Social democracy seeks the recipe to curb the far-right

BarcelonaAbout twenty governments and more than 6,000 representatives of parties and progressive organizations from around the world met yesterday at Fira Barcelona with one goal: to restore the credibility of social democracy on a planet battered by war and climate crisis, where the far-right is gaining ground. They denounce that the reactionary wave feeds on a malaise rooted in inequality and that it uses manipulation and lies to stir up hatred against immigrants, women and dissidences. Aware that action is needed, they wave the flags of “No to war”, the defense of human rights and the fight for equality. And they say that now is the time. An anti-Trump front that admits that defending oneself is not enough, but that does not go as far as formulating a tangible positive proposal.

At the closing event of the Global Progressive Mobilisation organised by the PSOE, the Socialist International, and other affiliated parties, Tim Walz, the Democratic governor of Minnesota, who was the vice-presidential candidate with Kamala Harris and has now opposed Trump's immigration police deployment, did not mince his words: “We have a president willing to shoot anyone and who has gotten into a war with no real reason and no plan: this must be called by its name, and it is fascism.” And he explained his recipe, which hits a nerve for left-wing governments: when you come to power, you must keep your promises and make people feel that their lives are improving. Walz recalled the Lincoln Brigade from Minnesota, which fought against Franco in the Civil War: “Now we need you. Do not abandon the people of the United States and condemn the monstrosities being committed from the White House.” Videos were sent to the event by Zohran Mamdani, the first mayor of New York to declare himself a socialist, the combative senator Bernie Sanders, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Also, former Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, president of the Party of European Socialists, chanted “They shall not pass”.

Pedro Sánchez made a risky bet by positioning himself against the genocide in Palestine, against the capture of Nicolás Maduro, and against the war in Iran. But time has proven him right. His clash with Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump has earned him the respect of progressive governments in Latin America, which have historically viewed Spain with mistrust. Leading the counterbalance to Trump alongside other powers governed by the left, Brazil's Lula da Silva and Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum, is a step forward for the Spanish president. This is also true for his projection as a leader of the European left, going against the current. Now it remains to be seen if the message of mobilization and recovery of lost pride, and the cathartic moment experienced by social democrats in Barcelona, will transform into organization.

Responding to fears

The Spanish government's support for Palestine has also brought it closer to South Africa, the government that dared to accuse Israel of genocide before the UN court. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who had the audience rise with shouts of Free Palestine, warned of a world where "public debate is written by algorithms" and urged to combat reaction, which "offers simple answers to complex problems and directs hatred against the most vulnerable." Ramaphosa warned, however, that the only alternative is

At other times, the left had put forward global demands, such as dedicating 0.7% of GDP to eradicating hunger in the world, repealing external debt, or the Tobin tax to levy speculative operations. Now there are three proposals. The first, to reform the UN to end the veto of the five victorious powers of World War II and move towards multilateral governance that recognizes that the world has changed and gives, for example, the place they deserve to India or China. The second, to establish a framework for global economic governance different from the International Monetary Fund. The third, to bring social networks and technocrats under control.

"Today in the world we see that the far-right, populism, and violence are sweeping away diplomacy and dialogue," said Moroccan Khaoula Lachgar, Africa's representative to the Socialist International, from the audience. With the background sound of "Power to the people," in an auditorium packed with guests and affiliates and sympathizers of the PSC and PSOE who came from all corners, Lachgar admitted that they do not have "solutions for everything, but the problem is that the manosphere, the deniers, and the extremists do not want to dialogue." Her recipe: "To put facts and science back at the center and make ourselves understandable to people, from any place and educational level."

Johan Chermette-Wagner, representative of the new French center-left party Place Publique, highlighted that "the far-right always organizes international meetings" and that they have been waiting too long: "Now we can take advantage of Pedro Sánchez's leadership." The young man insisted that "social democracy in Europe is stronger than it seems," but that a more concrete vision is lacking: "We have to win the cultural battle and unite."