I'd just like to note, for the interest of the Minority tendency comrades here, that here is an opposition tendency in the NPA in formation, it is not yet launched as an official tendency, as we need to build our support first, but several individual and groups, some from the LCR (as it is no longer in existence) have gathered around the Platform B. This is what we wrote in March: The NPA nationally had entered the fray in total confusion over tactics – with three different positions in relation to alliances with other parties. Gauche Revolutionnaire (CWI in France) had argued, along with others on the National Committee who formed Platfom B, for an independent fight in the elections on a real programme of working class struggle, to build support for the party as well as attract votes away from the right and the pro-capitalist ’Socialist Party’. Others wanted an alliance with the Socialist Party from the beginning and a third grouping wanted ’technical’ alliances for the second round. As Alex Rouillard commented, “nothing is purely technical”. While alliances can be made without sacrificing the distinctive programme of a party. That is not what happened here. The NPA was set up to fight the policies of pro-capitalist parties, but in this election, in many places, it failed to do so. After ’referendums’ in the party last December showed much more support for position B than anticipated, the ’leadership’ of the NPA decided on a position of the party in each region deciding on its own programme and tactics. A recipe for chaos and ineffectiveness! There was the additional factor in the election of the party in Vaucluse choosing to put forward a young woman who wears the veil. Before and after the election, she became the victim of considerable attacks inside and outside the party. Disgracefully, she has even become, for some, a scapegoat for the poor showing of the NPA in the elections. “The coming national meeting of the NPA leadership this week-end will see the left around platform B pushing harder for clear fighting policies”, commented Alex. “The Right will attempt to blame the left for the poor showing but will have difficulty.” Right now there is a serious upheaval in france, as you no doubt have heard, against the Sarkozy government, and in this period the NPA must put forward a clear, struggling and working class, left alternative.
Interesting. I'd be very interested in more on Platform B.
Right now there's not much more to say, it is not a tendency just yet, but the interest among many of younger memebers of the NPA has been very positive. We've held meetings with 100-ish comrades, many young new comrades, and more meetings planned. And as well as at least one the other left groups inside the NPA joining as well as some local ex-LCR groups, so it has some geographical spread too. So there's potential but it is yet in a very early stage. And of course, it has representation on the national committe, as that is where the Platform B name has it origins. When it get's more formalized another name will probably be adopted. there also been some opposition form the NPA/ex-lcr leadership for our own org at least about them trying to pressure us not have our own paper etc.
Has Platform B advocated proportional representation replacing the current constituency electoral system?
What about the CLAIRE tendency? What are they doing in relation to this?
They have taken part in discussions with Platfrom B. I am looking at this from the outside, so I'm afraid I can't be more detailed than that.
