Southern Europe
Fascistic Vox party surges in Spanish election as hung parliament emerges
By Alex Lantier, 11 November 2019
The rise of the fascistic right follows a reactionary election campaign oriented around all the major parties’ support for police crackdowns on mass protests in Catalonia.
Spain’s November 10 elections and the fight against authoritarian rule
By Alejandro Lopez, 9 November 2019
On Sunday, Spain will hold its fourth general elections in as many years, six months after the last elections this April.
Exhumation of Franco: Spain’s ruling class pays homage to a fascist dictator
By Alejandro López and Alex Lantier, 2 November 2019
Last week, the Spanish Socialist Party government exhumed the remains of fascist dictator General Francisco Franco from his vast “Valley of the Fallen” mausoleum.
Mass rally against jailing of Catalan nationalists in Barcelona
By Alejandro López, 28 October 2019
Two weeks before the November 10 general elections in Spain, hundreds of thousands marched in Barcelona Saturday afternoon.
Draconian verdict against Catalan politicians exposes bankruptcy of Podemos
By Alejandro López, 21 October 2019
This crisis is giving workers and youth internationally yet another bitter lesson in the reactionary role of affluent middle class, “post-Marxist” populist parties.
General strike paralyzes Catalonia as over half-a-million demonstrate in Barcelona
By Alejandro López, 19 October 2019
Broad sections of youth and workers mobilized to protest the police state that is emerging in Spain, and more broadly across Europe.
Ahead of ruling in Catalan show trials
Catalan nationalists, Spanish unions and pseudo-left demobilize opposition
By Alejandro López, 12 October 2019
The Catalan bourgeois nationalists are terrified of growing opposition in the working class to the austerity and police-state policies of the Spanish ruling class. Jordi Sànchez,
Spanish Supreme Court approves exhumation of fascist dictator Francisco Franco
By Alejandro López, 11 October 2019
Despite the legitimate hatred that millions of workers feel for Franco, the fascist dictator and mass murderer, the exhumation ruling is a dangerous political fraud.
Italy’s Five Star populists and social democrats try to form shaky coalition government
By Mike Head, 29 August 2019
The alliance is an attempt to prevent early elections and clear the way for an austerity budget to impose deeper cuts on the working class.
The political crisis in Italy
By Peter Schwarz, 21 August 2019
The problems and tasks facing the international working class as a whole are revealed in Italy as if under a microscope.
Greece’s New Democracy party seeks to overturn law protecting students from police repression
By George Gallanis, 30 July 2019
The Greek ruling class is preparing the grounds for a dictatorial state reminiscent of Greece’s 1967-1974 junta, from whose bloody legacy the law was born.
Podemos, Catalan nationalists cover up role of intelligence in Barcelona attack
By Alejandro López, 22 July 2019
The reactionary forces promoted in the bourgeois media as the “left” in Spain are downplaying or ignoring Spanish intelligence’s complicity in the 2017 attacks.
Outrage grows at Spanish media silence on state complicity in Barcelona attack
By Alejandro López, 22 July 2019
Readers are writing in to denounce the silence at explosive revelations of intelligence complicity in the 2017 Barcelona attacks in the online daily Público.
Publico reports Spanish intelligence facilitated 2017 Barcelona terror attack
By Alex Lantier, 20 July 2019
The report is prima facie evidence of criminal behavior by the Spanish state, abetted by other NATO powers, to create the climate to build a fascistic police-state regime.
Riot police attack Athens protest against Airbnb as housing costs soar
By John Vassilopoulos, 18 July 2019
The attack by riot police came one day after Draconian law-and-order plans were unveiled by the newly elected conservative New Democracy government.
Podemos calls internal vote to enter PSOE-led Spanish government
By Alejandro López, 15 July 2019
Aware that its falling electoral support reflects growing social opposition to the entire political establishment, Podemos is seeking to obtain as many posts as possible.
