The Left in Government II: Latin America and Europe Compared

 

Conference, Brussels, 27-29 June 2010

Organisation: Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Brussels

Venue: Committee of the Regions, Rue Belliard 101, 1040 Brussels

Languages: Spanish and English

Contact: Marlis Gensler, Phone: +32 (0)2 738 7663

 

The conference “The Left in Government II: Latin America and Europe Compared” at 28/29 June 2010, brought together experts from Latin American and European countries, among them government representatives on the ministerial level and intellectuals from left movements. The presentations and debates focused on how the exertion of governmental power by left forces and the participation of left forces in governments for profound change, both in Europe and Latin America, and as a means of developing transformatory social, political and cultural forces. Transnational cooperation between the left in the different world regions is of great importance in that regard.

 

Documentation:

 

* Publication of conference presentations - Upsurge in Latin America

* Publication of country reports

* Conference report - The Left in Government

 

Experts from Europe:

 

Bisky, Lothar, President of European Parliamentary Group GUE/NGL (Die Linke), President of the Party of the European Left

Bockhahn, Steffen, Member of Parliament (Die Linke), Germany

Brie, Michael, Director of the Institute of Social Analysis, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Germany

 

Chavez, Daniel, New Politics Programme Coordinator, Transnational Institute, The Netherlands

 

Cirera, Daniel, General Secretary of the Scientific Advisory Board, Gabriel Péri Foundation, France

Daiber, Birgit (Ms.), Head of Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Brussels Office

Dupret, Paul-Emile, European Parliament, GUE/NGL

Erlingsdóttir, Auður Lilja (Ms.), Left-Green Movement, Iceland

 

Fratoianni, Nicola, Regional Minister (Apulia, Italy) for youth and migration policies, and transparency

 

Gabbert, Karin (Ms.), Head of regional department Latin America, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Germany

Hildebrandt, Cornelia (Ms.), Researcher at Institute of Social Analysis, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Germany

 

Hunko, Andrej, Member of Parliament (Die Linke), Germany

 

Liebich, Stefan, Member of Parliament (Die Linke), Germany

 

Ohly, Lars, Chairman of the Left Party, Member of Parliament, Sweden

Scholz, Helmut, Member of the European Parliament, GUE/NGL (Die Linke), Member of the Board of the European Left Party

Schulz, Dietmar, International Department of the Party The Left (Die Linke), Germany

 

Seierstad, Dag, Member of Party Committee of the Socialist Left Party, Political Council of the Parliamentary Group on European Issues, Norway

 

Stahl, Gerhard, General Secretary of the Committee of the Regions, European Union

Stanislawski, Bojan, Journalist at OPZZ union magazine, Poland

 

Süssner, Henning, Researcher at the Institute of Social and Welfare Studies, University of Linköping, Sweden

 

Trochowski, Daniela (Ms.), State Secretary, Ministry of Finances, Party Die Linke, Brandenburg, Germany

 

Tuominen, Laura (Ms.), Researcher at Left Forum, Finland

 

Wahl, Joachim, Working Group Latin America, Party Die Linke, Germany

 

Zimmer, Gabriele (Ms.), Member of European Parliament, GUE/NGL (Die Linke)

 

Experts fom Latin America:

 

Bonilla, Blancaflor (Ms.), Mayor of Ayutuxtepeque, FMLN, El Salvador

Codas, Gustavo, Paraguayan Director of Binational Itaipu, Paraguay

Cuadra Núñez, Arlen Jahoska (Ms.), Member of the International Secretariat, FSLN, Nicaragua

García, Graciela (Ms.), Political Assistant to the Minister, Ministry of External Relations of Uruguay, Frente Amplio, Member of the National Directory of MPP and member of the Central Com-mittee of MLN, Uruguay

 

González Bozzolasco, Ignacio, Deputy Secretary General, Movement to Socialism Party, Paraguay

Ilíada, Iole (Ms.), Director of the International Cooperation Department, Perseu Abramo Foundation, Brazil

Laborde, Oscar, Secretary for International Relations of Frente Transversal, Special Representative for teh Integration and Social Participation for the Foreign Affairs Ministry (Cancilleria), Argentina

Páez, Pedro, President of the Presidential Technical Commission of Ecuador for the Design of the New Regional Financial Architecture - Banco del Sur, Ecuador

