(The following article is from the October 16-31, 2009, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St., Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)

PV Vancouver Bureau

Despite some media headlines about "defeats for the left," the latest round of elections during late September-early October in Europe revealed setbacks for social democrats but some gains for more radical left forces.

     The largest country to go to the polls was Germany, where the Social Democratic party (SPD) suffered its worst defeat in history. The SPD's "grand coalition" partner over the last four years, the right-wing Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union led by Angela Merkel, also lost votes. The CDU/CSU's share in proportional representation voting fell from 35.2% in 2005 to 33.8% in 2009, but it gained 13 seats by electing more members in direct constituency voting. The CDU/CSU will now govern by majority with its neoliberal ally, the Free Democratic Party, which made significant gains.

     The SPD paid a heavy price for supporting Merkel's conservative policies and Germany's participation in the US-led war in Afghanistan. The Social Democrats lost over 6.2 million votes, down to 9.9 million, or just 23.0% of the total. That cost the SPD 76 seats, dropping from 225 seats in the last Bundestag to just 149.

     Many of those votes went to Die Linke, the left-wing party which received 5.1 million proportional representation votes, rising from 8.7% in 2005 to 11.9% this time. Die Linke, the only party to campaign for withdrawal from the occupation of Afghanistan, saw its representation in the Bundestag rise from 54 to 76. In another advance, 12 Die Linke MPs were elected directly from constituencies outside its Berlin stronghold.

     The Greens also picked up support, growing from 8.1% up to 10.7% of proportional representation votes, and from 51 to 68 Bundestag members.

     The picture was different in Greece, where the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) led by George Papandreou won the Oct. 3 general elections by a wide margin.

     The social democratic PASOK, which followed neoliberal policies during earlier periods in office, took about 44 percent of the votes and 160 of the 300 seats in Parliament.

     The conservative New Democracy party (ND), led by Costas Karamanlis, had governed Greece since 2004. The ND won about 33.8% of vote, and 92 seats, a historic low since its founding three decades ago.

     The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) remains the third party in parliament, winning 7.6% and 21 seats. The far right People's Orthodox Rally (LAOS) made gains, with 5.6% of votes, winning 15 seats. The Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA), won 4.5%, for 12 seats in parliament. The Greens won 2.5%, below the 3 percent threshold to elect MPs.

     KKE leader Aleka Papariga termed the results a "heavy defeat for New Democracy and a victory for PASOK without, however, the positive developments that have taken place in the conscience of the people during the years of governance by New Democracy."

     Papariga added that "there was a change of captain, but the direction is on the same course" and predicted that a storm of anti-popular measures are coming. She said the KKE is ready to assume its responsibilities "on the front line of the struggle to thwart the worst and to seek solutions to relieve the people."

     In Portugal, the Socialist Party (PS) led by Prime Minister Jose Socrates won the Sept. 27 parliamentary elections. The Socialists, a centrist party, won 36.6 percent of the votes, down from 45% in 2005. While Socrates called the outcome a "huge victory," his party lost its majority in the 230-seat parliament.

     The main right-wing opposition, the Social Democratic Party, got 29.1 percent, and lost three seats. The conservative Popular Party became the third largest group in Portugal's parliament, winning 10.5% of votes and 21 seats, up from 12 seats in the last campaign.

     The Left Bloc doubled its seats to 16, while the Democratic Unity coalition of the Portuguese Communists and Greens took 15 seats, rising to 7.9% of the votes, up from 7.6% in 2005.

     Some PS supporters turned to other parties in protest against neoliberal policies implemented by the Socrates government, such as the move to raise the retirement age from 60 to 65 for public sector workers.

     In another key result, Irish voters gave nearly two-thirds support to the Lisbon Treaty, reversing the anti-Lisbon vote of June 2008. The Workers' Party of Ireland called the outcome "a victory of the powerful over the people".

     "In this referendum campaign the Yes side had three huge advantages," said Padraig Mannion of the Workers' Party. "They had 90% of the money; 95% of the media; and 100% of the establishment. This combination proved an impossible combination to overcome."