Rwanda’s Raiders
The linchpin of Rwanda’s booming mineral sector is the violent paramilitaries it finances in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
7 Articles by: Marc Botenga
Marc Botenga is an activist in the Belgian Workers’ Party (PTB) and a Member of the European Parliament.
Europe’s Shameful Role in the War in Congo
European countries are stepping up military aid and economic investment in Rwanda, said to be an ally in keeping order in the region. The reality: Rwanda’s authoritarian government is massively destabilizing eastern Congo by backing rebel forces.
Europe’s Leaders Are Addicted to Austerity
The pandemic exposed the fragile state of Europe’s public services after years of austerity. Now the European Council has backed a new set of austerian fiscal rules — imposing an estimated €100 billion in cuts, which will hit working-class people hardest.
“Today’s Working-Class Heroes Should Be at the Heart of Tomorrow’s Society”
European leaders won’t consider debt cancellation or abandon the dogma of neoliberal austerity. Coronavirus shows that well-funded public services are essential for our survival — austerity is a matter of life and death. We need an alternative.
“You Have to Get Out of Parliament and Speak to Workers”
Last May, Marc Botenga was elected as the Belgian Workers’ Party’s first member of the European Parliament. In an interview he spoke of the elite echo chamber he found there — and how he’s trying to finally make labor’s voice heard within its walls.
A Marxist in the European Parliament
Last week’s elections produced grim results for the Left across most of the continent. But in Belgium, the Workers’ Party made a historic breakthrough.
How Marxists Are Winning in Belgium
With this month’s European Parliament elections approaching, the media is fixated on the far right. But in Brussels itself, it’s the radical left that’s changing the debate.