Karl Marx died #OnThisDay in 1883. Together with Friedrich Engels, he is considered the founder of historical materialism, a theory that was to gain great influence in the international workers’ movement. Marx’s “Capital” still inspires critical minds around the world today.

What can the British Left learn from the Belgian Workers’ Party and the Democratic Socialists of America? In a new report published by the London Office of @rosaluxglobal.bsky.social, Joe Todd compares their structures, strategies and tensions between autonomy and control:

What does “Greater Israel” mean today? Once a political idea, it has increasingly taken shape as territorial practice and government policy in Israel, rooted in long-standing ideological currents and accelerated by recent political developments.

“Since the beginning of the year, students have been receiving letters informing them that they can avoid ex-matriculation by signing a one-year contract with the Ministry of Defense.”

Today is the International Feminist Day of Struggle. In 1910, socialist feminists around Clara Zetkin called for 8 March to become a global day of action for women’s rights. Today feminists take to the streets worldwide — the fight for real equality continues. 🌹✊

Happy Birthday, Rosa! 🥀🚩 Our foundation’s namesake was a radical, a rabble-rouser and a revolutionary. As one of the most important thinkers of the 20th century, her calls for freedom, socialism and democracy sparked wide controversy.

Japan swings right. PM Takaichi Sanae’s LDP wins 316 seats and a two-thirds majority, opening the door to constitutional change. With defence spending rising and Article 9 under pressure, the country faces a decisive shift in security and social policy.

“It is critical to provide a socialist alternative that can inspire enthusiasm, hope, and dreams and yet that is also realistic, persuasive, and concrete, because it builds on the socialist elements in our existing society.”

“Since the beginning of the year, students have been receiving letters informing them that they can avoid ex-matriculation by signing a one-year contract with the Ministry of Defense.”

EU enlargement in South Eastern Europe is back. This policy brief outlines a socialist strategy that supports accession while challenging neoliberal reforms, depopulation, and authoritarian drift through stronger left cooperation across the region:

Vietnam’s Communist Party Congress signalled unity and set bold targets. The leadership aims for 10% annual growth and high-income status by 2045. As To Lam consolidates power, export dependence collides with the pledge to leave no one behind.

Join us online tomorrow for the launch of Weaponizing Hunger. Six case studies from West Asia and North Africa examine how starvation is used as a weapon, and how communities resist through food sovereignty. More info and registration: rosalux.de/en/event/es_detail/SE7LV

“In all cases, the Popular Front emerged above all as a balancing act to harmonize the interests of labour and capital.”

Five years into the war, Russia is in war mode. Military spending soars, recruitment expands, dissent shrinks and even children are drawn into patriotic training. How the invasion of Ukraine is reshaping Russian society from top to bottom:

Colonial continuities persist in EU trade policy. A new policy brief shows how “equal partnerships” secure raw materials for Europe while deepening dependencies in the Global South. Time to rethink trade, cut consumption and enforce fair conditions.

Vietnam’s Communist Party Congress ends in a show of unity, reappointing To Lam and setting ambitious goals for double-digit growth. With a two-thirds majority and possible leadership reshuffles ahead, what direction will the country take next?

Shrinking civic space in the EU is no longer a fringe issue. A new policy report by @rosaluxeu.bsky.social and @enopeu.bsky.social, authored by Francesca De Benedetti, shows how rights are eroded, dissent marginalized and corporate power strengthened. A warning — and a call to act:

EU enlargement in South Eastern Europe is framed as a geostrategic project. But what would a socialist strategy look like? Our new policy brief explores risks, power shifts, and how the European Left can shape a different future:

Join us on 25 February in Berlin for a discussion on the seductive appeal of authoritarianism — and how antifascist politics can counter it. With Ewa Majewska, Max Haiven & Gustavo Robles. Music from across the Global South afterwards: rosalux.de/en/event/es_detail/VW73R

Japan swings right. PM Takaichi Sanae’s LDP wins 316 seats and a two-thirds majority, paving the way for constitutional change. What will this mean for Japan’s security policy, rearmament plans, and social stability in times of crisis?

🗓️ Join us on 26 February 2026 at 15:00 CET for the online launch of “Weaponizing Hunger”. Six case studies from West Asia and North Africa explore starvation as a tool of war and the resilient practices that resist it. For more info and registration:

“The Popular Front was not merely a top-down initiative, but based on grassroots pressure for economic change and social reform.”

