Translated "Avante!" article by Albano Nunes, Member of the PCP Secretariat of the CC

The German Social Democrat Party’s (SPD) 150th anniversary celebrations, the oldest and most influent “ social democrat family” party and one of imperialism’s most active and powerful political and ideological instruments, justify some comments.

1. Whilst (and also) the recession spectrum hovers over Germany, the polls for the 22nd September elections place the SPD at the lowest post-war level. The SPD, which does not hold any differences concerning Mrs. Merkel’s CDU, carries on paying the price of Gerard Sehroder’s reactionary policy, the “ patronage friend“, alias, a policy which resulted in many significant party fractures.

2. Therefore, the rhetoric and media show round these celebrations, in the attempt of launching the SPD and Peer Steinbruck, as its candidate to chancellor, carrying along a “progressive” image. Thus, making François Hollande the “guest of honour”, who dared to praise “the 2010 agenda“, with which Schroder unleashed his violent exploiter offensive against the German workers.
But little has been the help of who has been presented as the great hope of a European “ turn over to the left-wing“, and is currently discredited and more and more contested on the streets. The same is to say of the Portuguese PS support, with claims such as “ Between Merkel and Steinbruck there is a programmatic gap. There stands the political boarder which Europe supports” ( in F.Assis, O Publico, 2013.05.23).

Basically nothing distinguishes the SPD from the CDU policies. If any, the differences, are merely tactic, of style and rhythm. Whenever necessary, they openly hold hands with the “great coalitions” and “ social pacts“, a major expression for the “political consensus” line, which has become the European Union ( as the OECD, IMF and the WB) official policy, and becoming institutionalized ,by force, in result of successive federalist leaps. The celebrations, enhanced by the German chancellor’s presence, prove reality: social-democracy is currently a key part of imperialist exploitation, oppression and war system.

4. No doubt, the SPD by experiencing a “new breath” towards an International Socialist amid a credibility and loss of influence crisis, at the same time it tries to spread its tentacles throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America, resumes Tony Blair’s “Third Via” and includes an “Progressive Alliance” in its cloudy project, the North-American Democratic Party, with the ambitious purpose of building
a Global Deal, or in other words (in O Público, 2013.05.21)” a new global pact between capital and labour“.

5. It is not surprising the 150th anniversary celebrations were used to launch new shovels of earth on the party’s labour and Marxist origin, in which Marx and Engels were militants, wiping off the SPD’s historical responsibilities regarding World War I, the blanking out and ascending of Nazi-Fascism, hindering the communists’ heroic performance during the workers and German people ’s liberation struggle.

6. Having faith in published news on Jose Seguro, he did not spare any praise towards the SPD’s aid, concerning the PS. What is understandable. But it is timely to remind that , more than aid, it was in fact a shameful intrusion in Portugal’s home affairs; the “Europe with us” content, which fought the April Revolution by all means, and currently became clear concerning the aggression pact which has tormented the Portuguese people’s lives and is sinking the country. And that the Portuguese people do not applaud.