For a Peaceful and Social Security Policy in Europe – Walter Baier, European Left

5th May 2025Leave a Commenton For a Peaceful and Social Security Policy in Europe – Walter Baier, European Left

“The climate crisis, inequality, and the profoundly unjust world economic order – none of these are being addressed. Instead, we see militarization, walls, and war.”

On the Eve of May Day, Arise Festival held their annual international rally – “For Peace & Socialism – No to Trump’s New World Disorder!”. Walter Baier, President of the Party of the European Left,spoke on the growing challenges of militarisation and war, the rising far-right, and the climate crisis – and the progressive struggles against them.

You can read an edited version of his speech or watch the event in full below.

Fraternal greetings from Red Vienna!

We live in dangerous times – perhaps the most dangerous since the world was liberated from fascism 80 years ago.

Trump – and the global rise of the extreme nationalist right – represent the attempt by the most reactionary forces of the ruling class to resolve today’s crises through authoritarianism and external aggression.

The climate crisis, inequality, and the profoundly unjust world economic order – none of these are being addressed. Instead, we see militarization, walls, and war.

Seventy years after the defeat of fascism, leaders like Putin, Trump, Netanyahu, and Erdoğan show us that the far right is not a relic of the past—it is a threat of the present.

Their rise goes hand in hand with the huge arms programmes, with Europe being the continent that is militarising the fastest – and both are symptoms of a deeper problem: the global crisis of capitalism leading to growing imperialist rivalries. These rivalries have pushed us to the edge of catastrophe.

But let me be clear: this is also a time of resistance and struggle.

For the European Left, the fight for social justice and ecological transformation cannot be separated from the struggle for peace. These are one fight.

And it is a global struggle.

Let’s speak about hypocrisy in Western politics. While the EU has rightfully imposed sanctions on Russia, it continues to support Israel’s far-right government – with weapons, funding, and moral and political support—as it wages a genocidal war in Gaza.

We demand an arms embargo and economic sanctions against Israel.

Yes, we condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine from the beginning. But it’s time to speak truth. The US’ and EU’s strategy was never truly about saving Ukraine—it was about defeating Russia. This is not a strategy for peace. This has pushed us closer to a direct confrontation between nuclear powers.

We call for a ceasefire—under UN supervision—a just peace and a return to international law.

Ironically, even Trump’s presidency had one effect: it forced EU leaders to talk about “strategic autonomy.” But what do they mean by that?

For Macron, Von der Leyen, and others, autonomy just means more weapons, more military buildup.

We say: No. We say autonomy must serve peace. It means self-determined policy. It means cooperation – not bombs.

We demand Europe and a world free of nuclear weapons by 2050.

And we call for the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from Europe, starting with Germany. No new US missiles. No more nuclear dependency.

We also demand that the clause in the EU treaties binding Europe to NATO—and to US military dominance—be removed.

Because real security is not about missiles or fighter jets.

Real, humane security is about protecting people – from pandemics, from hunger, from climate catastrophe. It means water, housing, healthcare, and dignity.

Yet while the European Commission wants states to slash public services to cut deficits, they allow unlimited military spending.

Austerity for the people. Superprofits for the arms industry. We say: No more.

We support the European Trade Union Confederation in their fight against austerity.

Without defeating militarism, there will be no social justice, no climate justice – no future.

But there is hope.

The peace movement is alive again. In Rome, Madrid, Berlin. In Greek and Italian ports – workers are stopping arms shipments to Israel. Civil society, churches, and unions are rising.

And yes – it works. In Spain, pressure from the Left forced the government to cancel weapons deliveries to Israel.

We are part of this growing movement. We support the Anti-NATO Demo in The Hague on 22 June and the Stop-Rearm initiative carried by a broad alliance of civil society movements.

So let us not be led by fear – but by hope.

Let us not prepare for war – but build a future of peace.

Let us not build walls of weapons – but bridges between people and the working classes.

Victory is possible. And another world is possible.