Interviews and articles

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.

We speak to Dr. Hanne Bosselaers from Médecine pour le Peuple (MPLP) – an initiative of the Workers Party of Belgium (PTB/PVDA) – which seeks to provide accessible and quality health and medical care to the people. Médecine pour le Peuple (MPLP) operates 11 multidisciplinary medical action centers with about 200 staff members caring for around 25,000 patients.

Sofie Merckx, 45, is a general practitioner and works at the Medics for the people (Médecine pour le people, MPLP) health center in Charleroi, Belgium. From 2012 to 2019 she has been member of the city council of Charleroi for the Workers' Party of Belgium (PTB-PVDA). In 2019 she has been elected member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives.

Thursday March 19 is the day the number of corona virus deaths in Italy surpassed China’s. It is also the first day no new infections were detected in China. Other East Asian countries, like Japan, Singapore and South Korea, have managed to contain the corona epidemic better than most countries in Western Europe. What are the reasons?

Throughout the European Union, national governments are attacking the most solidarity-based pension systems. A coordinated attack from the European institutions. A quick look at Spain, France and Germany.

In April 2017, the Croatian government published a "pension reform programme" aimed at increasing the retirement age from 65 to 67 and tightening the conditions for early retirement. This programme has been approved by Parliament. Not by the workers, however, who have forced the government to back down. Background of a victory. (photo : Ivan Blazevic, responsible for the campaign in the city of Crikvenica. D.R.)

French workers are fighting against Macron's pension reform. In Belgium, we have pushed back the previous government of Charles Michel and its points-based pension. In Spain, it is the "pensionistas" who march every Monday demanding dignified pensions. In Croatia, the trade unions have obtained the return of the legal retirement age from 67 to 65... This struggle in defence of our pensions is sweeping through many European countries. Coincidence?

While the government in France faces a lot of resistance against its pension reform project, in Belgium they remember a similar project. Two years ago the government and employers tried to impose a pension with points. The workers succeeded to get them to back out. A brief look at this Belgian victory.

Members of parliament who receive more than 11,000 euros per month, a Commission that defends European multinationals… Welcome to the marvellous world of the European Union. A world discovered from inside by the PTB's member of the European Parliament Marc Botenga (GUE/NGL). Travel account.

The Workers’ Party of Belgium has been in the forefront of resisting the far-right in the country, as well as promoting internationalism and battling for a just solution to climate change. Interview Bert De Belder part 2.

Bert De Belder of the Workers’ Party of Belgium reflects on the transitions that enabled his organization to emerge as a powerful force throughout the country at a time of increasing fracturing of the polity. Interview Bert De Belder part 1.