By Victoria Waldersee and Joan Faus
BARCELONA, April 19 (Reuters) - From reforming the UN Security Council to taxing billionaires, thousands of leftists gathered in Barcelona over the weekend to brainstorm ways to halt the rise of authoritarianism and win back voters who have drifted rightwards.
The gathering, which drew more than 6,000 people from over 40 countries, comes as far-right and nationalist forces have gained ground globally, eclipsing the left with messaging that pins cost-of-living concerns on immigration, outdated institutions and out-of-touch political elites.
Spearheaded by Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose outspoken opposition to U.S. President Trump’s foreign policy has boosted his image, the summit was buoyed by hopes that the far-right surge may have peaked, with Trump's polling numbers falling, Hungary's Victor Orban ousted after 16 years in government and the French far-right underperforming in last month's municipal elections.
Leaders including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva rallied the crowd with calls to reform international organizations and cement new left-leaning alliances, as the shadow of Trump’s attacks on multilateral institutions loomed large.
“To be progressive is to defend a reformed multilateralism, where the rules work for everyone,” said Lula da Silva, addressing a packed closing plenary of supporters waving red flags, sporting ‘Make Science Great Again’ caps and periodically chanting Spanish anti-fascist anthems.
Left-wing parties hoping for a resurgence need to address kitchen table issues such as the cost of living, said Marcus Roberts, CEO of political strategy consultancy Mandate Research.
A 30-country Ipsos survey published last month showed voters were far more worried about unemployment, inflation, poverty and inequality than the rise of extremism or moral decline.
Indeed, anger at rising fuel prices due to the war in the Middle East has seen Trump’s approval ratings tank, polls show, in what Democrat strategists have described as a window of opportunity to make convincing arguments on the economy ahead of midterm elections in November.
Economist Gabriel Zucman took the stage to advocate for higher wealth taxes on millionaires and billionaires, a policy which is hugely popular in polls across Europe and the U.S. but was rejected by lawmakers in his native France.
Source: Drudge Report
