Socialism Archives - ... on a quiet day, I can hear her breathing

Venezuela’s electoral authority debunks “vote rigging” narrative ahead of Sunday’s presidential elections

Spread the love

Original article republished from peoples dispatch under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA) license.

The National Electoral Council’s headquarters in Caracas, 2024. Photo: teleSUR

In the week ahead of Venezuela’s presidential elections, the National Electoral Council met with international electoral observers and representatives from all political parties

The Venezuelan National Electoral Council (CNE) announced on Monday July 22 that all the electoral machines that will be used in the elections on Sunday, July 28 have been distributed. With this, the president of the CNE, Elvis Amoroso assured that the machines that will be used in Sunday’s elections have been reviewed by representatives of the political organizations.

“Witnesses from political organizations were present at the event to verify the operation of each of the telecommunications devices involved in the process of transmitting results and ensuring the network used by the CNE,” said Amoroso, at a press conference.

Amoroso also said that the representatives of the political parties that will participate in the elections were able to verify the security codes as well as the functioning of the software to be used by the machines. The CNE thus seeks to guarantee the integrity of the elections and to safeguard the decision of the voters of the Caribbean country.

On the other hand, in its eagerness to cover the election with greater international confidence, the CNE accredited several international observers such as the Carter Center of the United States, the Council of Electoral Experts of Latin America, and the UN Panel of Experts, among others.

Even though an international media campaign tried to popularize the idea that the presidential candidate and current president would not recognize the results, Maduro said in a political rally that “nobody is going to stain the name of Venezuela or the electoral process; rain, thunder or shine, on Sunday there will be free elections in Venezuela. And we will recognize and defend the results”.

Similarly, Jorge Rodríguez, deputy of the Venezuelan National Assembly and an important leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) said in an interview with El País, that “we will recognize the results of the National Electoral Council”, and that if the ruling party were to lose the elections, there would be a “peaceful transition”.

On the other hand, the political team of the right-wing candidacy of Edmundo González Urrutia has repeatedly refused to affirm that it will accept the result of the presidential elections if its candidate were to lose in the elections of Sunday, July 28. María Corina Machado, head of the Venezuelan opposition, said a few weeks ago to the newspaper La Opinión that “The only way for Nicolás Maduro to win is with a monumental fraud”.

This political uncertainty promoted by the right-wing keeps Venezuela on high alert in the face of possible allegations of electoral fraud that, according to Jorge Rodriguez, are already being planned from abroad: “The violent people are trying to deny reality, they have a center in Miami where they will chant fraud on the afternoon of July 28…On Sunday, we will take to the streets, to celebrate the triumph of President Nicolas Maduro!”.

Original article republished from peoples dispatch under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA) license.

Post author:dizzy
Post published:25 July 2024
Post category:Neo-liberalism politics Socialism
Post comments:0 Comments

Jeremy Corbyn says he’s ‘planting the seeds for a new way of doing politics’ following reelection

Spread the love

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/jeremy-corbyn-islington-north-election-people-forums-b1170353.html

Image of Jeremy Corbyn MP, former leader of the Labour Party — Jeremy Corbyn MP, former leader of the Labour Party

Corbyn plans to host monthly “people’s forums” that he hopes form the basis of a new grassroots organising model

Jeremy Corbyn has said he is “planting the seeds for a new way of doing politics” following his election victory in Islington.

Corbyn plans to host monthly “people’s forums”, which he describes as “a shared, democratic space” for local campaigns, and trade, tenants’ and debtors’ unions.

He believes these forums will form the basis of a new grassroots organising model that can be replicated across the country.

Most MPs hold regular surgeries for constituents to air their grievances or lobby the MP on a particular subject.

The Islington North MP called for people to “stand up for themselves and against those who have ignored their demands for peace and humanity”.

…

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/jeremy-corbyn-islington-north-election-people-forums-b1170353.html

Post author:dizzy
Post published:15 July 2024
Post category:Jeremy Corbyn politics Socialism Socialist
Post comments:0 Comments

Tens of thousands demand end to child poverty and Israel’s massacre at Durham Miners’ Gala

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/tens-of-thousands-demand-end-to-child-poverty-and-israel-massacre-at-durham-miners-gala

Marchers at the Durham Miners’ Gala, July 13, 2024 **Photo:** Neil Terry / neilterryphotography.co.uk

DEMANDS for action by the Labour government to end child poverty, end arms sales to Israel and abolish all Tory anti-trade union laws were cheered at the 138th Durham Miners’ Gala.

The gala crowd of tens of thousands roared on Saturday as speakers called on Labour to use its record 172-seat majority in the Commons to transform society for working people in Britain.

Speakers called on the government to end arms sales to Israel and Britain’s complicity in the continuing slaughter in Gaza.

The 138th Durham Miners’ Gala began with the traditional marching of dozens of proudly raised trade union and campaign banners and brass bands through the streets of the city to the gala field for Durham Miners’ Association’s (DMA) Big Meeting.

…

The gala celebrated the 40th anniversary of the miners’ strike against pit closures, and Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), praised the courage of the miners for the strike which he said “has been vindicated ever since.”

He said the strike had also seen the power of the state unleashed.
“They used the press to lie, the police to batter, the courts to lock people up for defending their jobs and communities,” he said.

He warned: “That was the message from the boss class in 1984-5.

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/tens-of-thousands-demand-end-to-child-poverty-and-israel-massacre-at-durham-miners-gala

Post author:dizzy
Post published:15 July 2024
Post category:Socialism trade unionism working-class history
Post comments:0 Comments

Macron alleges “nobody won” French elections, sparking ire

Spread the love

Original article by Ana Vračar republished from peoples dispatch under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA) license.

Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer at NATO summit, July 2024. Source: Emmanuel Macron/X

In a letter to voters, Emmanuel Macron appears to downplay the results of the general election in France and stated that “nobody won”

“In the end, nobody won,” President Emmanuel Macron remarked in an open letter published on July 10, describing the outcome of France’s general election. However, the New Popular Front (NFP), a left-progressive coalition, secured over 180 seats in Parliament, emerging as the largest group. As most would put it, the NFP won the elections.

Macron’s letter has sparked rage and incredulity, with many claiming that the president is undermining essential democratic mechanisms. At the very least, he seems to be gaslighting millions of voters who mobilized to keep the far-right from power.

Despite their victory, the NFP lacks an absolute majority. This means that the left would have to build support for its program among opposition parties. Failure to do so could plunge France into chaos and exacerbate the cost of living crisis and other issues (largely stemming from Macron’s policies), according to mainstream analysts.

Capitalizing on this fear, Macron is now calling on political forces that “uphold republican institutions, the rule of law, parliamentarianism, a European orientation, and French independence” to set aside differences and form a joint program for the country’s benefit. His appeal excludes the far-right National Rally, the third-largest group in parliament, but also appears to marginalize the left-wing France Unbowed (LFI).

During the campaign, Macron and his allies repeatedly equated the “far-left” with the far-right, despite an ongoing agreement that the priority of the election was preventing a National Rally victory. Yet, voters strongly supported France Unbowed, making it the most represented partner in the NFP. In response to Macron’s so-called call for unity, France Unbowed members reiterated their commitment to the existing NFP program, which gained significant voter support but excludes Macron’s ideas.

“We were told we won’t be able to achieve unity, and we did. We were told we won’t be able to come up with a program. We did, and we’re the only ones to have numbers to back it. We were told we wouldn’t win, and we won. We will succeed in proposing a prime minister and a government,” Éric Coquerel from France Unbowed stated on Thursday.