Pomar, Valter, Workers Party (PT), Member of the National Board, Excecutive Secretary of the Foro de Sao Paulo, Brazil

Rodas Chaves, Germán, Lecturer at the Andean University Simón Bolivar, Socialist Coordination of Latin America, Socialist Party, Ecuador

 

Rodríguez Gelfenstein, Sergio, International Analyst, Professor of the Pedro Gual Institute for High Diplomatic Studies of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, PSUV, Venezuela

Ruiz, Juan Ramón, Responsible for Europe in the Interantional Relations Secretariat of URNG-MAÍZ, Member of the Executive Secretariat of the Political Council of URNG-MAÍZ, Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity URNG-MAÍZ, Guatemala

Silva Cuadra, Esteban, National coordinator of the Movement of Socialistas Allendistas of Chile/Frente Amplio, Director of International Relations at the Latin-American Institute of High Social Studies (ILAES Postgraduate), Chile

Stefanoni, Pablo, Journalist, Economist, Social Researcher, Director of Le Monde Diplomatique Bolivia, Correspondent of Clarín, Il Manifesto and Brecha, Bolivia

 

Conference Programme

 

Sunday, 27 June 2010

 

Opening Reception, from 18:00 onwards, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Ave. Michel-Ange 11, 1000 Brussels

 

Monday, 28 June 2010

 

Conference, 10:00 - 17:30, Committee of the Regions, Room JDE 53, 5th floor, Rue Belliard 101, 1040 Brussels

09:30 - 10:00 Registration

10:00 - 10:30 Welcome
Birgit Daiber (Ms.), Head of Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Brussels Office
Gerhard Stahl, General Secretary of the Committee of the Regions, European Union

10:30 - 11:30 Introduction
Lothar Bisky, President of European Parliamentary Group GUE/NGL (Die Linke), President of the Party of the European Left: International exchange of experiences within the left - an essential source for progress
Daniela Trochowski (Ms.), State Secretary, Ministry of Finances, Party Die Linke, Brandenburg, Germany: Conditions for left budgetary and financial policy in the German region Brandenburg
Birgit Daiber (Ms.): Conclusions of first conference and introduction
Facilitation: Birgit Daiber

11:30 - 12:00 Coffee break

12:00 - 13:30 Limitations and opportunities of left governmental policy
Michael Brie, Director of Institute of Social Analysis, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Germany: For a fundamental political change: the struggle for participation of the left in governments in Europe
Páez, Pedro, President of the Presidential Technical Commission of Ecuador for the Design of the New Regional Financial Architecture - Banco del Sur, Ecuador: Processes of social participation linked to the New International Financial Architechture
Iole Ilíada (Ms.), Director of International Relations Department, Perseu Abramo Foundation, Brazil: Correlation of forces as central question for the left in government
Discussion, Facilitation: Dario Azzellini, author and political scientist, Germany

13:30 - 15:00 Lunch buffet, Atrium 5, 5th floor

15:00 - 17:30 Synthesis of Latin American country reports
Valter Pomar, Workers Party (PT), Member of the National Board, Executive Secretary of the Foro de Sao Paulo, Brazil: Analysis of Latin American country reports
Discussion, Facilitation: Dario Azzellini

 

Tuesday, 29 June 2010

 

Conference, 10:00 - 17:30, Committee of the Regions, Room JDE 53, 5th floor, Rue Belliard 101, 1040 Brussels

10:00 - 11:30 Synthesis of European country reports
Cornelia Hildebrandt (Ms.), Researcher at Institute of Social Analysis, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Germany: Analysis of European country reports
Discussion, Facilitation: Michael Brie

11:30 - 12:00 Coffee break

12:00 - 13:00 Synthesis of European country reports (continued)
Discussion, Facilitation: Michael Brie

13:00 - 14:00 Lunch buffet, Atrium 5, 5th floor

14:00 h -15:30 Comparison
Discussion, Iole Ilíada (Ms.): Introduction and Facilitation

15:30 - 17:300 Final conclusions
Discussion, Facilitation: Birgit Daiber (Ms.)

Further information:

>> Izquierdas incomunicadas - Report by Pablo Stefanoni (Spanish)