Syriza’s election defeat: A balance sheet of a political betrayal
By Alex Lantier, 9 July 2019
Hailed as a “radical” alternative to capitalism by the middle-class left, the Syriza-led government of Alexis Tsipras spent four years carrying out austerity measures on behalf of the EU.
Syriza poised to hand over power to New Democracy in Greece’s July 7 elections
By Alex Lantier, 6 July 2019
Syriza called early elections to hand power to fascistic, right-wing forces amid growing opposition among workers to its reactionary policies.
Madrid threatens migrant rescue ship with massive fines
By Alejandro López, 6 July 2019
Spain’s social-democratic government has warned it will impose hundreds of thousands of euros in fines on vessels for rescuing refugees in the Mediterranean.
After EU election, Podemos backs Spanish social democrats’ repressive policy
By Alejandro López, 3 June 2019
Podemos aims to join Spain’s social democratic government, which is preparing draconian attacks on social programs and new measures against Catalan political prisoners.
The European elections and the resurgence of the class struggle
By Alex Lantier, 30 May 2019
The EU elections revealed the deep discrediting of the political establishment and its imperviousness to growing demands from the working class for political change.
Financial Times hails four years of Syriza rule in Greece
By John Vassilopoulos, 25 May 2019
To be favourably featured in a leading mouthpiece of the global financial aristocracy is testament to the high regard in which Alexis Tsipras is held in ruling circles.
Fuel tanker drivers threaten new strike in Portugal
By Paul Mitchell, 4 May 2019
The fuel tankers dispute is the latest manifestation in Portugal of the eruption of the class struggle internationally.
Fascistic Vox party enters parliament in Spain elections, as social democrats gain
By Alex Lantier, 29 April 2019
Heavy voter turnout reflected, at least in part, significant numbers of people trying to cast a vote to prevent the far right from coming to power.
International finance backs Socialist Party in Spain’s April 28 elections
By Alejandro López, 26 April 2019
European Union sources are warning of prolonged political instability and looking to the PSOE and Podemos for an answer.
Spain: Podemos manifesto defends constitution, urges coalition with Socialist Party
By Alejandro López and Paul Mitchell, 22 April 2019
The concessions hailed by Podemos were included in the 1978 Constitution to legitimise the filthy compromise between the PSOE and the Communist Party (PCE) with the Francoites, to “forgive and forget” the crimes of fascism.
Spain seeks rebellion charges against Catalans for complaining of police violence
By Alejandro López, 13 April 2019
In the Orwellian atmosphere being stoked up by the ruling class in the run up to the April 28 general election, it is the victims of police brutality that are denounced as aggressors.
Fascists mount pogrom against Roma population in Italy
By Marianne Arens, 6 April 2019
The fascists, who feel emboldened by the Italian government, enjoy little support among the population.
Podemos could lose half its seats in Spain’s general election
By Alejandro López and Paul Mitchell, 2 April 2019
A major reason the party’s loss of support is mass abstention, particularly among the youth, who no longer identify Podemos as a radical alternative.
Special unit of the Maltese army storms refugee ship
By Martin Kreickenbaum, 30 March 2019
The case of the cargo ship El Hiblu 1 graphically demonstrates the inhumanity of the European Union’s merciless migration policy.
Twenty years since the US bombing of Yugoslavia
By Bill Van Auken, 23 March 2019
The imperialist crime was launched by the Clinton administration—with the backing of the pseudo-left—under the hypocritical banner of “human rights.”
Fiction and reality: The Italian Five-Star Movement’s citizen income scheme
By Marianne Arens, 22 March 2019
The “reddito di cittadinanza” (citizen income) is a vanity project of the co-governing Five-Star Movement that will not change Italy’s stark social inequality.
Spain holds political show trial of Catalan nationalist defendants
By Alejandro López and Alex Lantier, 4 March 2019
The Catalan nationalists’ prosecution on charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds for organising the 2017 independence referendum has no substance.
