Nyhed European Left Alliance

Political platform of EUROPEAN LEFT ALLIANCE (ELA) – for the people and the planet

Here you can read and download the political platform of the EUROPEAN LEFT ALLIANCE (ELA) - for the people and the planet

28. september 2024 Kl 12:22

Opdateret: 21. oktober 2024 Kl 15:25

Redaktionen

28. september 2024 Kl 12:22
Opdateret: 21. oktober 2024 Kl 15:25

We believe that Europe needs a strong fighting Left that won’t compromise its values and will fight for an alternative project. A project for economic and social justice in which everyone would contribute according to their income and where wealth is redistributed. A project to really combat global warming and its severe consequences and to protect nature while supporting working- people in the transition. A project where austerity rules no longer prevent investment in the ecological transition and in public services that must be protected from competition and market logic. A project where feminism and the fight for equality and against patriarchy is transversal and present in all spheres of society. A project where democracy is deepened, all people’s right to self-determination is respected, our rights and freedoms prevails and where minorities and refugees gain new ones. A project of peace ensuring international law is upheld and no double standards are applied.

We will make every effort to create a better future for everyone, working alongside trade unions, NGOs, social movements and civil society organisations. Together, we will build a Europe that champions the interests of the many, not the few.

1. Tax the rich and windfall profits to fight inequality

Tackling the social crisis must be a top priority. Inflation, which has dramatically increased poverty throughout Europe, is largely a result of the margins and profits made by big business. To reduce social inequalities, we need to tax the rich and the windfall profits in order to redistribute wealth. We will continue to fight for this and to pressure the EU to step up the fight against tax dodging, including the blacklisting of European tax havens. Fighting poverty and inequalities within and between countries is a core priority to enable solidarity.

2. A just and green future

In order to reach net zero emissions by 2040 in a socially just way, we need stricter environmental and climate targets and public planning to ensure a just green transition. We must stop subsidising environmentally and climate-damaging activities including fossil fuels, protect biodiversity and change the economic framework in order to boost investment in the green transition, for instance in sustainable railways and the green industry. It is particularly important to provide significant resources for the energy transition, which will support the EU’s climate aspirations. The transition must be just, the large emitters must pay the most, and investment must result in good and safe jobs, expanding the welfare and infrastructure that benefits us all.

3. Better jobs, better wages

The right to good working conditions and safe jobs must be prioritised over companies’ demands for excessive profits and new low-wage markets. We will work for strengthened trade unions, social clauses in public procurement, higher wages, better working environments and conditions. We want good union jobs and workers neither in competition with each other nor victims of social dumping that benefits big business. We will continue to fight for platform workers to have the same rights that all workers have.

4. Fight austerity and privatisation to protect public services

We need to rebuild our public services, which have been weakened or dismantled by decades of austerity and waves of privatisation imposed by the European elite. The pandemic has clearly shown the perverse effects of such policies, with hospitals in a deplorable condition, but it has also shown that public investment is necessary. The EU was forced to recognise this and pause its absurd budgetary rules, but has just readopted them with even more sanctions. We need to move away from this neo-liberal doctrine and invest massively in our public services and in the ecological transition. Moreover, strategic common goods such as water and energy must regain public control.

5. The right to housing

We want to eliminate the housing shortage through large government investments in new public and cooperative housing production. Housing should not be seen as a commodity on a market, it is a human right, which is why we work to lower rents and against rising interest costs on housing loans. The member states must be allowed to make large investments in housing renovation, infrastructure and the green transition, meaning state aid rules must be revised.

6. Fair trade, not free trade

Good working conditions, a focus on high environmental standards and short distance transport should be the main goals of the common agricultural and trade policy, not market competition and the race for the lowest production costs. Free trade agreements imposed by the EU do not respect our standards and submit producers, including farmers, in unfair competition with each other. We defend a different approach to trade, where high social and environ- mental standards must prevail, leading the way to fairer societies worldwide. Private companies should not be able to use those free trade agreements to sue member states that try to implement progressive policies.

7. Solidarity, not fortress Europe

We stand united against the far right, which is gaining ground across Europe. We fight to counter the spread of its hate speech and propose an alternative narrative. We will continue to fight to break with current inhumane migration policies, especially by putting an end to violent practices, the arbitrary detention of people and the externalisation of our borders. We will ensure that solidarity prevails, fight for the creation of a search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean sea and for human rights to be guaranteed. We will do away with the structures and EU policies that contribute to entrenching developing countries in poverty and force people to migrate. The migration situation on the Eastern border requires increased European solidarity and engagement to find measures that uphold the right to seek asylum.

8. Feminism, the motor of political change

The feminist movement across Europe is the motor of political change and social transformation. This is why the right and the far-right have systematically targeted women and the LGBTIQ+ community. Women should be able to decide over their own bodies and everyone should be free to make their own choices. We will fight for all rights to be guaranteed throughout the EU and include the right to abortion as well as a new generation of feminist and LGBTIQ+ rights in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights.

9. Europe for Peace and right to self determination

All people of the world have the right to freedom and self-determination. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the genocide in Gaza, with Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories, requires the EU to consistently act in respect for international law and for peace built on justice. All occupation must be ended and invading troops withdrawn. Support for the occupied peoples must be strengthened and strong targeted sanctions against invading powers must be imposed. The EU should focus on the defense of human rights, international law, and on the restoration of diplomatic efforts towards just peace.

10. Europe for the people, not the lobbies

Together, we work to ensure that the EU is about the needs of the people rather than the needs of large companies and the market. It’s time to put an end to the culture of opacity that allows widespread corruption and the influence of lobbies in the European institutions: we will defend more openness, democracy and transparency. To break with this model, we will be defending an in-depth change to the treaties and policies to ensure climate justice, biodiversity, democratic sovereignty, respect for human rights and fair conditions for workers.

11. Equality and solidarity between countries in Europe

European Union must bridge differences and increase equality between countries, not create further divisions. An important reform of the enlargement process is required in order to provide more transparency and progressive changes to all EU citizens and countries involved to ensure it does not create a race to the bottom in terms of workers rights, taxation and environmental protection. For doing so, the EU should intensely support candidate countries so that they’re able to ensure that workers rights, strong social and welfare structures are built, and that democracy and rule of law are strengthened.