Arnaldo Otegi is the general coordinator of the Basque EH Bildu, which unites different sectors and parties of the left. The fourth guest of the series of talks “Meeting the Left” spoke about the revolutionary program minimum, the need for a different Europe and the need to cooperate more on the left.
Otegi believes that today’s minimum revolutionary program is the re-distribution of wealth, the self-determination of peoples, common action against climate change, feminism, firm opposition to authoritarianism, a pro-peace attitude and the launch of a civic and anti-oligarchic political-economic project.
The coordinator of EH Bildu emphasized how important it was for the left-wing actors to develop further and multiply. Leftist initiatives should agree on a minimum joint program with social actors and trade unions and cooperate accordingly.
Otegi has no illusions about the EU.
The EU’s response [to the coronavirus crisis] has been shameful. … There was no common project in Europe beyond the Economic-Financial Goals. This is why we need another Europe.
EH Bildu allowed the formation of the current Spanish government of Pedro Sanchez through abstention in the voting of confidence. Explaining the reasons for giving such support, Otegi said that EH Bildu doesn’t have high expectations, but that they won’t settle for aesthetic changes.
The crisis provides an opportunity to continue the ideological battles that we thought were lost, Otegi commented. People need answers. The severeness of the situation requires us to take clear positions, without expecting short-term electoral benefits, he said.
“Meetings with the Left” is a series of conversations with the leading figures of European left parties organized by Transform!europe, a network of European leftist organizations. You can watch the interviews live via Zoom app, and you can stay informed on the next conversations via Transform’s Facebook page. Recordings of all conversations will be available later on Mašina’s web page.
A.J.
Translation from Serbian: Iskra Krstić
This article was originally published in Serbian on May 28, 2020.
