The mobilization of certain sectors of Italian society (the so-called forconi –pitchforks), which took place at the beginning of December, demonstrates how the country is now entering a new phase of its social and economic crisis. In the past the social groups that this movement represents shied away from certain forms of action that occurred on this occasion: road blocks, improvised rallies, and mass demonstrations in the Italian piazze.
A new wave of mobilizations?
6 January 2014, byThe days of action on October 18 and 19, 2013 (a day of mobilization by the "rank-and-file unions", with total abstention by the big confederations, and the demonstration on the following day of various social movements) have clearly shown a new social effervescence and a new willingness to fight in Italian society. Indeed, this autumn of 2013 may be the occasion of a greater mobilization against austerity policies and against the broad coalition government (between the Democratic Party of Prime Minister Enrico Letta and the Freedom Party, represented by the Deputy Prime Minister Angelino Alfano) guided unconstitutionally by the President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, a "veteran" of the late Italian Communist Party (PCI).
Oppose the austerity government
6 January 2014We publish below the appeal signed by 488 trade unionists, members of the CGIL, for the next congress of the confederation.
Edward Snowden vs. U.S. government
6 January 2014, byEdward Joseph Snowden, 30, former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor and the world’s most ardent whistleblower, continues to be the bane of U.S. government surveillance and spy operations. Rarely a week passes when government denials of gross spying operations are not almost instantly refuted by a Snowden release of damning classified texts that he acquired during his stint with the NSA and several associated private surveillance corporations.
Feminist alarm in the Spanish State: the abortion bill must be stopped
5 January 2014, byOn 20 December, the Spanish Popular Party government (right wing) made public the draft of the "Law for the protection of the life of the unborn and the rights of the pregnant woman." As the feminist movement and a broad spectrum of the left has been explaining since then the new law, if approved, would be the most important attack in the field of sexual and reproductive rights in the Spanish state since the Franco dictatorship.