“The United States of Europe, under capitalism, is either impossible or reactionary”, Lenin wrote back in 1915.
The course of history repeatedly proved the correctness of his timeless analysis. Since its formation, the European Union – formerly ECC – has been a transnational economic, political and military alliance of imperialist characteristics, aimed at serving the interests of monopoly groups at the expense of the working class.
The struggle of the communists against the European Union, towards a Europe of prosperity, peace and socialism, must not be limited solely within the activities of the workers-people's movement. The fight also takes place in the Union's political institutions, in the centers of decision-making, such as the European Parliament.
The experience of the Communist Party of Greece's (KKE) provides an example of how significant is the role of communist MEPs in the European Parliament. Apart from being an unwavering voice in defense of working class rights in this multi-national bourgeois institution, they responsibly inform the masses on time about the anti-worker policies that are being prepared or are due to be implemented by the EU. All these years, the MEPs of the KKE have been at the forefront of organizing the class struggle, exposing the anti-popular strategy of the EU and the capital.
All the bourgeois political powers – Liberals/Neo-liberals, Social Democrats, Conservatives, Leftists, Greens, etc – worship the reactionary establishment of the EU and actively support deeply anti-worker policies (e.g. abolition of democratic rights, curtailment of trade union activity, attack on labour and social security, strengthening employers' impunity, strict fiscal measures, laws in favor of big monopolies, etc). They have contributed to the deepening of energy poverty among the people through the liberalization of energy and the so-called “Green Transition”, while energy business groups are accumulating more and more profits. The same applies for Agriculture, where the Common Agricultural Policy has led to the impoverishment of small farmers in favor of the traders, industrialists and agri-food monopolies.
At the same time, during the last years we are witnessing the intensification of the EU's character as an imperialist alliance which, alongside the U.S and NATO, plays a leading role in wars and interventions throughout the world. Such an example is the imperialist conflict that broke out in Ukraine in 2022 between the Euro-Atlantic powers (USA, NATO and the EU) on the one hand and capitalist Russia on the other hand, for the control of markets, natural resources and transport routes for energy and commodities. Similarly, despite hypocritical communication tricks and cheap talks about an end in the Israeli massacre in Gaza, the European Union and its institutions have failed to proceed to the recognition of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.
Social democrats and various leftist political forces claim that “the EU can change” in favor of the people's interests. They argue that the European Union can be “transformed” through reforms and policy changing. This is nothing but a shameless lie that aims to deceive the working class masses. Only political crooks, or people who have no sense of reality, can claim such a thing. The European Union isn't and will never be a pro-people union.
The current negative correlation of forces isn't eternal. The perspective of a brand new another Europe, a Europe of people's prosperity, peace and socialism emerges through the class struggle of the continent's working class people. This year's European Elections provides an opportunity for the working men and women of Europe to:
Condemn the EU by weakening the parties that support and promote policies in favor of the capital and monopolies, imperialist plans and wars. That includes the parties participating in the European People's Party (EPP), the Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the groups Renew Europe and the European Conservatives and Reformists.
Condemn the far-right, populist and racist political powers which have emerged in Europe during the last decades. The EU and her member-states bear immense responsibility for the resurgence of fascism and neo-Nazism in various countries. We must not forget that the EU constantly promotes anti-communism as one of its official ideologies, while in several EU member-states (e.g. Baltic countries, Poland) the activity of Communist Parties has been banned, communists are persecuted and socialist-era monuments are demolished.
Condemn the left-wing and opportunist political forces that shamelessly try to embellish the European Union by promoting a supposedly “alternative”, “progressive”, “pro-people”, mode of capitalist management. From Greece's Syriza to Izquierda Unida in Spain and from Germany's Die Linke to Melenchon's La France Insoumise, the left servants of the capital sow illusions about the “democratization of the EU”, thus entrapping working class masses in a reformist notion which is completely harmless for the EU and power of monopolies.
Support in every possible way the Communist and Worker's Parties that participate in the Elections. Such Parties, which are members of the European Communist Action (ECA), include the KKE, the Communist Party of the Workers of Spain (PCTE), the Communist Party of Sweden (SKP) and others. The communists aren't bound by the EU and its numerous lobbies, they haven't any commitment towards monopoly groups like bourgeois powers do. On the contrary, the only actual commitment of communists is towards the working class.
The communists’ reinforcement is a guarantee that the workers’–people’s struggles will continue, will grow stronger, will acquire a prospect and content that targets the real opponent, i.e. the capitalist system, the monopolies, the power and their unions, such as the EU, for their overthrow, for socialism.