Spanish government falls amid Catalan crisis
By Alejandro López, 16 February 2019
The major parties are set to run the most right-wing election campaign in Spain since the 1978 Transition to parliamentary rule, under cover of opposing Catalan separatism.
Nationwide public sector strike hits Portugal
By Will Morrow, 16 February 2019
Leading union officials have issued warnings to the government that its actions could trigger “uncontrollable” struggles by workers that they cannot prevent.
Spanish Socialist Party government backs US-led coup in Venezuela
By Alejandro López, 4 February 2019
The Venezuelan coup is exposing the PSOE government and its pro-imperialist ally, the pseudo-left Podemos party.
Portugal’s strike wave intensifies
By Paul Mitchell, 2 February 2019
As the strike movement develops, the unions have sought to dissipate united opposition into regional and sectoral strikes directed at pleading with various ministers, parliament and the president to change course.
Spain: Podemos co-founder Íñigo Errejón splits from party
By Paul Mitchell, 26 January 2019
The rise of the far-right Vox party is a devastating indictment of Errejón and the “left populism” promoted by his mentor, Belgian academic Chantal Mouffe.
Spain’s far-right Vox party backs right-wing coalition government in Andalusia
By Alejandro López, 14 January 2019
This is the first time a far-right party promoting the legacy of fascist dictator Francisco Franco helped form a government since the Francoite dictatorship fell 40 years ago.
Protests in Portugal and Catalonia met with police repression amid rising wave of strikes
By Paul Mitchell, 22 December 2018
To stem rising social anger, the government in Portugal secured an agreement from Facebook to close down the Yellow Vest protest organisers’ website and drafted in 20,000 security police.
Spain: Rightist parties mull government role for fascist Vox in Andalusia
By Paul Mitchell, 10 December 2018
The Spanish bourgeoisie is raising the profile of Vox, leading up to the Andalusian elections, with the country's establishment newspapers posting multiple articles—at least one a day—on the fascist party.
Catalonia rocked by a week of strikes against austerity
By Alejandro López, 1 December 2018
For years the regional bourgeoisie has relentlessly promoted Catalan nationalism to bury the socio-economic concerns of workers and youth, both Spanish and Catalan.
Greek workers protest social attacks by Syriza government
By John Vassilopoulos, 27 November 2018
Strikes and protests in Greece are part of a wider upsurge of the class struggle throughout Europe.
Black Friday strikes hit Amazon in Europe
By our reporters, 24 November 2018
Amazon workers launched strikes and protests in Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, France and the UK.
Protests and strikes signal mounting hostility toward Italian government
By Allison Smith, 1 November 2018
A protest against deteriorating conditions in Rome followed on the heels of a 24-hour “Black Friday” general strike by public sector workers.
European Union and Rome fight over Italian budget
By Marianne Arens, 20 October 2018
In the conflict over the Italian budget, the EU Commission takes the side of the banks, stock exchanges and credit agencies, while the government pursues a course of militarism and attacks on immigrants and workers.
Italian Interior Minister Salvini orders removal of migrants from Riace
By Marianne Arens, 19 October 2018
The right-wing coalition government has ordered the removal of all migrants from the “village of hospitality” in southern Calabria.
Calls grow in Madrid to ban Catalan nationalist parties
By Alejandro López, 11 October 2018
Banning parties that collectively receive millions of votes would mark a major escalation in the drive of the Spanish and European bourgeoisie to establish a police state.
Brutal conditions at Greek refugee camps condemned
By John Vassilopoulos, 9 October 2018
The appalling conditions in Greece refugee camps are a direct consequence of the filthy deal cut between the European Union, Turkey and the Syriza government in 2016.
Campaign grows inside Podemos for alliance with Spanish right
By Alejandro López, 2 October 2018
After figures in the Podemos leadership praised Italy’s far-right government, a movement for nationalism and appeals to right-wing parties is growing inside Podemos.
