International Viewpoint - online socialist magazine

Theses on the Left and the corona crisis

Jan Willem Stutje, Paul Mepschen, Willem Bos — 2020-03-25T07:26:55Z

1. The corona crisis is a crisis of unprecedented magnitude and will have dramatic consequences. It involves a global health crisis, a health care crisis and a financial and economic crisis. In a world that has long been characterized by a high degree of instability, by lack of international leadership and the rise of nationalism, racism and right-wing populism, as well as the weak level of organization of the working class, of social and left-wing movements.

- Covid-19 - Statements / Netherlands, Covid-19 Pandemic, Covid-19 - Statements

Right victorious as socialist illusions are shattered

Willem Bos — 2012-09-14T11:11:40Z

The right-wing, neoliberal VVD of prime-minister Mark Rutte won the parliamentary elections of 12 September. His party won 41 of 150 seats, beating the social democractic PvdA that won 38 seats. Among the losers is the christian democratic CDA – for decades the dominant party in Dutch politics, now reduced to 13 seats. The Greens lost 6 seats, falling to 4, and Geert Wilders right-wing, anti-Muslim, anti-European Union party retained only 15 of its 24 seats. The Socialist Party (SP) gained a disappointing 15 seats, the same number it already had.

- IV452 - September 2012 / Netherlands

The SP at a crossroads

Willem Bos — 2010-04-30T11:57:42Z

Things are not going well for the Dutch Socialist Party. During the last municipal elections in March the party suffered a defeat, the first time it lost in an election. The SP is the only party in the Netherlands that has always criticized neoliberalism – but now that model has stranded, the party suffers it biggest setback in its history. This makes a discussion about the party and its course more necessary than ever.

- IV423 - April 2010 / Netherlands

Netherlands: A vote against neo-liberalism

Willem Bos — 2005-06-10T17:45:51Z

The outcome of the Dutch referendum on the European constitution is a clear stand against the neo-liberal project. It is not a vote against Europe, European co-operation, integration or union, but rather a vote against the neo-liberal Europe that this constitution was an attempt to set in stone. This does not mean that the vote was unambiguously left wing or progressive.

- IV368 - June 2005 / Netherlands