Articles

Analysis
On Sunday 5 December, Raoul Hedebouw was elected president of the PTB-PVDA at the closing session of our Unity Congress. Here is his speech at the closing session.
News
The delegates of the PTB-PVDA Unity Congress have elected Raoul Hedebouw as the party's new president by a large majority. Hedebouw, who received 94.1% of the vote, is taking over from Peter Mertens. The announcement was made during the closing session of the congress, which - due to compulsory health measures - had to be held online.
Analysis
An extraordinary story lies behind the emergence of the PTB from a small party to a major political player. The announcement that Peter Mertens is will not run again for president is an opportunity to look back at the renewal movement that began in 2004. We have traced this history through quotes from the mainstream press.
News
On 5 December, the Workers’ Party of Belgium (PTB-PVDA) will elect its new president at its statutory congress. Peter Mertens announces that he will not stand for re-election and will pass the torch. Peter Mertens has presided over the Marxist party for thirteen years, and has been the main architect of the party's renewal. From a small party, the PTB-PVDA has become a major political player in the whole country.
News
Thanks to the Covid vaccine, pharmaceutical multinationals are making hundreds of millions of euros. But did you know that their thirst for profit is prolonging the pandemic? Marc Botenga, Member of the European Parliament (PTB-PVDA), explains why this is the case, but also how to make sure it changes.
Interview
Perhaps the division of Belgium by the nationalists by 2024 can be stopped? In what way is the solidarity movement for the flood victims a huge sign of hope? Why is the PTB flying Belgium’s black-yellow-red flag? We met David Pestieau, vice-president of the Workers’ Party of Belgium (PTB-PVDA), on the occasion of the release of his manifesto for the unity of Belgium. David Pestieau starts his book on the unity of the country with his feet in the mud of Liège: "On July 20, the national day of mourning, I am in Pepinster, one of the places most affected by the tragedy. Many people come from Ath, Ostend, Antwerp... with the SolidariTeams. Many of the people affected by the disaster could not believe the outpour of solidarity. That same evening, Bart De Wever said on a television channel that he would like a union between Flanders and the Netherlands and that he would rather die a "southern Dutchman" than a Belgian. The gap between the people and some of those in the Rue de la Loi (seat of the Belgian government, editor's note) could not be better illustrated."
News
On 9 October, the national headquarters of Italy's main trade union, CGIL, was the victim of an organised attack by demonstrators who openly claimed to be fascists. Led by members of the fascist group Forza Nuova, among others, dozens of demonstrators wrecked the CGIL headquarters in Rome.
News
From November 1 to 12, leaders from 196 countries will gather in Glasgow, Scotland for COP 26, the annual climate conference hosted by the United Nations. It is time to remind them that the big polluting multinationals have been destroying our planet for far too long. That's why Comac, the PTB student movement, is organising a trip to Glasgow to get active and make our voices heard. Save the climate, go to Glasgow!
Analysis
Dear friends, dear comrades, A friend in need is a friend indeed. That's what the popular wisdom says. This summer, there was a lot of need. And there were many friends. After the floods, there was an unprecedented wave of solidarity. From the very first day, thousands and thousands of volunteers went to Wallonia to help the people there. To empty the cellars. To distribute soup. To clean schools and shops.
News
On Wednesday and Thursday, July 14 and 15, several European countries were hit by heavy rainfall and flooding. In Belgium, the disaster killed 41 people. Tens of thousands of people lost their belongings and became temporarily homeless. The PTB-PVDA launched an appeal for solidarity from day one: "We want to offer help now. Solidarity is a verb." A photo report.
News
It's not every day that you hear such a dissonant voice in parliament. Raoul Hedebouw, leader of the group in the Belgian parliament and spokesperson of the Workers' Party of Belgium (PTB-PVDA), refuses to play along with the United States, which wants to guarantee its supremacy and the profits of multinationals. Watch the video.