Dinant: Reconciliation after more than a century
By Jürgen Klute “It is the first major rupture in European civilisation in the 20th century,” writes the Dutch historian Christoph Driessen in his book „Geschichte Belgiens – Die gespaltene Nation” (History of Belgium – The Divided Nation), published in 2018. This sentence can be found in the chapter on the German army’s invasion of Belgium in August 1914 [...]
“A wonderful and encouraging start to a European peace movement”
By Jürgen Klute “Welfare, not warfare” – this was the slogan of an international demonstration held in Brussels on 14 June against the EU’s plans for renewed rearmament in response to the Russian attack on Ukraine and the unpredictability of the US under President Donald Trump. The demonstration was organised by the alliance “European movement against ReArm Europe”. The [...]
UN last Wednesday: only winners
By Frank Schwalba-HothA closely watched Security Council election delivered a mix of continuity on Wednesday with Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe as new members for a two-year term.I cannot avoid naming the seven clear winners of the event.1. Portugal: In the Treaty of Tordesillas of 1494, the Pope stipulated that all land on our globe east of [...]
European Left: “We must Europeanise our successes”
[DE | NL] Walter Baier, President of the Party of the European Left, on the opportunities and challenges facing progressive politics in Europe Interview by Uwe Sattler (17 April 2026) Uwe Sattler: The Party of the European Left’s congress is taking place in Brussels this weekend. What political challenges do the left-wing and progressive forces in Europe face? Walter [...]
European Left Party: A Double Boost
[DE | NL] The European Left Party’s practical value is measured by whether the decisions taken in Brussels lead to concrete action. By Uwe Sattler, Brussels The European Left (EL) party congress at the weekend was remarkable in two respects. On the one hand, delegates from more than 40 left-wing and left-green parties adopted a modernised programme with which [...]
Fight and win
[DE | NL] By Uwe Sattler With a new programme and a new leadership structure, the Party of the European Left aims to tackle the political challenges of our time. The focus: resistance to austerity and militarisation Peace, disarmament, social security, global cooperation instead of confrontation – with these key demands, the European Left Party (EL) intends to take [...]
The Belgian Party of Labour shows how to successfully build a left-wing political movement
By Jürgen Klute Given the current uncertainties and global threats, it is of central importance for the Left in Europe not only to focus on domestic issues, but also to cooperate and exchange experiences at European and international level, argues the General Secretary of the Belgian Party of Labour, Peter Mertens (PDVA-PTB – Patij van de Arbeid van België [...]
A Marshall Plan for Syria and the Middle East
With an economic recovery programme for Syria and the Middle East, the EU could boost reconstruction, a transformation from a fossil fuel economy to a climate-friendly one, economic and political integration, and democratisation. [DE] By Jürgen Klute On 24 December 2024, I wrote about the geopolitical shifts in the Middle East that occurred at the end of 2024. (Post-Assad [...]
‘Defend Rojava, defend democratic confederalism’
[DE | NL] By Jürgen Klute When the long period of tyranny under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad came to an end with a rebellion on 8 December 2024, there was a brief moment of hope that a new era of democracy and peace could begin in Syria under the transitional government of President Ahmed Al-Sharaa. A good year later, [...]
President Donald Trump on the EU
A former Brussels intern, who understandably wishes to remain anonymous and has been working in Washington for some time, has just sent us a translation of a manuscript. This speech is scheduled to open the US Republican Party conference on April 1st of this year, entitled "What's Next for Europe?" [DE | FR | NL] Since the content offers [...]
2026 – Quo Vadis?
From a Western European Perspective [DE | FR | NL] By Frank Schwalba-Hoth With Aristotle (384-322 BC) and his assertion "The rule of law is better than that of any individual," the Magna Carta (1215), and the Habeas Corpus Act (1679), the foundation was laid for replacing the law of the jungle with the rule of law, precisely as protection [...]
Trump’s illegal invasion of Venezuela
By Jürgen Klute "All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations." This is stated in Article 2, paragraph 4, of the 1945 UN Charter. International law is clear. Not [...]
Concept for Sustainable Peace in Europe
By Frederik D. Tunnat In the negotiations for a peace treaty between Ukraine and Russia held so far, a crucial component is, in my opinion, missing. An Old Idea in a New Form What sounds foreign today once had a method: to secure peace, warring adversaries since antiquity exchanged hostages – not as a punishment, but as a guarantee [...]
Guinea returns to the path of democracy
On 28 December 2025, a new president will be elected in the West African state of Guinea (Conakry). This will bring to an end the nearly five-year period during which Mamady Doumbouya, installed by the military, has been at the head of the country. By Jürgen Klute When Guinea's president, Alpha Condé, was ousted from office by an elite [...]
Quo vadis Middle East?
By Moshe A. Friedman, Rabbi in Antwerp and former Chief Rabbi in Vienna (Antwerp, 10 October 2025) There is now reasonable relief – the Gaza peace treaty should end the massacres and starvation. Nevertheless, the international community should now focus of nine key issues. 1. The last treaty from the beginning of this year was broken in the middle [...]