Italy’s far-right interior minister charged with kidnapping
By Marianne Arens, 30 August 2018
The state attorney in Agrigento is investigating Italy’s interior minister and chairman of the Lega (League), Matteo Salvini, on charges of deprivation of liberty, illegal detention and abuse of office.
Spanish Socialist Party government’s progressive veneer cracks
By Paul Mitchell, 23 August 2018
The PSOE’s programme is austerity for the working class and militarism in the service of Spain’s geo-strategic ambitions.
As Greece exits bailout, EU demands further austerity
By Robert Stevens, 21 August 2018
The conclusion of the bailout is a vote of confidence from financial markets that the pseudo-left Syriza government will continue looting the people to pay off the banks.
At least 35 killed in Italy bridge collapse
By Allison Smith, 15 August 2018
The death toll has reached 35, with at least seven seriously injured and 440 forced to evacuate their homes following a gas leak.
Podemos backs state cover-up in Barcelona terror attack
By Alex Lantier, 9 August 2018
The pseudo-left party is demanding that the Spanish king be allowed to lead this year’s remembrance ceremony.
Portugal: Left Bloc leader resigns over property speculation fortune
By Paul Mitchell, 7 August 2018
The whole episode surrounding Robles reveals, once again, the hypocritical self-seeking nature of the upper middle class constituency that forms the social basis of the pseudo-left.
European Union reduces maritime rescue operations in the Mediterranean
By Martin Kreickenbaum, 26 July 2018
The halting of official rescue operations, like the sabotage of those conducted by private organisations, will lead to a massive rise in fatalities.
Pursuit of rapper Valtònyc reveals widespread censorship in Spain
By Alejandro López, 26 July 2018
The unrelenting pursuit of rapper Josep Miquel Beltrán (stage name Valtònyc) is further evidence of the growing assault on free speech in Spain and throughout Europe.
Josep Valtònyc: “What’s happening to me could happen to anyone.”
By Alejandro López, 26 July 2018
“They put me on trial for telling true, objective facts, and that is because what is happening is scary. People are not going to be able to say what they think about those who are stealing public money from us, money taken out of our wages every month. We have the right to speak out, to criticize, to get angry.”
Spain’s Socialist Party prepares new austerity budget, boosts military spending
By Alejandro López, 19 July 2018
The social democrats’ proposals to slow the pace of austerity reflect fear of a social rebellion by workers and youth amid a growing strike wave in Spain.
Italy strands rescue ship Lifeline as EU refugee summit collapses
By Alex Lantier, 25 June 2018
This is only one of the horrors taking place in Mediterranean waters between Italy and Libya, as the EU moves to block refugee flows.
Podemos: Midwife of Spain’s new PSOE government
By Alejandro López, 22 June 2018
Podemos is an indispensable prop of Spain’s new PSOE government, which is pledged to impose EU austerity on workers and hike military spending.
The anti-worker program of Italy’s new populist and neo-fascist government
By Marc Wells, 1 June 2018
The policies adopted in the new government's program reflect the neo-fascist character of Lega as well as the law-and-order approach of the Five Star Movement.
Italy: Most right-wing government since Mussolini
By Peter Schwarz, 23 May 2018
On Sunday, the protest Five Star Movement (M5S) and the right-wing extremist Lega agreed on a joint government programme.
Rome: Buses explode due to lack of maintenance
By Allison Smith, 15 May 2018
Last year, 22 buses were destroyed by fire in the Italian capital and 2018 is already on track to being far worse, with four bus fires in a single month.
No solution to Italian government crisis
By Marianne Arens, 8 May 2018
The second attempt to form a government failed on May 3 when the leadership of the Democratic Party rejected a coalition with the Five Star Movement.
Explosive social conditions in Spain behind moves toward police state
By Vicky Short, 3 April 2018
Behind the police-state measures being enacted in Spain lie economic, political and social tensions that are also now finding expression in a growing movement of the working class.
