The business world has lost the protection it enjoyed in the past and the weakness of the forces trade union to defend themselves can only choose individual streets. The figures are worrying to swell the ranks of abstention was precisely the voters traditionally loyal left to the young and the working classes. The defeat in the last general elections for Parliament in Strasbourg is forcing social democracies to rethink their theoretical and political horizons.
The results of European elections, which hit his left hand, raises two crucial questions: the first is on her current health status, the second on its future that now concerns the post-socialism. This reveals two answers to the contrary. The first relativized failure and insists on the special nature of this election, referring to the specificities of each country and recalling the history of the left shows a continuous succession of cycles sometimes favorable and sometimes negative. Second, while recognizing the relevance of these arguments, see in these elections - also preceded by other setbacks - a historic defeat. And it is this response that we have to consider.
In fact, the reformist left has had to collect sixteen defeats, some of which are of considerable scope, affecting its formation the most important and emblematic.
The left is affected, regardless of its current location - the opposition, alone or in combination to power in coalition governments - and regardless of its historical trajectory. How to explain such a disaster? Putting together a series of factual, economic reasons and more structural factors.
The record of abstentions recorded in the European elections is attributable to the electorate favored by the left: young people and especially the working class and blue collar workers and voters to more modest levels of education, which are today the most depoliticized, and less interested Europe. The supporters of the left who went to the polls have scattered their votes. Those who see the EU because of all its current difficulties voted for Eurosceptic parties, or perhaps for those xenophobic and populist, as seems to have been the case for a popular part of the electorate. The moderates, more volatile and uncertain than ever, opted for the center-right formations. The European-income insured and a high level of education, more open to the world, have preferred the Greens (in some developed countries, including France) considering that today the priority issues are those of ecology and the environment.
It also showed a significant paradox: far from encouraging, the financial and economic crisis has indeed damaged the left, who was convinced of having to take advantage, as the current situation marks the end of illusions about the benefits of the market and the collapse of liberal myth, with the need for rules and policies emanating from the State social. The Party of European Socialists, however, had no major difficulties in the adoption of a common manifesto, and his campaign was focused on social Europe. Even the radical left who believed his moment had come, to whip the one hand capitalism and reformism on the other, guilty of all the betrayals, while some progress despite having reported a total of ten members will be less in the future European Parliament . But how come you have not listened to the left? First, as Bernardo Valli wrote on June 9 of the Republic, because the right shown great pragmatism, has ceased to refer to neo-liberalism - which in fact Europe has never been converted - to adopt protectionist positions, and has not hesitated to embrace the themes of the Left.
also - and above - the left has tended to read the present through the spectacles of the past, without grasping the full complexity of this crisis, revealing far more profound mutations that afflict our society for decades. Crisis means unemployment, growing social inequalities, worsening of poverty, and yet, at least for the time this crisis has not attracted major collective mobilization. Because we are afraid. Why unions are weakened. Because there's been an evolution in social relations within firms. Because the world of work has changed. Why insecurity is now widespread. Consequently, many Europeans, deliberately or by force majeure, still attempt individual strategies of survival and adaptation, and would be considered free and independent, while having strong security needs. As for the elderly - which are always more numerous - are sensitive to issues such as security and immigration, and many aspire to re-establish their identity. Finally, in turn, also our political systems have changed dramatically, particularly with the emergence of democracy and public opinion, in which the role of leaders is crucial. It is clear that a decade in this area all suffer from a deficit left handed.
The reformist left was neither property nor dumb. He refused to resume, as the radical left, the old recipes of the past has explored other avenues, trying to address new groups of voters. But against a united right, capable of incisive proposals, determined to impose cultural hegemony and to respond to the needs of identity that occurs in Europe, is divided on the defensive, without planning or identity, no leader, just credible and in tune with the changes taking place. Therefore, the reformist left has a priority: to start as soon as a reflection on the foundations and conditions of his reformism, and analyze the complexity of changes taking place in societies and our democracies. Pain of his death.
Marc Lazar from the Republic of June 16, 2009
(Translated by Elizabeth Horvat)
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