NTERNATIONAL I IEWPOINT V News and analysis from the Fourth International IV384 - December 2006 France - Pre-electoral turbulence Italy - Discord in Rifondazione Sri Lanka - For Tamil self-determination International Viewpoint - IV384 - December 2006 IV384 - December 2006 France - Italy - Sri Lanka France Pre-electoral turbulence in France - François Sabado 3 Netherlands Spectacular Breakthrough for Socialist Party - Koen Haegens 6 Italy Discord in Rifondazione over confidence in Prodi - Salvatore Cannavò, Carlos Sevilla 8 Denmark Autonomous Youth House fights back - Aage Skovrind 10 Ecuador Correa's triumph is victory against oligarchy and neoliberalism - Margarita Aguinaga 11 Mexico Marcos: Oaxaca from above - and below - Subcomandante Marcos 12 Sri Lanka For the right to self-determination of Ilankai Tamils - Vickramabahu Karunarathne 14 No war in Sri Lanka - self determination for the Tamil people - International on-line petition 16 Listing Article Index - 2006 17 INTERNATIONAL VIEWPOINT is a review of news and analysis published under the auspices of the Executive Bureau of the Fourth International. IV appears online at www.internationalviewpoint.org and in a monthly pdf version. Editorial office: PO Box 112, Manchester M12 5DW UK ISSN 1294-2925 2 International Viewpoint - IV384 - December 2006 France Pre-electoral turbulence in France Disputes Left and Right François Sabado This interview with François Sabado, member of the Political Bureau of the LCR, (Revolutionary Communist League, French section of the Fourth International) was first published on the website Viento Sur. Since this interview took place the process there have been further developments on the "left" of the French political scene. By a vote of its members the Socialist Party (PS) has designated Ségolène Royal as its candidate. Royal is a self-proclaimed admirer of Tony Blair and has not hesitated to engage in the debates on, for example, security or the education system, with positions hardly distinguishable from those of the right wing incarnated by L to R: Marie-George Buffet (PCF), Oliver Besancenot (LCR), Noël Nicolas Sarkozy. Mamère (Greens) and Arlette Laguiller On the radical left, the difficult the position within it of the other hand, organisations like We were ready to discuss and process of trying to determine a different political and social the LCR which, even with its from that point the discussion unitary candidate on the "anti- organisations and currents limited forces, tried to direct the developed on two closely related neoliberal" movement continues seems quite confused. And in movement against the Chirac- questions: First, does a with votes in all the local addition it is a polemical Villepin government. On the consistent defence of an anti- collectives to determine which subject, including within the electoral level, there also this liberal programme imply moves candidate each collective LCR. We would like to know the unitary aspiration, but there the along the path of a break with supports. This process should position of the Ligue leadership things are complicated, because capitalism? Does defence of culminate in a national meeting and your own opinions on the electoral and institutional public services require not only on 9/10th September. questions in this process. To questions pose, even on the undoing rightwing privatisations start with, could you summarise parliamentary level, the problem but also what the left privatised, The global justice and peasant the general positions of the of power, whether that is on the which implies recommending activist José Bové who was Ligue? overall political level - what general solutions of forms of originally a "candidate to be break with liberalism? - or in the public and social property for candidate" has withdrawn. There François Sabado: The starting form of the governmental transport, energy, remain in the running Marie- point for this process was the answers. telecommunications and other George Buffet, national NO victory in the referendum on key sectors of the economy? The secretary of the PCF (French the European Constitution on the That is why from September LCR answered these questions Communist Party), Clémentine 29th May 2005. For the first 2005 we said to the PCF that we by arguing the need for a break Autain, deputy mayor and time in a long time there was a were ready to discuss all these with capitalism. member of Paris City Council in defeat of the economically questions. In fact, we wrote that which she is a member of the liberal European project. It was the PCF was at a crossroads: The PCF though defended the PCF group without being a party thus completely natural that either it could choose to continue idea of undoing rightwing member, Yves Salesse, president there was a continuation of this the dynamics of the leftwing No privatisations but not those of the Copernic Foundation, a both on the level of a fight back by clearly refusing all new carried out by the plural left left wing think tank which against liberal attacks as well as parliamentary and governmental government of 1998-2002, in launched the original appeal the desire to build an electoral alliance with a PS leadership that which it had participated. On against the European expression for the leftwing No had voted yes to the European employment, we defend radical Constitution but who is also a forces. This did not pose major constitution. And in this case, we solutions like forbidding "stock high ranking civil servant. These problems in action, in particular were ready to constitute an anti- exchange" dismissals. The PCF are the three main contenders. in the mobilisation against the liberal front with all the sticks to general formulas for the There are 4 others of whom the Bolkenstein directive, or in components of the left No, defence of employment without best known is Patrick Braouzec, solidarity with young people's including the PCF, for the posing the problem of a PCF mayor of St Denis in the fight against the CPE. elections. confrontation with employers. Paris suburbs. The second question under Although we should note that Or it could try to do a balancing discussion is the question of Viento Sur: The possibility of a divergences appeared during the act, discussing with the LCR but government. We think that the unitary anti-neoliberal movement between, on the one keeping its agreements with the defence of an anti-liberal candidate has awakened a broad hand, the left currents in the SP PS at the same time and, in that programme in the continuity of interest in the European and the PCF who refused to case, it could not count on us to the referendum NO cannot go alternative left. But the challenge the rightwing constitute a unitary political alongside a parliamentary development of the process and government in power, and on the alternative of unit. coalition or participation in a 3 International Viewpoint - IV384 - December 2006 France government with the SP We do not stand fast on this within the process: that of the politics without posing the leadership. Can one take part in position because we are PCF, that of sectors which question of parliamentary or a government that, in the current sectarian. We are the systematic support the candidature of José governmental alliances with the balance of forces, would be defenders of unity of action of Bové and those which want a PS. In the relationship of forces dominated by the social-liberal the whole left - including the PS position on "non party" this leads it to positions policy of the SP leadership? Can - in struggles and movements. consensus. How do you subordinate to the PS on the big there be joint government But on the governmental characterise them? questions. Thus, we ask the same between supporters of the Yes question there are unavoidable question to both the PCF and to and No on the European fundamental delimitations that José Bové did not like this Bové on the question of constitution? We answer no, concern the question of the situation and called on PCF alliances. For example, he unhesitatingly. The PCF independence of the radical left, leader Marie-George Buffet and declared that he would not stand explained to us that one could which are behind the problems LCR candidate Olivier if Laurent Fabius (former PS not rule out the possibility of a posed in Italy or Germany: In a Besancenot to withdraw and let Prime Minister, who policy change by the SP situation where there is a social him be the unitary candidate. For campaigned for the No) were the leadership, of making it shift and political fight back to us the problem is not the people PS candidate. One sees the under pressure and then liberalism, or there is the but the political basis and we problems and the ambiguities envisaging the possibility of emergence of forces breaking have the same problem with that his positions pose. forming a government. with this liberalism, should the Buffet and Bové on the question radical left remain independent of the relations with the PS, even What is the reality of the unitary But the PCF continued with a of the centre left or social- if it is in different forms. committees? dual language, it proposed a democratic leaders or should it Fundamentally, there is an series of more or less radical get involved in the mechanics of agreement by all the components The collectives, and in formulas to us but at the same alliance with the centre left and of the left No, except the LCR, particularly the public meetings for the left No, brought together time it took part in top-level social democracy? to discussing a programmatic many thousands of people meetings with the SP leadership and governmental alternative during the campaign. Today the to discuss a programmatic We resolutely choose the first with the PS.