Trade unions and left parties in Europe have reacted with solidarity to the January 23 general strike in Minnesota and condemned the violence of the Trump administration.

Europeans have taken to the streets in response to US attacks on Venezuela and the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro, while governments back the Trump administration’s illegal assault.

Peter Mertens, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Belgium, tells Peoples Dispatch that 2026 brings opportunities for class struggle – if the left is ready to act boldly.

Workers across Belgium are wrapping up a three-day strike wave opposing the government’s austerity plans, including salary freezes.

Around 140,000 people joined trade union protests in Brussels, opposing austerity measures planned by Bart De Wever’s administration.

September gatherings like ManiFiesta and La Fête de l’Humanité have become rallying points for Europe’s left, offering space to strategize for coming struggles.

After nearly two years of grassroots mobilization, Belgium is moving closer toward recognizing a Palestinian state. Left forces caution the step falls short of real change.

The Belgian political leader spoke to Peoples Dispatch about his book Mutiny and what this moment of mass discontent and major geopolitical shifts means for working class struggle.

One of the central themes of this year’s ManiFiesta is the movement for Palestine, which has grown exponentially amid Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

At ManiFiesta 2024, trade unions played a central role, linking workplace struggles with broader discussions on global disarmament and peacebuilding

In a conversation with PTB General Secretary Peter Mertens, UAW President Shawn Fain addresses the challenges of organizing the working class and the fight for workers’ rights

In a speech at the Belgian parliament, the General Secretary of the Workers’ Party sharply condemned Israel’s genocide in Gaza and called for concrete measures to stop it