With the ‘Arizona’ government in Belgium, conservatives allying with the AfD in Germany, and Meloni cracking down on the right to protest, The Left in the European Parliament is getting ready for a fight for the soul of Europe. 

It’s no use talking about the ‘rise of the far-right’ anymore. They’re in power. 

In Belgium, the so-called ‘Arizona’ government has made it clear that it has pension rights and unemployment protections in its sights. In Germany, the conservatives have allied with the extreme right AfD party, sparking protests that brought hundreds of thousands onto the streets yesterday. In Berlin alone, 250,000 made their voices heard against collusion with fascist political parties.  Meanwhile in Italy, a proposed Security Bill (Ddl Sicurezza) aims to clamp down on the right to protest. 

With a European Parliament that looks increasingly favourably on far-right policies, The Left is building its cooperation with actors outside of the traditional political arena and the EU political bubble – activist movements, Trade Unions, and civil society. 

The Left co-chair Martin Schirdewan (Die Linke, Germany) said “The alliance in Germany between conservatives and the far-right stinks of the darkest chapters of European history. For the first time since World War II, the leader of the conservative party in Germany has attempted to push legislation through parliament with the support of an extreme-right party. The people recognise a betrayal when they see one, which is why hundreds of thousands have turned out on the streets in Germany to fight against the far-right. We need to emulate this mass movement across Europe, everywhere the far-right tries to seize power.”

The Left kicks off its own social resistance with a number of events bringing together civil society and Left MEPs, against the policies of far-right governments and the right wing in Europe.

On Tuesday 4 February at 9:30 in the European Parliament, Left MEPs will shed light on the violence of EU border policy at the event “Black Resistance Against EU Border Externalisation”. That same day at 18:30 in the European Parliament, MEPs Mimmo Lucano and Ilaria Salis will bring together social movements, trade unions, and MEPs for an event “Stop the Italian ‘Security’ Draft Law”. 

On Wednesday 5 February, Left MEPs will host an event with Trade Union representatives on ‘Dignified jobs at a time of multiple crises.’