Changing Europe from within?

New political forms between protest and government

A two day event promoted by European Alternatives and EuroNomade; Friday 10th and Saturday 11th April 2015 in Rome (Italy) – ESC, via dei Volsci 159 (San Lorenzo) 

The victory of Syriza at the Greek elections and the growth of Podemos in Spain have opened up a new field of political opportunities in Europe. The limits to effective political change in an age of capitalist financialization and “executive federalism” in Europe continue at the same time to be apparent. What are the conditions for a reinvention of freedom and equality in the European space? How to describe the very institutional shape of the European Union nowadays? Which new kind of assemblages, coalitions, and relations between institutions, citizens’ activism, political forces, unions, and social movements are needed in order to foster a constituent process in Europe? Bringing together these questions this two days seminar will stage a debate between critical scholars, activists, and representatives of the new political forces emerging within the left in Greece, Spain, and other European countries.

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Friday, April 10, 3 pm – 7 pm: Syriza, Podemos and the battle for real democracy in Europe.

A transformation of the relation between social movements and political power is underway.  The traditional horizontal approach of grassroots mobilisations is increasingly merged with a drive to compete for vertical political power. What are the key elements of these new social formations?

Syriza and Podemos are representatives of such transformation, but in the minds of many also parties like “5 Stelle” or even the Front National signal it. Do a ‘good’ and a ‘bad’ populism exist? On the basis of which criteria is it possible to evaluate the emerging and shifting new political landscape in Europe? Which is for instance the meaning of nationalism, racism, and even fascism in this context?

Does Europe need a new “constituent moment” to establish new institutions and a genuine democracy? Or is the idea of ‘refoundation’ a relic from Europe’s history that cannot and should not be repeated? Or can the institutions be transformed by movements working ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ the institutions simultaneously? And above, what is an ‘institution’ and what does ‘government’ mean today? Which relation can we imagine between the political and the economic and social side of democracy?

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Saturday, April 11, 10 am – 2 pm: Options and strategies for post-austerity Europe.

The negotiations over the restructuring of Greek debt have highlighted all the political limitations of current EU structures. What would need to happen to allow for significant change in policy orientation in Europe? Or has the EU become structurally unfit for change? What changes should be made to ensure equitable, democratic and just economic governance in Europe?

In a situation in which Europe’s leaders seem to be simply concerned with thwarting popular attempts to influence economic decision-making, there is an urgent need to open a serious debate on economic and political integration of the Eurozone and the European Union. What options are there for institutional reform and reform of Eurozone governance?

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With the participation of:  Giso Amendola, Raffaella Bolini, Myrto Bolota, Daphne Büllesbach, Beppe Caccia, Luca Casarini, Piervirgilio Dastoli, Alberto De Nicola, Michele de Palma, Gianmarco De Pieri, Catherine Fieschi, Eleonora Forenza, Nicola Fratoianni, Corinna Genschel, Martin Glasenapp, Ulrike Guerot, Srecko Horvat, Engin Isin, Loukia Kotronaki, Lorenzo Marsili, Rita Maestre, Sandro Mezzadra, Niccolò Milanese, Roberto Musacchio, Toni Negri, Mario Neumann, Valentina Orazzini, Erasmo Palazzotto, Francesco Piobbichi, Claudio Riccio, Raúl Sanchez Cedillo, Thomas Seibert, Gianluca Solera, Igor Stiks.   

Info and registration, please email to: rsvp@euroalter.com