Workers' Party of Belgium - History

History

The Workers' Party of Belgium originated in the student movement at the end of the 1960s. Radicalized students (organized in the student union SVB - Studenten VakBeweging), mainly from the Catholic University of Leuven, turned towards the working-class movement. They considered the politics of the existing Communist Party of Belgium revisionist, i.e. too much turned toward the social-democratic politics (represented in Belgium by the Belgian Socialist Party). They were influenced by the ideas of the Communist Party of China, guerrilla movements in Latin America, the movement against the Vietnam War, the Leuven-Vlaams movement, all perceived as aspects of a worldwide struggle against colonial or neo-colonial oppression and for civil or workers' rights.

Their support and participation in an important strike in the coalmines turned the movement into a political party. They founded a periodical, AMADA (Alle Macht Aan De Arbeiders - all power to the workers), which became the first name of their party. In 1979 the first congress was held, which adopted a Maoist programme and changed the name into PVDA-PTB. Ludo Martens became the first president, and remained an important ideologist of the party until his death in 2011.

Recent developments

Following its electoral defeat in 2003, the PVDA-PTB has fundamentally changed its working methods and communication. On one hand, the PVDA-PTB said it would refocus on working with factory workers as well as on field work in the communities where it operates. On the other hand, the PVDA-PTB said it would officially break with what it calls its sectarian past to get closer to the concrete demands of citizens. This is reflected particularly by the demands put forward on very concrete issues, e.g. lower prices for medication, the reduction of VAT on energy products from 21% to 6%, an increase of the minimum pension, better control of rents or the lower cost of trash bags.

In preparation for the Belgian elections of June 2007, the Solidarity newspaper and the website of the party were merged in order to reach a wider public. The structures have also been "open" to a broader layer of activists.

On March 2, 2008, the work of the Eighth Congress of the PVDA-PTB was completed with a closing meeting at the Free University of Brussels. This Congress was placed under the sign of "party renewal". A new Central Committee was elected, which in turn elected a new Bureau of the Party. It consists of:

• Peter Mertens, °1969. President

• Lydia Neufcourt, °1955. Responsible for expanding the party

• Raoul Hedebouw, °1977. National voice of the PVDA-PTB

• Jef Bruynseels, °1949. Head of union relations

• Jo Cottenier, °1947. Responsible for the socio-economic issues

• Baudouin Deckers, °1946. Head of International Relations.

• Tom Demeester, °1975. Energy.

• David Pestieau, °1969. Editor of Solidarity.

This 'shift' seems to have produced some positive results as a slight increase in membership and a rebound (albeit moderate) of the electoral score of the PVDA-PTB in the latest elections. The last elections in Oktober 2012 showed more progress: with 8% in Antwerp and results in 20 city-councils (Brussels, Liège...). There is also an increase in media coverage of the party.

In November 2012 the party had more than 5600 members. Its weekly publication "Solidarity / Solidarity" has between 3,000 and 5,000 subscribers. COMAC, its youth movement, is active in all the universities in Belgium and in secondary schools (both in Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels). The PVDA-PTB is also known for its 11 medical centres of Medicine for the people, which provide free access to primary health care, and the two progressive law firms of the Progress Lawyers Network.

The PVDA-PTB, the newspaper Solidarity and Medicine for the People organize "Manifiesta", a yearly festival of solidarity between the communities and the left in Belgium. The first edition was held in Bredene (at sea) 25 September 2010 and brought together 6,000 people from both North and South of Belgium. The second edition in 2011 attracted 7.500 people.