Nieuws van de afdeling

21 August 2011

'Fifty billion out: blunder or deception?'

Has Prime Minister Mark Rutte committed a blunder in his explanation of Greece’s support package? Or has he made a conscious attempt to mislead the people by setting the figure for expenditure lower than it really was? This is the question that SP leader Emile Roemer answered during the debate over the crisis in the Eurozone and Rutte’s ‘slip’ over the billions in aid to Greece.

21 August 2011

The Modern Left in Europe

Last Friday and Saturday I took part in an informal meeting with a number of our European sister parties. Many of these parties are in the United Left group in the European Parliament, to which the SP also belongs. This meeting was, however, not to be compared to those in the EP: at last there was time for an informal and honest debate over the way forward in Europe. The general drift was that we as the left must continue to make it clear to everyone that the present crisis was caused in its entirety by the right. In order to get back on our feet, the left must take the initiative and attack casino capitalism at its heart. At the same time only the left can ensure that the bill for the crisis goes to the speculators and the highest earners, and that we restore a healthy welfare state.

18 August 2011

A unified Eurozone cannot be maintained

European governments have for months allowed the financial markets to lay down the law. In the judgement of Dennis de Jong, countries such as Spain and Italy cannot be rescued within the current Eurozone. In addition, the financial markets must be subject to restraints.

15 August 2011

'Don’t aid the mafia by burning waste from Naples’

SP Member of Parliament Henk van Gerven is urging the government to reject plans for the import of waste from Naples for processing by Dutch firms. The waste processing companies want to bring some of the rubbish piling up in the Italian city to the Netherlands for incineration. ‘Carting waste around is always unnecessary,’ says Van Gerven, ‘but it is particularly bad if by doing so we are going to the aid of the Italian mafia.’

14 August 2011

The European Parliament’s powers – or lack of them

These are extremely uncertain times for Europe. Speculators are attacking one country after another: after Greece, Ireland and Portugal came under the cosh, now it’s the turn of Italy, Spain, France and Belgium to feel the pressure. While the Dutch national Parliament next week returns from recess for an emergency debate on the euro-crisis, the European Parliament continues its holidays. Now, the EP has very little say over the euro. Moreover, there is always a majority of MEPs in favour of handing over more powers to Brussels. So perhaps it isn’t such a bad thing that next week will see Members still enjoying their holidays, but all the same it seems odd, when government leaders are constantly on the phone to each other discussing what may turn out to be historic decisions on ‘rescuing the euro’, that the buildings of the European Parliament are standing empty.

6 August 2011

SP demonstrates solidarity with Syrians

'We must have stricter sanctions against the regime in Syria. The international community cannot stand idly by and watch the Syrian President Assad butcher his own people. Economic sanctions must be imposed.' So said SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel during Friday’s demonstration in The Hague. 'It’s crazy that Shell is still doing business in Syria and that Assad’s tanks are able to run on their fuel. Charges should also now be brought against Assad in the International Criminal Court. Given that The Hague is the legal global capital, the Netherlands has a duty to do this.’

International