DiEM25

Julian called me a little earlier on, at 14.22 London time to be precise. From Belmarsh High Security Prison of course. This is not the first time but, as you can imagine, every time I hear his voice I feel honoured and moved that he should dial my number when he has such few and far between opportunities to place calls.

Transnational paneuropean democracy is not just possible, not just a dream. It is here, alive and kicking – within our transnational paneuropean movement, DiEM25.

Over the past week, our members from Finland to Portugal and from Iceland to Turkey and Cyprus have been voting in what we call all member votes. Several votes that re-fashioned our internal constitution – our Ops as we call them.

Being part of a genuinely democratic movement, that decides everything that matters by all member votes, is a rare respite from living in pseudo-democracies. DiEM25 was created with the lofty task of democratising Europe through a head-on confrontation with its ruling classes. How else could we hope to do this unless our internal processes are in synch with what we propose for Europe?

Socialising part of capital’s returns is one small step toward a postcapitalism worth fighting for. A small step, yes. But a crucial one.

You may also want to watch WHAT COMES AFTER CAPITALISM

On Monday 19th May 2020, Chancellor Merkel and President Macron announced a joint proposal for a 500 billion euro common fund, to be financed by allowing the European Commission to borrow from the money markets. The fund will, according to the Merkel-Macron proposal, finance directly businesses across the EU – by means mainly of transfers. Is this a breakthrough? Here is my answer on behalf of DiEM25.

DiEM25 was created in February 2016 because Europe was disintegrating as a result of a pseudo-technocratic takeover of the EU that was imposing austerity everywhere in response to the financial crisis caused by the EU pseudo-technocracy’s controllers. Today, now that a mindless virus has placed European capitalism in suspended animation, it is time to re-assess our analysis and to re-purpose our policies.

Later today, Thursday 23rd April, the EU Council will meet to discuss the common European response to the Great New Recession caused by the pandemic. Their agenda should comprise one, and only one, item: How to ensure that the necessary increase in public deficits will not show up in the fiscally stressed member-states’ national budgets, so as not to boost already non-viable public debt levels. If the EU Council fails in this task, the result will be massive, cruel austerity (e.g. pension and wage cuts, new taxes etc.) for the Europeans worst hit by the pandemic.