EP-Linksfraktion THE LEFT

President Donald Trump has escalated his divisive and warmongering rhetoric ahead of the NATO summit this week. His calls on European countries to increase defence spending to 2% of GDP are misguided. They ignore foremost that NATO is a stale organisation. It was not fit for purpose when founded in 1949, fuelling an arms race that pushed the world to brink of nuclear war. It is past its shelf life now, with its illegal military interventions - from Afghanistan to Libya - and renewed confrontation with Russia. Trump is overlooking what is

weiterlesen "Trump not welcome: war is no solution to world problems"
Two Left MEPs travelling with a humanitarian boat carrying refugees and migrants to safety in Europe have been speaking after arriving in Barcelona. The ‘Open Arms’ - which was carrying 59 migrants and refugees who had been rescued off the Libyan coast on 30th June - and the observation vessel ‘Astral’ docked at 11h00 today in the port city. The ships were run by Proactiva Open Arms, a Spanish NGO devoted to search and rescue at sea. The two boats had previously been refused entry into both Italian and 

weiterlesen "Death is the direct consequence of recent criminalisation of NGO rescue boats"
The alarming policies pursued by the far-right Austrian government has been roundly condemned by Left MEPs at a debate on the country’s upcoming EU presidency, with one branding Chancellor Sebastian Kurz “baby-faced Orbán and Salvini” - the latter name in reference to the hard-line Italian interior minister. Under Kurz’s proposals with the far-right Freedom Party, migrants and refugees will not be accepted by Austria, with social and labour rights also massively curtailed and EU solidarity confined 

weiterlesen "Left MEPs slam Austria’s ”baby-faced Orbán” for toxic migration fear-mongering"
The Polish Prime Minister has come under heavy criticism in the European Parliament today with the Left laying into his government for dragging the country further to the right, and rowing back on civil liberties and basic human rights. In particular, Mateusz Morawiecki was slammed for undermining the independence of the judiciary, and for depriving women of their sexual and reproductive rights. Yesterday, the European Commission opened an infringement procedure against Poland for breach of EU Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental

weiterlesen "Poland’s right-wing reforms add fuel to more social divide"
Konferenzbericht REALPE 2018Unter dem Titel „Sozialer Zusammenhalt, öffentliche Dienste und Investitionen in den Kommunen“ fand am 28. Juni 2018 die jĂ€hrliche Konferenz der EP-Linksfraktion GUE/NGL mit GĂ€sten von REALPE statt. REALPE, das ist das EuropĂ€ische Netzwerk der linker Kommunal- und Regionalpolitiker*innen. Angesichts der AktualitĂ€t der Frage „Wie weiter mit der EU, dem EU-Haushalt und der europĂ€ischen Regional- und Förderpolitik?“ ging es am Vormittag um 

weiterlesen "Linke diskutieren Strategien fĂŒr sozialen Zusammenhalt, öffentliche Dienste und Investitionen in den Kommunen"
REALPE-Konferenz fĂŒr starke EU-RegionalförderpolitikWir, die Teilnehmer der Jahrestagung 2018 REALPE in BrĂŒssel erklĂ€ren:   Eine harmonische und gerechtere AufwĂ€rtsentwicklung des Lebensstandards in allen EU Regionen und Gemeinden braucht bessere Finanzierung. Wir fordern einen stĂ€rkeren EU-Haushalt, der zum wirtschaftlichen, sozialen und territorialen Zusammenhalt beitrĂ€gt. Der von der Kommission vorgeschlagene Siebenjahres-Haushalt (2021-2027) ignoriert die Probleme der EU-BĂŒrger. Stattdessen springt sie auf den Zug der "neuen Herausforderungen

weiterlesen "Soziales Europa statt Festung Europa"
mit GĂ€sten von REALPE - EuropĂ€isches Netzwerk der progressiven Abgeordneten und VerantwortungstrĂ€ger in Gemeindebehörden28.06.2018, 09:00 bis 18:30 PROGRAMM 8h30 - 9h: BegrĂŒĂŸung / Einlass   9h - 9h 30: Einleitende Wort durch GUE/NGL Vize-PrĂ€sident MdEP Neoklis Sylikiotis   9h30 - 12h30: Erstes Panel: Möglichkeiten der Nutzung von EU-Fonds durch lokale und regionale Gebietskörperschaften, Moderation: MdEP Dimitris Papadimoulis und Martina Michels   9h30 - 10h: Expertenvortrag zu den 

weiterlesen "Konferenz: Sozialer Zusammenhalt, öffentliche Dienste und Investitionen in den Kommunen"
GUE/NGL stands in solidarity with the interpreters of the European Parliament and their strike action - to stop work for one or two hours a day - launched today.   Interpreters for the 24 official EU languages make the work of the European Parliament possible. They deserve our appreciation and their labour rights must be respected in full.   We demand that Parliament’s administration backtrack on the unilateral decision to change working conditions and urge the Parliament®s Secretary-General to agree to negotiations.   

weiterlesen "Solidarity with the interpretersÂŽ strike in the European Parliament"
The Italian far-right’s refusal to allow the Aquarius humanitarian ship to dock brought the migrant crisis back into focus this morning as Left MEPs set out their vision ahead of the EU Council meeting later this month, demanding greater EU solidarity on a range of issues. President Gabi Zimmer (DIE LINKE., Germany) said that common solidarity amongst member states is badly needed in overcoming the migrants and refugees crisis: “Instead of showing common solidarity over the migrants’ crisis and by not agreeing on a common migration

weiterlesen "EU Summit must establish common solidarity on migration"
The Left group in the European Parliament will be in Thessaloniki, Greece this week as part of its ‘study days’ in order to meet with regional actors and organisations for the better understanding on pressing issues from a local perspective. During its three-day visit, GUE/NGL will explore issues such as the rise of right-wing extremism, the situation in the Western Balkans, social dumping, regional inequalities and leftist proposals for inclusive and sustainable development in southeastern Europe. Speaking ahead of the 

weiterlesen "Challenges facing Western Balkans explored in ‘Study Days’ visit"