With the SYRIZA government in Greece Europe, the Left in Europe as well as progressive social movements and trade unions are entering in a new phase with new opportunities and challenges. transform! europe invited on 23 and 24 February to a seminar in order to deepen the discussion on how to cope with the new situation.
45 participants from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and UK took part. Among them were unionists from Belgium, France, Italy, Norway activists of social movements, attac, Blockupy, academics, intellectuals, and authors.
First Haris Golemis, transform!’s legal representative, director of Nicos Poulantzas Institute, and member of Syriza’s central committee gave an up-date on the recent development in Greece following the formation of the government. He also discussed the main axes of the governmental policies.
Elisabeth Gauthier, member of the transform! managing board and director of Espaces Marx, France, gave an overview of the reactions to the new Greek government on the side of the European institutions, member states, parties, media, movements and trade unions.
The European solidarity movements, actions and appeals before and after the elections have also been part of the discussion.
Throughout the seminar, ideas were exchanged and several proposals made on a joint strategy in supporting the Greek people’s endeavour for change, the Syriza-led government and on the possibility to contribute to a policy change in Europe.
Luciana Castellina, Italian left-wing intellectual and participant to the seminar, proposed an open letter to Syriza, published in Il Manifesto
Italian version in Il Manifesto
English version
German version