Of course, if it is possible to solve the pressing problems of Italians. Because the elections showed that voters are dissatisfied with the political system and distrust political parties: despite significant political excitement, the turnout was much lower than in the previous parliamentary elections.
It also played into the hands of large political groups. As a result, only five parties entered the Italian parliament: the People of Freedom and their allies from the League of the North on the right flank, the Democratic Party of Walter Veltroni and the Italy of Values party supporting it – on the left, the Christian Democratic Party in the center. The vast majority of seats in parliament were taken by representatives of the People of Freedom and the Democratic Party. This gave rise to political observers to talk about the fact that a two-party model is emerging in Italy.
However, if you can explain the reason for today’s situation, then it’s very difficult to understand why the “People of Freedom” and the Democrats must maintain absolute leadership, for example, in the next election. Especially when you consider that a lot of small parties joined the victorious right-wing party “People of Freedom” shortly before the elections, which are now doing everything possible to be part of the government.
For example, the granddaughter of the fascist dictator Alessandra Mussolini, who earlier headed the far-right party Social Alternative, disseminated the following statement to the media: “A graduate in medicine, with many years of political experience, excellent communication skills, specializing in social issues, who has a fighting temperament and a spectacular appearance , offers its services as a minister. The negotiations will be almost confidential. “
Similar claims probably come from other leaders of small political entities that have joined the People of Freedom party. And Berlusconi is now forced to solve a dilemma: to satisfy the requests of his fellow travelers by giving out briefcases in the cabinet to the left or right, or to face internal opposition in his own party.
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