Interview with a teacher from Greece: “Teachers have the same problems worldwide”
By Marianne Arens, 2 April 2018
Evangelos, a teacher from Greece working in Germany, expressed his solidarity with teachers in the US and reported on the recent teachers’ strike in Greece.
Spain’s Amazon workers call first ever strike at Madrid hub
By Alejandro López, 19 March 2018
For more than a year, Amazon has been negotiating with the unions to impose a new agreement that would drastically reduce workers’ rights.
Why the far-right won in Italy
By Peter Schwarz, 7 March 2018
Decades of austerity and attacks on democratic rights by the official “left” in Italy, aided and abetted by its pseudo-left apologists, have produced an electoral victory by the far-right parties.
The Italian election alliance Potere al Popolo: A repackaging of pseudo-left politics
By Marianne Arens and Peter Schwarz, 2 March 2018
The driving force behind this new Italian electoral alliance is Rifondazione Comunista, which for many years played a crucial role in stabilising the bourgeois order and suppressing the class struggle.
The Italian elections: A perspective for the working class
By Peter Schwarz, 28 February 2018
All the political problems that confront workers and young people across Europe are expressed in concentrated form in the elections to be held in Italy this Sunday.
Spain: Podemos support plummets after rightward lurch
By Paul Mitchell, 24 February 2018
A major factor in the decline of Podemos has been the experience of workers and middle-class people with the party in numerous town halls and city halls.
New round of attacks across Spain’s auto industry
By Alejandro López and Gabriel Labarthe, 20 February 2018
The auto industry in Spain is utilising the full conversion of plants to produce electric cars, claims of lower expectations of profits last year—combined with threats to move production offshore—to impose attacks on wages and work conditions.
Twenty thousand demonstrate against fascist rampage in Macerata, Italy
By Marianne Arens, 15 February 2018
Some 20,000 protesters, many of them young people, participated in an anti-fascist march through the town of Macerata Saturday.
The working class moves against Greece’s Syriza government
By Alex Lantier, 19 January 2018
The working class is fighting to defend its social and democratic rights against all the organizations that for decades passed for the “far left” of the political establishment.
Greek workers stop work in opposition to Syriza anti-strike and austerity measures
By Robert Stevens, 13 January 2018
Strikes shut down the Athens rail system, ships were unable to sail, and state-run hospitals were forced to rely on reserve staff.
Spanish PM Rajoy seeks to prevent Catalan nationalists from forming government
By Alejandro López and Paul Mitchell, 10 January 2018
The Supreme Court is planning to issue writs against a further 11 people linked to the deposed Catalan government for their part in organising last October’s independence referendum.
Italian election campaign officially opens
By Peter Schwarz, 30 December 2017
Italian President Sergio Matarella dissolved parliament on Thursday, opening campaigning for the election which will take place in the first week of March.
Italy’s “Black Wave” of neo-fascist attacks
By Marianne Arens and Peter Schwarz, 14 December 2017
Around 10,000 demonstrators protested last Saturday in the northern Italian city of Como against the “Black Wave”, the increase of neo-fascist attacks throughout the country.
Tens of thousands protest in Catalonia against moves towards authoritarian rule in Spain
By Alex Lantier, 9 November 2017
Tens of thousands of people protested yesterday in Catalonia against the detention of Catalan nationalist politicians as political prisoners by Madrid.
Deposed Catalan premier hands himself in to Belgian police
By Alex Lantier, 6 November 2017
Criticisms of Spain’s handling of the Catalan crisis from within European ruling circles reflect concerns that Madrid’s actions could provoke explosive popular opposition.
Catalan premier appeals to EU as opposition mounts to Madrid’s crackdown
By Alex Lantier, 1 November 2017
Puigdemont asked the EU to broker a deal between the Spanish government and the Catalan authorities based on the December 21 election imposed on Catalonia by Madrid.
EU backs Madrid’s imposition of authoritarian regime in Catalonia
By Francis Dubois, 31 October 2017
Fearing the eruption of mass struggles against austerity, the European financial oligarchy is backing the imposition of an authoritarian regime in Catalonia.
