Drawing of participents of Paris Commune

“Spurn the Dust to Win the Prize” — 150 Years Since the Paris Commune

Harper Cleves is a member of the Socialist Party (ISA in Ireland). 150 years ago this month, history was made when working-class Parisians established the Paris Commune on March 18, 1871. This represented the first example of a society run by and for the working class – a workers’ state. While the Commune lasted for […]

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France: The Labour Movement Must Fight Against Repression and Racism

Nicolas Croes is a member of Linkse Socialistiche Partij / Parti Socialiste de Lutte (ISA in Belgium). Last Saturday 12 December, for the third consecutive week, thousands of people marched in various French cities to denounce the Global Security Bill and the separatism bill. In the midst of the pandemic, the priorities of President Macron’s […]

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France: Mass Anger Grows During the Pandemic

Nicolas Croes is a member of Linkse Socialistiche Partij / Parti Socialiste de Lutte (ISA in Belgium). French President Emmanuel Macron wanted to dedicate the July 14 Bastille Day national holiday to the nursing staff. But after the catastrophic management of the COVID-19 crisis, very few health care workers fell for this public relations stunt. […]

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France: Movement against pension attacks continues

Nicolas Croes is a member of Linkse Socialistiche Partij / Parti Socialiste de Lutte (ISA in Belgium). Build the general strike with general assemblies in all workplaces! Such a movement has not been seen since May 1968! Against pension reforms, at the time of writing it has passed the 40-day mark without any sign of […]

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France: Build for an indefinite general strike everywhere!

Nicolas Croes is a member of Linkse Socialistiche Partij / Parti Socialiste de Lutte (ISA in Belgium). The first day of strikes and protests against French President Macron’s proposed reform of the pension system was a resounding and historic success. On Thursday, December 5, there were nearly 250 demonstrations across France attended by no less […]

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France 1981-84: from hope to the ‘austerity turn’

Boris is a member of Linkse Socialistiche Partij / Parti Socialiste de Lutte (ISA in Belgium). Failure of the Mitterand government May 10, 1981. In Paris, 200,000 people gathered at the Bastille, shouting for joy. Scenes of jubilation burst out in all the cities across France. François Mitterrand had just won the second round of […]

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France: Gilets Jaunes and striking workers confront Macron

Clare Doyle is a member of the Committee for a Workers’ International. The gilets jaunes revolt in France, now in its fourth month, not only threatens the survival of Emmanuel Macron, his government and his party. It has inspired movements of discontented workers and young people far beyond its borders. It has also helped widen […]

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France: “Yellow vest” revolt changes everything

Leïla Messaoudi is a member of Gauche Révolutionnaire (CWI in France). The “yellow vest” movement in France has involved hundreds of thousands of people in demonstrations, blockades of roundabouts, main roads and toll booths all around the country, in big cities and in the countryside. Begun in mid-November, it has not even stopped during the […]

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France’s president backs down in face of mass demonstrations

Clare Doyle is a member of the Committee for a Workers’ International. After three weeks of increasingly angry mass protests, French President Emmanuel Macron suspended the massively contested tax on diesel. Yet, so far this concession has not defused the mass movement calling for his government to resign. On Monday, 3 December, when the French […]

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Students protesting in Paris 1968

1968: year of revolution

Peter Taaffe is a member of the Socialist Party (CWI in England & Wales). Factory and university occupations in France. US civil rights and rage at the Vietnam war. Upheavals in Italy, Pakistan and Northern Ireland. Revolt in Stalinist Czechoslovakia. Repression in Mexico. Events in 1968 sent shockwaves around the world. Some years stand out […]

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