Statement of the European Communist Action (ECA):“Class Struggle – No Sacrifices in Wages, Pensions, Union and Social Rights for the War Economy”

Europe prepares itself for war. This is clearly proven by the strategy followed, various available economic data and the statements of the governments.

All countries in present day Europe are capitalist countries and they are ruled by a single maxim — defending the interests of national monopolies— and ensuring their profits. Many of these countries have joined for the time being the European Union in an effort to improve their competitiveness against their capitalist rivals, such as China and the USA. The goal of the European Union is to defend the interests of a particular group of capitalists at a determined historical juncture.

The assessments on the militarization of the European economy are to be framed within this context. Capitalism has not been capable of reaching the rates of growth, accumulation or profit existing before the 2008 crisis. Furthermore it is threatened by the shadow of the next crisis of over-production. Clashes between capitalists for the control of markets, transportation routes, and sources of raw materials are sharpening. This is why the danger of new and more violent military conflicts between capitalist powers is exponentially increasing.

Currently all the European countries, led by the strongest ones i.e. Germany, Britain, and France are accelerating the anti-popular reforms for the increase of military expenses and to strengthen the economic sectors required to face the inter-imperialist disputes. In its report, NATO cynically tells young people that “the question is not whether they will fight, but for what future they will fight, and if they are not convinced to fight, we will have to force them to do so”.

The NATO countries have committed to reaching 5% of GDP for military spending, and many exceed 2%.

For most of the European countries, the last time such figures were seen was during wartime or right before it. For example, the last time such figures were recorded in military spending was in France, in 1953 —when it carried out colonial campaigns in Southeastern Asia and Northern Africa—; and in Germany, in 1963, while Western Germany was clashing with Socialist Germany.

The European Union is mobilizing enormous resources for war. The “ReArm Europe” plan —renamed as “Readiness 2030” for cosmetic reasons— envisages the use of €800 billions for the war industry. The rules being now adopted will enable the European countries to bypass deficit targets for military spending. Budget limits are only for social expenses, while there is no limit for military spending nor for debt payments to lenders.

Numerous European governments have confessed that such a European rearming process will have adverse effects on social expenditure. This view was expressed by the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, when he said that “the Welfare State can no longer be sustained”; by the Belgian Prime Minister, Bart de Wever, when he said that “The Welfare State … will collapse … unless the policies are changed”; and also by the French Minister for the Economy and Finances, Éric Lombard, when he answered whether Europe was under a war economy regime by saying that “it is not, but it should be”.

The working class in the European countries is losing rights at a rapid pace. In 2022, the real purchase power fell by a mean 4.3% — by 0.7% in 2023. More than three millions of workers are not protected by any collective agreements, due to the decline of union affiliation and the advance of laws against collective agreements. At the same time, anti-workers reforms come one after the other in a quick succession. Recently —and just to cite two examples—, the Greek Government, based on an EU directive, has promoted a 13-hour working day and the annualization of working time, and the Portuguese Government adopted a draconian Labour Reform, which increases the causes for dismissal and labour flexibility.

The working class should strongly oppose the sacrifices the capitalists demand of us to wage for the cause of their wars. We should demand no sacrifices — no involvement in the NATO and EU slaughterhouses of war, defend the wages and collective labour agreements in the workplaces we receive for our labour, and our social security rights, strongly fighting the transfer of the wealth that labour generates to the pockets of capital for their war machinery, aiming to overthrow capitalism, abolish exploitation, and intensify the struggle for socialism.

Our lives are at stake.