Right-wing populists and fascists from everywhere in Europe use the Crisis of neoliberal Legitimacy as an opportunity for the regroupment of their forces. They try to take advantage of the Austerity-Regime and its social consequences by reinforcing nationalist and racist tendencies in society. Furthermore new forms of authoritarian Movements have occurred. One consequence is that cultural based racism and religious Fundamentalism like Islamism now seem to mutually strengthen each other. Overall all right-wing forces seem to have taken over social milieus that used to be traditional strongholds of the left. In some cases they even try to take over self-aid structures, but always they pretend that they defend the „average working man in the street“ against the European elite.
The antifascist & antiauthoritarian Left in Europe is still struggling with a profound analysis of this reactionary roll-back and its different charateristics. Therefore a collective discussion of our common assesment of the extreme right and of the different existing forms of antifascist counterstrategies is urgent. What kind of consequences has the rise of right-wing movements and parties for the self-concecption of a Left, which as a movement seeks to intervene in social struggles? Which contradictions do we have to face as we want to cope with the challenges of right populist movements? What are the social developments which we have to consider for a successful form of antifascism? And which counterstrategies – on the streets and in our daily lives – are promising?

These are just some of the questions we would like to discuss with you in our working group together with researchers and activists from all over Europe. The working group will take place on three days each with three hours during the Blockupy Festival. The workshop language is English.

Timetable:

Friday 10 a.m. – 13 p.m.: Whats the situation? Which right-wing parties and movements do exist in the EU? What are their strategies on the local level? What are their European networks? Which counterstrategies do already exist?
• Introduction and presentation of the programm
• Input: Julian Bruns (Vienna): „Overview of right-wing strategies and networks in Europe“
• Inputs by activists on the local situation and discussion
• Documentation of the discussion

Saturday 10 a.m. – 13 p.m.: What are the societal and economical factors behind the rise of the far right? Which role do the EU, the nationstate and transformation of democracy play in it? Which perspectives arise of that developments for the antifascist & antiauthoritarian left?

• Short abstract of the previous discussion
• Input: John Kannankulam (Marburg): „Authoritarian Transformation and Neoliberalism“
• Input N.N. (A&K, Athens): „The State of Exception“
• Open discussion
• Documentation of the discussion

Sunday 10 a.m. – 13 p.m.: What can the antifascist & antiauthoritarian left do different to whats going on today? How should we respond to right-wing mobilisations? Which kind of alliances can we form? How can we widen our social base – not least in daily life of „ordinary people“?

• Short abstract of the previous discussion
• Inputs of „Best Practice“-examples by activists
• Open discussion
• Agreements on future actions and working structures (i.e. Antifa-Actiondays, future collaboration, etc.)
• Documentation of the discussion
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