On Sunday 10 November, a future reception centre for asylum seekers in Bilzen, Flanders, was destroyed in an arson attack. The fire did not occur out of the blue. It is the consequence of a far-right strategy aimed at sowing hatred and division. Here is the reaction in Parliament of PTB-PVDA deputy Gaby Colebunders, former Ford worker in Genk (Limburg province) and son of an immigrant coal miner.

After having worked their entire careers, pensioners are entitled to a decent pension. It is a matter of justice, respect and fair distribution. While politicians are drawing EUR 4,250 pensions, Belgian pensions are among the lowest in Western Europe. With average pensions ranging from EUR 1,244 for men to EUR 989 for women, retired workers cannot even afford a retirement home, let alone enjoy their retirement.

Hundreds of restructuring and layoffs in Match, Smatch and Carrefour stores, a major spontaneous strike at Lidl last year: a real storm hit the distribution sector.

Speech by Peter Mertens, Chariman of the PTB-PVDA, at ManiFiesta, 22 September 2019

Contribution to the PCP Conference, Palmela, 13 September 2019 by Jos D'Haese, head of the PTB-PVDA group in the Flemish Parliament.

Now that Thomas Cook Belgium has also been declared financially incapacitated, Maria Vindevoghel, member of parliament for PTB-PVDA, warns against the possibility of a snowball effect in the sector. For the former Sabena trade unionist, dismissals must be avoided at all costs. “Shareholders and employers have benefited for years from profits and bonuses. Workers, on the other hand, are left in the most complete uncertainty today.”

Marc Botenga, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the PTB-PVDA, voted against Ursula von der Leyen's candidacy as the new president of the European Commission, as did the entire Group of the European United Left (GUE/NGL), of which the PTB-PVDA is a member.

Despite an attempt to change its façade, Vlaams Belang remains a far-right racist party. It is essential to unmask the racist, anti-social and dangerous nature of this party, as well as the attempt at "normalisation" that is at work.

This year we are organizing the 10th edition of ManiFiesta, the largest solidarity festival in Belgium, organized by Solidaire, the PTB newspaper and Médecine pour le peuple, the PTB network of people’s clinics. On the weekend of 21 & 22 September, the small town of Bredene on the Belgian coast will be the meeting place for all forms of resistance and struggles for a change of society.

The PTB-PVDA (Workers’ Party of Belgium) is a big winner in the last elections all over Belgium. In Wallonia and Brussels, it is the party that has made the most progress. In Flanders, it is the second fastest growing party. What are the reasons for this success? In this article, we look back at the election campaign and the result of the May 26 elections.