Articles

While prices at the supermarket have rocketed in the last two years, prices paid to farmers have not. They are struggling to survive. "I earn less than €1,000 a month", explains one farmer.

Peter Mertens, Secretary General of the PVDA-PTB and Member of Parliament, was in The Hague on Thursday 11 January for the public hearing of the International Court of Justice on South Africa's genocide complaint against Israel.

Happy New Year! 🥳 🎆 We wish you and your family good health, lots of love, joy and camaraderie.

Stop austerity, increase our salaries! Thousands of people were marching in Brussels today. They came from the four corners of Europe to protest against the return of austerity. Austerity means less money for schools, hospitals and social policies, but also future cuts in pensions and salaries.

The PVDA-PTB is aiming with Rudi Kennes for a first European seat from Flanders (today Marc Botenga is a European MP for the PVDA, elected from French-speaking Belgium). Kennes gained fame as chief delegate for the socialist metal trade union ABVV-Metaal at Opel Antwerp, and vice president of the European works council of General Motors. If elected, he will be the first worker from Flanders to move to the European Parliament.

The Belgian government and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo have declared themselves in favour of a permanent ceasefire. This is a good thing, and shows that grassroots pressure is working. But the government can do much more to stop the massacres in Gaza. It must do more than just talk. Concrete actions must follow. Wednesday, November 29, 2023

This week, the PVDA-PTB is launching its brand new application. “Our party is growing and we are seeing more and more people wanting to join us," explains Raoul Hedebouw, President of the left-wing party.

The Workers' Party of Belgium stands with Palestinians and supports the emancipation struggle of the Global South. A conversation with Peter Mertens By Nick Brauns, Brussels, junge Welt, 22.11.2023

Speech by Peter Mertens, General Secretary, Workers' Party of Belgium PVDA- PTB International Tribunal against the Blockade of Cuba, European Parliament, November 16, 2023

"Thanks to a strong rallying of trade unions, associations and politicians, the anti-protest law seems to be buried now", said Raoul Hedebouw, president of the PVDA-PTB, adding: "Initially, this bill was requested by the socialist mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close, and by the mayors of Charleroi and Liège as well.

Gaza can’t wait any longer! 60,000 of us launched this urgent appeal in the streets of Brussels, Saturday 11 November.

On 3 November 2023 Peter Mertens had the privilege of giving the keynote speech at the launch of Jacobin Nederland at the Pakhuis De Zwijger in Amsterdam. Here is the full text of his speech.