A resounding message must be send to Brussels and throughout Europe and this message says:
The experience of the Communist Party of Greece's (KKE) provides an example of how significant is the role of communist MEPs in the European Parliament. Apart from being an unwavering voice in defense of working class rights in this multi-national bourgeois institution, they responsibly inform the masses on time about the anti-worker policies that are being prepared or are due to be implemented by the EU. All these years, the MEPs of the KKE have been at the forefront of organizing the class struggle, exposing the anti-popular strategy of the EU and the capital.
All the bourgeois political powers – Liberals/Neo-liberals, Social Democrats, Conservatives, Leftists, Greens, etc – worship the reactionary establishment of the EU and actively support deeply anti-worker policies (e.g. abolition of democratic rights, curtailment of trade union activity, attack on labour and social security, strengthening employers' impunity, strict fiscal measures, laws in favor of big monopolies, etc). They have contributed to the deepening of energy poverty among the people through the liberalization of energy and the so-called “Green Transition”, while energy business groups are accumulating more and more profits. The same applies for Agriculture, where the Common Agricultural Policy has led to the impoverishment of small farmers in favor of the traders, industrialists and agri-food monopolies.
At the same time, during the last years we are witnessing the intensification of the EU's character as an imperialist alliance which, alongside the U.S and NATO, plays a leading role in wars and interventions throughout the world. Such an example is the imperialist conflict that broke out in Ukraine in 2022 between the Euro-Atlantic powers (USA, NATO and the EU) on the one hand and capitalist Russia on the other hand, for the control of markets, natural resources and transport routes for energy and commodities. Similarly, despite hypocritical communication tricks and cheap talks about an end in the Israeli massacre in Gaza, the European Union and its institutions have failed to proceed to the recognition of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.
Social democrats and various leftist political forces claim that “the EU can change” in favor of the people's interests. They argue that the European Union can be “transformed” through reforms and policy changing. This is nothing but a shameless lie that aims to deceive the working class masses. Only political crooks, or people who have no sense of reality, can claim such a thing. The European Union isn't and will never be a pro-people union.
The current negative correlation of forces isn't eternal. The perspective of a brand new another Europe, a Europe of people's prosperity, peace and socialism emerges through the class struggle of the continent's working class people. This year's European Elections provides an opportunity for the working men and women of Europe to:
Condemn the EU by weakening the parties that support and promote policies in favor of the capital and monopolies, imperialist plans and wars. That includes the parties participating in the European People's Party (EPP), the Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the groups Renew Europe and the European Conservatives and Reformists.
Condemn the far-right, populist and racist political powers which have emerged in Europe during the last decades. The EU and her member-states bear immense responsibility for the resurgence of fascism and neo-Nazism in various countries. We must not forget that the EU constantly promotes anti-communism as one of its official ideologies, while in several EU member-states (e.g. Baltic countries, Poland) the activity of Communist Parties has been banned, communists are persecuted and socialist-era monuments are demolished.
Condemn the left-wing and opportunist political forces that shamelessly try to embellish the European Union by promoting a supposedly “alternative”, “progressive”, “pro-people”, mode of capitalist management. From Greece's Syriza to Izquierda Unida in Spain and from Germany's Die Linke to Melenchon's La France Insoumise, the left servants of the capital sow illusions about the “democratization of the EU”, thus entrapping working class masses in a reformist notion which is completely harmless for the EU and power of monopolies.
Support in every possible way the Communist and Worker's Parties that participate in the Elections. Such Parties, which are members of the European Communist Action (ECA), include the KKE, the Communist Party of the Workers of Spain (PCTE), the Communist Party of Sweden (SKP) and others. The communists aren't bound by the EU and its numerous lobbies, they haven't any commitment towards monopoly groups like bourgeois powers do. On the contrary, the only actual commitment of communists is towards the working class.
The communists’ reinforcement is a guarantee that the workers’–people’s struggles will continue, will grow stronger, will acquire a prospect and content that targets the real opponent, i.e. the capitalist system, the monopolies, the power and their unions, such as the EU, for their overthrow, for socialism.
A resounding message must be send to Brussels and throughout Europe and this message says:
NO to the EU of capital, monopolies and war! Power to the Communist Parties - the guarantee for strengthening the people’s struggles! For a Europe of people's prosperity, peace and socialism!
* Nikos Mottas is the Editor-in-Chief of In Defense of Communism.
