Interviews and articles

The chairman of the FEB (Federation of Enterprises in Belgium) has been dreaming of a Social Pact for a long time. A dream from before the Covid-19 crisis. He's not the only one. For Georges-Louis Bouchez, the chairman of the MR (Mouvement réformateur, French-speaking liberal party), "it is time to conclude a new social contract". At the trade union level too, some are calling for a Social Pact. This caused a strong controversy at the top of the FGTB (socialist trade union federation). But what would this Pact be made of?

More and more voices are calling for the removal of the statues of Leopold II from the public space. Why? What did he do in the Congo? And what is the link between colonization and racism today? Explanations.

Who has to pay for this crisis? The heroes of everyday life, the healthcare workers, the workers in the distribution, at the post office... or the richest? In our country, the PTB-PVDA started the debate with the proposal of a "corona tax", but the issue is of global importance. French economists feel that a wealth tax is justified in times of crisis. It has already been applied.

Thousands of scientists worldwide are searching for medicines and vaccines against Covid-19. Big Pharma is also pulling out all the stops in order to make the most of the pandemic that is now dominating our lives. However, it is the responsibility of the large pharmaceutical companies that this treatment is not yet available today.

Over the last five years, the Lufthansa Group has made a profit of EUR 9 billion, the majority of which went into the pockets of shareholders such as German billionaire Heinz Hermann Thiele. But now that the airline is in trouble, it is asking for 290 million euros in public aid to save Brussels Airlines. The community is supposed to put its money where its mouth is and pack the shareholders' wallet. This is an outdated model for the PTB-PVDA, who advocates a publicly-owned airline.

Speech by Peter Mertens, chairman of the PTB-PVDA, at the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the victory over fascism, 8 May 2020, Breendonk

European leaders won’t consider debt cancellation or abandon the dogma of neoliberal austerity. Coronavirus shows that well-funded public services are essential for our survival — austerity is a matter of life and death. We need an alternative.

May First speech of Peter Mertens, chairman of the Workers' Party of Belgium (PTB-PVDA)

Prevention must be a crucial aspect of our healthcare response to the corona pandemic. Both to prevent the spread of the virus and to deal with the social consequences of the corona crisis. The fact that many countries fall short in this respect has a lot to do with the organisation of their health care. This brings the importance of strong public health care back to the fore.

The fight against the coronavirus pandemic is often compared to a war. We are indeed facing a titanic challenge. But, when going up to the front, it is better to be alert, resilient and well-rested than already exhausted. For decades, our Western health care system has been subjected to waves of budget cuts and privatization. Our economy itself was already in bad shape when it was hit hard by this unforeseen crisis. Following the 2008 crisis, we must draw genuine conclusions from this coronavirus crisis and effect radical system change. Our health, our social future and the climate are at stake.

Interview with Bert De Belder, Head, Department of International Relations of the PTB-PVDA (Workers' Party of Belgium)

The (European) emperor is naked. Failed. After years of austerity measures, the healthcare system is failing the corona virus stress test miserably. Hospitals are short of beds, staff, respirators, masks etc. In short, they are lacking the necessary resources. Applauding the healthcare workers is fantastic, but it is not enough. We now have to do everything we can to stop the epidemic and restore a health system worthy of the name. To this end, tough choices will have to be made, including at European level.