A Soldier for Peace
The life of French General Jacques Pâris de Bollardière shows how the strongest voices against war and militarism can come from the military’s own ranks.
144 Search Result(s) for: “mitterrand”
Brussels, Dec. 12, 1975
NATO leaders from across the political spectrum found common cause opposing Eurocommunism.
Anything but Pacific
Emmanuel Macron celebrated New Caledonia’s vote to remain part of France as an indication of the Republic’s strength. Yet France’s continued control is based on a bloody history of repression against the independence movement.
The Long Transition
Four decades since the passing of Spain's democratic Constitution, the "regime of '78" is sharply criticized by the Left and the Catalan independence movements. Yet former prime minister Felipe González still defends it.
Making Corbynism a Reality
Jeremy Corbyn’s call for a break with neoliberalism has given hope to millions. But implementing his agenda will require more than good policies — Labour needs a mobilizing strategy to defeat resistance within the state machine and the City of London.
The Franc Zone, a Tool of French Neocolonialism in Africa
François Mitterrand warned that France would be irrelevant to twenty-first-century history unless it maintained its control of Africa. Its instrument for so doing is the CFA Franc — a colonial currency entrenching French rule more than fifty years after independence.
France’s Far Right Is Setting the Agenda Because the Mainstream Allows It To
Ahead of the 2022 election, French media are presenting an inevitable duel between incumbent Emmanuel Macron and the "populist" Marine Le Pen. Yet for decades we've seen how this liberal framing fuels far-right talking points — echoing Le Pen's false claim to stand for those "left behind" against the status quo.
Class Struggle Built the Welfare State
The welfare state wasn’t created by enlightened dialogue or “sensible” moderate politics. It was a concession won by workers against bosses through decades of struggle.
France’s Once-Mighty Communist Party Is Struggling to Find Its Voice
French Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel is running for the presidency — and even polling ahead of the long-powerful Socialists. But a campaign heavy on identity also shows that the old workers’ parties are struggling to speak to a changed working class.
Daniel Guérin Showed Us What a Socialist Writer Should Be
French socialist thinker Daniel Guérin lived a life of extraordinary political commitment, from anti-fascist and anti-colonial struggles to his pioneering advocacy of gay liberation. Guérin’s writings and record should be a touchstone for the modern left.
To Defeat Le Pen, France’s Left Needs to Offer Hope
Faced with France’s snap elections, the left-wing parties built an alliance in record time. But to defeat Marine Le Pen, sounding the alarm about the far right won’t suffice. The Left will need to offer a positive vision for working-class France.
Fredric Jameson and the Adventure of French Theory
After 1945, France produced an extraordinary wave of social theorists whose influence is still felt today. In his final work, Fredric Jameson discussed the excitement of watching this wave rise and fall and the conditions that made it possible.
Schengen Is a Border-Free Zone Surrounded by Barbed Wire
Removing border checks between many European states, the Schengen Area is often hailed as an internationalist triumph. Yet its creation went hand in hand with the tightening of Europe’s external borders — a contradiction that is hardening today.
“A New Deal or ‘Papandreouization’”
An interview with Emmanuel Todd
Foucault’s Responsibility
Foucault was not asking the "right questions." And the answers he came up with helped disorient the Left.
The Other Greek Left
On a Greek left dominated by Syriza and the Communist Party, Antarsya is often overlooked. Where did the organization come from and where is it going?
Turning “No” Into a Political Front
Some lessons from Syriza — and where we go from here.
The French Emergency
From Algeria to the Paris attacks, French elites have used state of emergency legislation to consolidate power and repress dissent.
The Red and the Green
Sinn Féin wants to be more than an opposition force — it wants to lead Ireland’s first progressive government.
Hollande’s Party
François Hollande has hastened the French Socialist Party's transformation into a vehicle for business interests.