Switzerland
New left-wing wind on the shores of Lake Geneva?
The Swiss parliamentsdid not wait for a dissolution before dividing into three blocs at both the cantonal and federal levels. And, although the right and the far right joined forces to form a reactionary and neoliberal majority, the municipal parliament in the City of Geneva remains on the left thanks to the contribution of the radical left of which solidaritéS is a member.
Maintain a left majority
For the 2025 elections, there was a risk that successive splits within the movement would prevent this majority from being maintained, but also the role of left-wing compass vis-à-vis the pink-green executive!
Until very late at night, the day before the lists were to be submitted, the comrades negotiated an agreement between the Labour Party (the local communist party), whose president comes from a first split from solidaritéS and will be our candidate for the executive (also elected by direct universal suffrage) —, the DAL (a small local group) and the UP (Popular Union, also from the last split from solidaritéS ). In addition to the financial aspect negotiated in recent months (UP debt on the non-payment of attendance fees), solidaritéS had vetoed the candidacy of people who had participated in attacks on the personality (acts or words that undermine the physical and mental health, moral integrity and social reputation) of members of the movement.
Support the struggles at the city council
Once the agreement has been reached, our 51 candidates are united in their assault on the Municipal Council! To do what? Continue the work carried out by our elected representatives to support the struggles in the neighbourhoods, at the union level, those of the City employees , sometimes support projects of the left-wing majority and try at a local level to counterbalance the neoliberal projects of the cantonal parliament, or even the federal one.
For example, in the Pâquis district, the most densely populated and popular in the city, our elected representatives were able, in addition to participating in actions by local associations to remove asphalt, to support greening projects within the Council, andto alert people to the situation of buildings left abandoned in a city whose main problem is finding housing. It is also reminding the pink-green executive that the annuity paid to city employees is not a bonus at the employer’s discretion but rather a right of employees, but it is also allying with these same pink-greens to vote for a deficit budget that allows the creation of 108 jobs against the opposition of the right and the far right. It is supporting the left-wing projects of this same executive when they meet the needs of the population, such as the municipalization of daycare centres, or supporting the demands of the Feminist Strike when it asks for premises or the feminization of street names. This is in addition to participating in an occupation with unaccompanied minors of a public building, bringing to the Council the demand of their collective struggle in its request for a municipal identity card. And also participating in the strong mobilizations in Geneva (several thousand participants in each demonstration) in support of Palestine, against the federal policy of "pro-Israeli neutrality", voting 200,000 francs in subsidies to UNRWA to try to compensate for the disengagement of the Confederation.
Beyond this Geneva issue, solidaritéS will continue to fight on all necessary terrains, in the streets as well as in parliaments, from an anti- capitalist, eco-socialist, internationalist, feminist and anti-racist perspective, notably with our comrades from the NPA-l’Anticapitaliste .
13 December 2024
Translated by International Viewpoint from l’Anticapitaliste.
International Viewpoint is published under the responsibility of the Bureau of the Fourth International. Signed articles do not necessarily reflect editorial policy. Articles can be reprinted with acknowledgement, and a live link if possible.
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