Call of FIR (for the European parliament electoral campaign)

26. April 2019

The next elections to the European Parliament will take place in May 2019. For the International Federation of Resistance Fighters (FIR) – Association of Anti-Fascists, its member-federations in almost all European countries and Israel, veterans of antifascist struggle and antifascists of today’s generation, these elections are very important for a variety of reasons:

In recent years, we have often had to experience painfully that the present policy and development of the European Union does not correspond to the interests of large parts of the people in the European countries. In particular, the response to refugee situation and the fiscal clout of several states have deepened the social divide in Europe. Numerous decisions lead to massive social exclusion and dismantling of workers’ rights, at the expense of the weakest in the respective countries. At the same time, the tendencies to foreclosure of the “fortress Europe” are massive reinforced and the development of a European military power for international missions is promoted.

On the other hand, voices calling for a democratic, peace-oriented, solidary and socially just development of Europe must also be strengthened to have the basis to a real construction of the progress of the European Union.

In addition, in many European countries, we must see a significant upraise of openly racist, nationalist and extreme right-wing parties and groups. They are not only strongly represented in national parliaments, but meanwhile they also participate in the government in several states, where they put their anti-democratic and racist policies into government action.

The anti-fascist, anti-racist and peace-moving organizations and groups as well as trade unions, and social movements must join forces in order to engage and successfully counter such developments in the election campaign and later in the European Parliament.

The basis of this action is not a vote for a party, but the common advocacy for a Europe,

  • opposing any form of racial discrimination or xenophobia,
  • promoting comparable living conditions in all countries, to avoid forced departure of workforce – necessary for living condition.
  • working for refugees and minorities and against human trafficking,
  • Standing against nationalist and separatist attempts by guaranteeing the cultural identity of minorities and regions in Europe,
  • opposing any form of Holocaust denial, denial of the resistance fight, destruction of memorial sites, falsification of history and rehabilitation of SS criminals,
  • ensuring a social policy that guarantees work, education, nutrition and adequate housing for all as a basis for a wide democracy,
  • representing a community in the interest of the people and claiming that Europe cannot reduced to the role of big financial trust and pure business lobbies,
  • advocating a peace policy based not on domination in matter of foreign policy, but on non-military conflict solutions.

This Europe is possible if the peoples actively and vocally campaign for their interests.

FIR will do its part to ensure that the different political movements and forces move forward along this path. Just as the national member federations advocate in their countries for social alliances against right wing developments and for the defense of the anti-fascist foundations of a society, the FIR works on an international level to connect existing initiatives and movements in order to become a common political voice in Europe.