The Crisis, Resistance, and Alternatives

Europe is in a profound slump. Despite reassuring voices already predicting an end to the crisis, living and working conditions continue to deteriorate. Poverty and precarity are dramatically increasing across the continent. A social Europe is not on political decision-makers’ agenda.

But social movements are not giving up. On the contrary, they are organising and getting bigger. Not enough to present a strong opposition to antisocial policies, but there are signs of encouragement on the horizon.

Resistance is beginning to produce results, politically as well. New progressive forces have been born and are slowly occupying previously lost places. New proposals might bring about democratic change in Europe.

The situation in Greece is particularly significant. Today, a party based on progressive ideas has hopes of leading the government in the coming months.

In this context, Alter Summit demands :

• that the Greek people be able to sovereignly decide their destiny without the interference of European institutions and national and international major media, and unthreatened by politicians or financial markets ;
• that an elected government be able to choose policies that best respond to the needs of their people, especially when promising democratic advances.

Moreover, Alter Summit will support any party or political movement in Greece or elsewhere in Europe whose stated task is to respond to the following issues that we have defined in our June 2013 Manifesto:

• bringing an end to debt enslavement, meaning – among other things – the immediate cancellation of the memoranda imposed on over-indebted countries by the Troika and suspension of payment on the debt until these populations are protected from increasing poverty and unemployment;
• ending austerity by refusing or annulling treaties and the settlements they impose and by assuring fiscal justice;
• reversing the present tendency to eliminate rights, especially by restoring the freedom to negotiate and take collective action;
• making banks and finance serve the well-being of the people.

Citizens must have the power to decide. Europe must change direction. The entrance of new actors in the European political arena could alter the balance of power in favour of progressive aspirations.

An international campaign in support of the Greek people is forming in Europe. Alter Summit will be involved and participate in its capacity. Alter Summit is coordinating labour organisations, NGO’s and social platforms from across Europe; the diversity of today’s social movements demands respect for the sovereign choices of the Greek people and supports them in their struggle for greater democracy.

Through reflection, discussion and mobilisation, Alter Summit contributes to constructing a strong social movement in Europe to ensure political advances towards a Europe that is democratic, social, ecological and feminist! We want an end to austerity and we demand true democracy!

Brussels, the 9th of January 2015"