The French people continue to defy the neoliberal president ruling like an absolute monarch, the German workers show their discontent in a historic strike, and Poland enters into an electoral campaign which, unfortunately, is not likely to be centered around social issues.
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Even though the pension reform was pushed through the French parliament with the use of non-democratic article 49.3, French trade unionists still do not give up. Nearly ¾ of the population has not been convinced by Macron’s claims that the reform is inevitable, and trade unions plan to continue protest actions. Meanwhile, even some of the centrist and right-wing parties question Macron’s style of handling political crises, accuse him of narcissism and predict a downfall of this government.
We find coffee and the day becomes a little brighter and more welcoming, despite the chill, the flu, the clouds and the mud. The activists form ranks and set off. A. is happy because he wants to see the action up close. According to various estimates, the road from the camp to the water tank is between 7 and 9 kilometers, but the awesome energy of the protest energizes me. A brass band marches with us, playing military marches and revolutionary songs. To war as to war.
This is how Jana Tsoneva reports on another protest, concerning the water tank in Sainte-Soline, in which she took part. Here, ecology meets economical issues, and environmental questions become intertwined with inequalities.
Young activists of the Communist party marching against the pension reform, Lille, end of March
The mobilisation of French trade unions is frequently called historical - just like the mass strike of German workers, which took place on 27 March. In Germany, pay rises are at stake, as workers feel that the state is not really willing to support them in the crisis times.
In Poland, wages or workers’ rights are not key topics in the public debate. In the confrontation between conservative Law and Justice and neoliberal Civic Platform (with quieter contributions of social-democratic and extreme right parties), it is suddenly the long-dead pope John Paul II who became a central figure.
While the past of the Catholic Church might be a controversial issue, Polish public opinion seems to be almost unequivocal about international affairs: the absolute majority of Polish citizens wants to continue the alliance with the United States and keep supporting Ukraine in the war effort against Russian invasion. This means also seeking alliances with other like-minded Central European and Balkan states - Romania in the first place. Could this friendship replace the legendary, historical “brotherhood” of Poles and Hungarians, now strongly challenged by Viktor Orban’s ties to Russia?
Mateusz Morawiecki, PM of Poland, and Klaus Iohannis, President of Romania
In other places in the Balkans, new prospective friendships seem far more distant. Could, for instance, Bulgarians and Northern Macedonians stop quarreling over history, and look for cooperation options for the here and now? As Nikolay Krastev, a leading local expert comments, they need to know each other better first, and this is not yet happening.