France

A workers' voice in France

Martin Thomas attended the congress of the French Trotskyist group LCR (Revolutionary Communist League) in Paris on 31 October-2 November. This is his report. A working-class "emergency plan" against unemployment, insecurity and poverty will be at the centre of French revolutionary socialists' campaign for the Euro-elections in June 2004 and France's regional elections in March 2004. At its congress the LCR voted to approve a draft agreement for joint lists with the other main Marxist grouping in France, Lutte Ouvrière. The lists will declare that "by voting for us, you can elect men and women...

31% in France say might vote far left

In an opinion poll taken during the first two days of the congress of the LCR, fully 31 per cent of French voters said they might vote for a revolutionary socialist candidate in next year's regional elections. The LCR - Revolutionary Communist League - decided at the congress to endorse joint lists for the regional and Euro-elections with Lutte Ouvrière (LO), the other main Marxist group in France. In 2002's presidential election, the LCR and LO stood separately, the LCR's Olivier Besancenot getting 4.2% and LO's Arlette Laguiller 5.7%. In the 1999 Euro-elections they stood a joint list and...

LCR congress

A working-class "emergency plan" against unemployment, insecurity and poverty will be at the centre of French revolutionary socialists' campaign for the Euro-elections in June 2004 and France's regional elections in March 2004. At its congress in Paris on 31 October-2 November, the LCR (Revolutionary Communist League) voted to approve a draft agreement for joint lists with the other main Marxist grouping in France, Lutte Ouvrière. The lists will declare that "by voting for us, you can elect men and women who will defend the interests of the workers, will be true to their commitments, and will...

Liberté, égalité, fraternité: One big union

By Vicki Morris When France got back from its summer holiday, the French left could hope for a "warm autumn" after the mobilisations of May-June against pension reforms, plans to decentralise education and attacks on education workers. But it was just a hope. The government's pension plans went through - the government, after all, has a massive parliamentary majority, and all the initiative... what an initiative! In the "rentrÉe", the government is inflicting on the working class massive attacks on unemployment benefits, cuts in health benefits and a boost to private health insurance, a 3% cut...

Eyewitness: Liberté, égalité, fraternité - Unite to beat Chirac and Le Pen!

Re: "LCR/LO: Shall we dance?" (Solidarity 3/36) In 1999, the joint list of Lutte Ouvrière (LO) and the Ligue Communiste Révolutionnaire (LCR) allowed the election of five far-left deputies (three for LO and two for the LCR) to the European Parliament. Unfortunately, this success was not followed by any joint activity of the two organisations to combat together the capitalist policies of the Jospin government. In 2002, LO and the LCR each had their own candidate, Arlette Laguiller for LO and Olivier Besancenot for the LCR. That did not hamper the electoral gains of each, so strong was the...

LCR/LO: Shall we dance?

By Joan Trevor The two main far-left groups in France, the Ligue Communiste Révolutionnaire (LCR) and Lutte Ouvrière (LO), are debating whether to run a joint election campaign for the European elections in 2004. In the Euro elections of 1999 their joint slate won 5.2% of the vote, and LCR got two and LO three candidates elected to the European parliament. Can they repeat this performance? What would they gain from it? What would they risk? Is unity this time around even likely? I cannot predict-the question is the main topic at the meeting of the LCR Central Committee next weekend-but the...

Report from France, July/juillet 2003

Greve des intermittents Pleasure has its price! By Vicki Morris Many more days, week and years (someone should count them) of 'metro, boulot, dodo' (commute, work, bed) for French workers, now that the pension 'reforms' of right-wing prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin have gone through parliament. But on a recent visit to France I found the far left in high spirits. After the general strike that the movement was calling for had been frustrated by the trade union federations, people returned to work. Those who had been on strike might or might not have their pay docked (and that might depend...

Environmentalist taken at dawn: Release José Bové!

By Vicki Morris On Sunday 21 June, in the early morning, Jose Bové was dragged from his bed by armed police and taken away to prison by helicopter. The spokesperson of the French radical farmers’ union, the Farmers’ Confederation, is starting a 10-month jail sentence for destroying GM crops in 1998 and 1999. He had been hoping for a pardon for these offences—half a million people wrote to the French president requesting it—but Jacques Chirac—nicknamed “super-menteur” [“super-liar”], with all manner of corrupt deals in his past, but immune from prosecution while he is president—has not seen fit...

Workers' Liberty at Lutte Ouvriere fete

The Alliance for Workers' Liberty will be at Lutte Ouvriere's fete at Presles, near Paris, 7-9 June. We have a stall, and are hosting a forum: "How do we stop wars?: Lessons from the British Stop The War Coalition." Speaker: Martin Thomas Saturday 7 June, 8pm, Forum area 1 (check schedule at the fete for confirmation: owing to the volatile and exciting political situation, the schedule is subject to change!). Come and meet us! Details before Saturday: 07719 283132

Workers of the World

French strikes over: we'll be back 50th anniversary of East German uprising Strike wave in South Korea tests the new president Zimbabwe extends strike bans Demonstration against Lula's government Cambodian police kill demonstrators No jobs for sacked Venezuelan oil workers Celebrate 100 years of the car industry? ICFTU figures for deaths of trade unionists French strikes over: we'll be back The inspiring fight of French workers against the Chirac-Raffarin government's plans to cut their pensions is over. The legislation is going through parliament where the government has a massive majority...

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.