IV598 - November 2024

The elections in Botswana, a southern African country of 2.6 million inhabitants situated above South Africa, took place on 30 October. Unexpectedly, the left-wing opposition won a landslide victory, forcing a change of government unseen since the country’s independence in 1966. The electoral victory of the left has raised hopes of a break with the inegalitarian policies that have prevailed since independence.

Faced with the neo-fascist danger represented by the FN/RN (National Front/Nationally Rally), the result of the second round of the early legislative elections has provided a respite. An essential respite since it avoids handing over the levers of the state to them, but it does not eliminate the fundamental processes that were expressed in the European and legislative elections.

Joseph Daher, author of a recent book, Palestine and Marxism, writes that amid drawn-out suffering in Palestine and Lebanon, we should not despair. He argues that resistance from below against our own complicit states offers a way forward.

Could the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon be a new “divine victory”? That was how the agreement that ended the Israeli onslaught on Lebanon in 2006 was characterized by Hezbollah. Then, the party displayed that phrase on huge billboards featuring a picture of its Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, in a clear play on words, as the slogan could be read as both a victory attributed to God and a victory led by Nasrallah, whose name in Arabic means “God’s victory”.

Aotearoa New Zealand’s parliament was brought to a halt on November 14 during the first reading of a controversial and divisive bill that aims to undermine the rights of Māori people.

How does the left in France confront the global "right-wing" turn? Can leftist organizations supporting Ukraine develop a common strategy? Researcher and longtime activist Catherine Samary discusses the role of the left in today’s French politics for Posle Media.

Senator Bernie Sanders introduced three resolutions in the Senate last week to stop U.S. weapons transfers to Israel. The resolutions to end U.S. support for Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza all received between 18 and 19 votes from Democrats and none from Republicans.

Caucasus Feminist Anti-War Movement—C-FAM is an emerging movement of feminist and anti-war/peace activists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Unified in our defiance, C-FAM originated from a powerful solidarity action to confront the greenwashing practices at COP29 taking place in Azerbaijan on November 2024, one of the largest events in our region in recent times. Our movement embodies the principles of feminism, anti-militarism, anti-war, anti-authoritarianism, anti-nationalism, and anti-capitalism, opposing oppressive systems that perpetuate inequality and violence.

The level of unemployment in South Africa is second to no other country in the world. Everyone recognises that it’s a problem, with various polls suggesting that it’s the main concern for people in the country. The problem is so bad that it is described by some as a virus. The symptoms are the widespread desperation of the majority of people in the country and deepening social tensions.

“Comics and journalists have referred to the new cabinet as “Trump’s clown car.” The clowns, however are not funny; they’re frightening.”