Catalan Premier Puigdemont flees to Belgium as Spain asserts direct rule over Catalonia
By Alejandro López, 30 October 2017
The Catalan nationalist parties are bitterly hostile to a political intervention in the crisis by the working class.
Catalonia announces plan for independence as Madrid threatens military rule
By Alejandro López, 26 October 2017
Madrid’s turn toward military dictatorship in Catalonia and across Spain is intended to strangle popular opposition to the European Union and the banks.
Catalan government in turmoil over Spain’s suppression of autonomy
By Paul Mitchell, 24 October 2017
The anti-democratic measures imposed under Article 155 are leading to a violent conflict with the Catalan population.
Move to Spanish military rule in Catalonia exposes bankruptcy of Podemos
By Alejandro López and Alex Lantier, 24 October 2017
Despite winning 5 million votes, Podemos neither wanted nor sought to mobilize opposition to the turn to authoritarian rule by Madrid, backed by the European Union.
Investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia murdered in Malta
By Richard Tyler, 21 October 2017
Galizia was well known for her exposures of corruption and criminality at the top of Maltese politics and business.
200,000 protest jailing of Catalonian nationalist leaders in Barcelona
By Paul Mitchell, 19 October 2017
The jailing of Jordi Sànchez and Jordi Cuixart marks the first incarceration of Spanish political prisoners since the end of the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.
Jailing of separatist leaders sparks protest demonstrations in Catalonia
By Alejandro López and Paul Mitchell, 18 October 2017
The High Court ruling is an indication of the dictatorial measures the Spanish Popular Party regime is prepared to carry out.
Madrid rejects Puigdemont’s call for talks in Catalan referendum crisis
By Alex Lantier and Alejandro López, 17 October 2017
With Spanish military forces and thousands of police preparing for action, Spain is teetering on the brink of martial law and a bloody crackdown in Catalonia.
Deadline looms for Catalonia to confirm or deny independence declaration
By Alejandro López, 16 October 2017
The secessionists led by Catalonia’s regional premier Carles Puigdemont have spent the past week seeking to strike a deal with Madrid, but no deal is on offer.
Spain moves toward military rule in Catalonia
By Alex Lantier, 12 October 2017
As the Spanish army prepared to deploy armored units to Catalonia, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced plans to suspend the Catalan regional government.
Podemos’ call for dialogue on Catalonia: A political trap with deadly consequences
By Paul Mitchell, 12 October 2017
With calls for ‘patriotism’ and national unity, the pseudo-left Podemos is seeking recognition as a potential saviour of Spanish capitalism at a time of acute crisis.
Catalan premier affirms right to independence from Spain, but delays formal declaration
By Alex Lantier, 11 October 2017
Regional premier Carles Puigdemont delivered his speech amid an unfolding Spanish military and police intervention into Catalonia and the looming threat of a bloody crackdown.
Spain's Popular Party threatens repression if Catalan authorities declare independence
By Alejandro López, 10 October 2017
Popular Party leaders warned Monday that national police and civil guards are ready to halt any unilateral declaration in the Catalan parliament.
As Spanish crackdown looms, France’s New Anti-capitalist Party promotes Catalan nationalism
By Alex Lantier, 10 October 2017
Rather than advance a principled policy to unite the Spanish and Catalan working class against Spanish state repression, the Pabloite New Anti-capitalist Party is lining up behind the Catalan bourgeoisie.
Spanish government sends troops to Catalonia
By Paul Mitchell, 5 October 2017
The Ministry of Defense has dispatched army units to support the Civil Guard and national police in a possible further crackdown on the Catalonian population.
Defenders of imperialist “human rights” hail Spanish government’s crackdown in Catalonia
By Chris Marsden, 4 October 2017
The United States and the EU leapt to the defence of the Spanish government as it sent police to savagely beat and arrest anyone who dared to exercise their fundamental right to vote.
Follow the WSWS