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“We will not stop”, warned Greta Thunberg on a visit to Lisbon

January 31, 2020

The 16-year-old Swedish activist arrived in Lisbon on December 3, 2019, where she stayed for a few days before leaving for the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 25). Catarina Martins, the national coordinator of Bloco de Esquerda, went to Madrid, to participate in several demonstrations of the counter-summit for climate change.

Statement - Irish Unity - Sinn Féin North of Ireland

January 31, 2020

Irish unity will need time do properly plan and debate, but that respectful discussion is already under way in Ireland - north and south.

The Determination to Tackle Climate Change Ends Where the Big Profits Begin

January 14, 2020

Speech by Catarina Martins at the 6th Party Congress of the Party of the European Left, December, 2019

Bloco de Esquerda stands as the third political force after the 2019 Portuguese Legislative Election

October 25, 2019

Bloco de Esquerda consolidated its position as the third political force in Portugal, maintaining the 19 MPs it had elected in 2015, with 10,01% and 500,017 of the votes, on an election in which the Socialist Party (PS) won the legislative elections without achieving an absolute majority (36,34% of the votes, electing 108 MPs).

Bloco de Esquerda condemns repression in Catalonia and demands the release of the political prisoners

October 25, 2019

At present times, unimaginable scenarios of human rights violations and misuse of power are developing in several places around the world. As such, although other scenarios of political and social tensions may be developed, let us focus on the present circumstances taking place in Catalonia.

Bloco de Esquerda more than doubles its vote on the 2019 European elections

July 5, 2019

In the European elections of 2019, Bloco de Esquerda affirms itself as the third most voted political force, doubling the number of seats (electing Marisa Matias and José Gusmão) and going from 4.56% to 10.56%.

There is no Planet B – not one degree more, nor one species less

July 5, 2019

It must be stressed that the demand of fighting climate change has been on Bloco de Esquerda’s political agenda for a long time, both at the European and national levels, expressed by different voices within the party.

Curso Direito do Trabalho e Lutas Laborais, Cultra, 2019. Imagem: Cultra.

Direito do trabalho e lutas laborais em debate no Porto

June 29, 2019

O trabalho e suas lutas estão em debate este fim de semana  num curso livre promovido pela Cultra no Porto, em parceria com 15 organizações de trabalhadores. Até final de Domingo, serão 12 sessões sobre os mais variados temas.

 

Work with rights! Not slavery!

Employment for all: fighting back against precariousness and for social rights in Europe

May 1, 2019

A message for May Day signed by Ali Esbati (MP from Vänsterpartiet, Sweden); Idoia Villanueva (senator and candidate to the European Parliament, Unidas Podemos, Spain); José Gusmão (candidate to the European Parliament, Bloco de Esquerda, Portugal); Leila Chaibi (candidate to the European Parliament, La France Insoumise, France); Nikolaj Villumsen (MP and candidate to the European Parliament, the Red-Green Alliance, Denmark). 

"Neither Maduro nor Guaidó"

March 1, 2019

The parliamentary leader of Bloco, Pedro Filipe Soares, mentioned that “the Venezuelan people’s desire to be able to freely and sovereignly decide their future is an aspiration we subscribe”.

Domestic violence is the crime that causes the highest number of deaths in Portugal

March 1, 2019

It is widely known that the overwhelming majority of domestic violence victims is composed by women, and the number of victims is shocking: since the beginning of 2019, 12 women and 1 child have already been murdered.

General political demands of Bloco de Esquerda for the European Elections of May 2019

March 1, 2019

The list of Bloco de Esquerda for the 2019 European elections is headed by MEP Marisa Matias, and respects gender parity with 11 women and 10 men. 

Bruno da Ponte

Obituary - Bruno da Ponte: 1932 - 2018

January 8, 2019

Chris Bambery remembers the life of Portuguese revolutionary, Bruno da Ponte.

International Ecosocialist Encounters in Lisbon on november 23rd-25th

November 12, 2018

The 4th edition of the International Ecosocialist Encounters will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, at Escola Secundária Camões, on the 23rd, 24th and 25th of november. This event will have more than 60 speakers from five different continents to discuss proposals and experiences of international ecosocialists.

Death of João Semedo, former co-leader of Bloco de Esquerda

July 19, 2018

João Semedo, former co-leader of Bloco de Esquerda, died on 17th July, 2018, after some years fighting cancer.

Gonzalo Gómez: "Socialism is not made with traps". Photo: Aporrea.org

Gonzalo Gómez: "Maduro Is Dismantling the Revolutionary Process"

April 11, 2018

In an interview with Esquerda.net, Gonzalo Gomez, spokesman for Marea Socialista, denounced that the Venezuelan Constituent Assembly is "adapting the Venezuelan political and economic regime to the interests of the bureaucracy and its process of assimilation to capital." The government of Nicolás Maduro deepens the extractive policy and the transnationals expelled by Chavez return. By Luis Leiria.

Lisbon Declaration: "Our Europe, for and by the people!"

November 13, 2017

On the 21st and 22nd of October, political and civil society activists gathered in Lisbon to debate an Alternative for Europe, a Plan B. This is the joint declaration produced by the gathering.

Left Bloc wins seats in local elections

October 10, 2017

In the portuguese local elections, which ocurred on the 1st of october, Left Bloc grew in the number of votes and councilmen elected. 

Diminuição da abstenção seria um sinal de “viragem” na participação eleitoral

October 1, 2017

Numa primeira reação às projeções sobre a abstenção, Pedro Soares saudou os números que indicam uma quebra na abstenção. A confirmarem-se, poderão abrir “um tempo novo na democracia local”, diz o coordenador autárquico do Bloco.

First steps towards forest reform in Portugal approved by Parliament

July 21, 2017

The government adopted Left Bloc's proposals for reducing eucalyptus fields and creating a Forest Registry. But the Portuguese Communist Party rejected Left Bloc's proposal for the creation of a Public Land Bank.

Douro Wine Region. Foto Howard Lifshitz/Flickr

Gas pipeline threatens World Heritage Site in Portugal

July 17, 2017

A planned pipeline between Portugal and Spain could rip appart the vineyards of the Douro Wine region and the Côa Valley archaeological site. 

“We have to stop eucalyptus in Portugal”, says Catarina Martins

June 26, 2017

With 800 thousand acres, Portugal has the largest eucalyptus plantation in Europe, a species that was a deciding factor in the tragic fires of Pedrógão Grande. 

25th April, Carnation Revolution demonstration in Lisbon, by Paulete Matos

How to go beyond the Portuguese ‘contraption’ government?

May 5, 2017

The agreement of parliamentary majority between the Socialist Party and the left parties, signed after the 2015 election is not only unprecedented in the Portuguese democracy but arose from unique conditions as well. By Bruno Góis.

Photo by Paulete Matos

Novo Banco: "The tax-payers may have to pay 7,8 billion euros to privatize the bank"

April 6, 2017

The selling of Novo Banco to the vulture fund Lone Star was deeply criticized by Bloco de Esquerda in the portuguese parliament.

Left Bloc´s poster for the YES campaign for the voluntary termination of pregnancy, reading "yes, to end the humiliation".

Decriminalisation of abortion: 10 years after YES won the referendum

February 15, 2017

On February 11th 2007, the “yes” campaign won the referendum by a margin of 59,25% of the votes, voting in favour of the decriminalisation of the voluntary interruption of pregnancy on request, in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.