The international meeting held in Florence from 16 to 17 November – promoted by the transform! europe foundation in collaboration with the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation – provided an important opportunity for political reflections which was met with very positive response by the entire spectrum of the Italian Left.
Intellectuals, social movements, trade unionists and well-known representatives of the political forces of the Left gathered to discuss and analyse the role of social democracies in Europe and Italy in the implementation of austerity policies and processes connected to these policies which we define the capitalist globalisation of neoliberalism.
It was a meeting which fully achieved the planned objective of encouraging dialogue between different actors to initiate a joint process of constructing a political subjectivity of a group of society which today does not have a word in economic and political decisions taken in Italy or Europe. This is a goal which cannot be achieved without profoundly dealing with the issue of Italian politics and the “Renzism” phenomenon which must be put in the context of the various cases of transforming political parties (which at national level are an expression of European social democracy) and the role those currently have and any potential alternatives which exist in Europe on the Left.
The European dimension of this initiative – amongst others Alexis Tsipras was present – was decisive for the substantial and varied participation in the description of the phenomenon and the search for potential answers.
transform!italia is preparing to publish the live video stream and will organise the publication of the most important contributions made in the debates of the three sessions.
Translation: Veronika Peterseil
For further information see www.transform-italia.net.
Find the programme of the meeting here.