They embrace their dreams and keep going. From stolen oranges to bitter laughter, Ali Abu Yassin writes from Gaza on how fleeting, fragile moments of “happiness” become a form of resistance, and a reason to survive another day.

Over 60 years since West African independence, French politicians again speak of acknowledging their “shared history”. A shared future, on the other hand, is off the table — at least for now. 👉 Read now: rosalux.de/en/news/id/54330

Hunger is not accidental. In West Asia and North Africa, it is shaped by war, colonial legacies, and economic dependency. Weaponizing Hunger shows how starvation becomes a tool of control — and how communities resist through food sovereignty.

Bangladesh votes today in its first election since the 2024 uprising toppled Sheikh Hasina. Alongside a referendum on constitutional reforms, the ballot will test whether the country can move from authoritarian rule towards a more durable democracy.

#OnThisDay in 1898, Bertolt Brecht was born. He did not write for art’s sake, but to challenge injustice, expose fascism and inspire change. His plays demand an active audience — and his socialist critique remains sharply relevant today.

“Infrastructure is never neutral. Who builds it, owns it, and governs it determines the future.”

Our colleagues at @rosaluxeu.bsky.social are looking for a graphic designer to collaborate on a survey report about tech and organizing. Layout, design, illustration and data visualization. Remote, short-term project. Apply by 25 February 2026:

Can Nordic socialism point the way to a democratic economy? In a new essay, @pelledragsted.bsky.social of Denmark’s @enhedslisten.bsky.social argues that real socialist alternatives already exist in Nordic welfare states — and are key to countering the far right.

“Thus far, remembrance of colonialism in France is largely symbolic in nature.”

We’re hiring a full-time Global Web Editor for rosalux.org, based in Brussels at @rosaluxeu.bsky.social. Help shape left-wing, internationalist political analysis with our global network. Apply by 8 February:

#OnThisDay in 1932, Stuart Hall was born. A founding figure of cultural studies, he championed a Marxism “without guarantees” and was among the first to critically examine the links between neoliberal capitalism and racism. His work remains essential today.

With the far right gaining ground, some on the Left look to the Popular Front of the 1930s for inspiration. But despite its successes in unifying the Left against fascism, the Popular Front’s overall track record was in fact decidedly mixed.

Over 60 years since West African independence, French politicians again speak of acknowledging their “shared history”. A shared future, on the other hand, is off the table — at least for now.

“If democracy is to survive the age of AI wars, privatized orbital networks, and authoritarian algorithmic governance, it must reclaim its own technological foundations.”

Portugal is facing its Le Pen moment. As the political centre collapses, the far right is filling the vacuum, reshaping the presidential race and exposing a deep crisis in the post-Carnation Revolution order. What’s at stake goes far beyond one election.

“For the Kurds, it remains risky to integrate their own armed forces into the Syrian armed forces on an individual level without receiving any international security guarantees.”

#OnThisDay in 1945, the Red Army liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp. Today, we remember the millions of victims of the Holocaust, and resolve to never again allow such atrocities to occur — whether in Europe or anywhere else.

In just a few years, a cabal of right-wing tech oligarchs has taken control over large swaths of governance infrastructure. The new project Authoritarian Stack maps this cabal — and exposes the grave threat to European democracy it poses.

“The fact is that we have already taken steps towards a more democratic economy and therefore are closer to socialism than we had believed.” — @pelledragsted.bsky.social, Danish Red-Green Alliance @enhedslisten.bsky.social

#OnThisDay in 1944 Angela Davis was born in Birmingham, Alabama. A leading voice of Black liberation, feminism, and prison abolition, she continues to shape debates on racism, capitalism, and intersectional justice worldwide.

The first round of Portugal’s presidential elections saw historic gains for the far right. The centre may still hold for now, but the next wave of reactionary authoritarianism is just around the corner.

Can Nordic socialism point the way to a democratic economy? In a new essay, @pelledragsted.bsky.social of Denmark’s @enhedslisten.bsky.social argues that real socialist alternatives already exist in Nordic welfare states — and are key to countering the far right.

We’re hiring a Project and Social Media Manager, based in Brussels at @rosaluxeu.bsky.social, to strengthen left and progressive political communication across our global channels. Part-time (80%), on-site. Apply by 8 February:

Happy Birthday, Antonio Gramsci. #OnThisDay in 1891, the Sardinian Marxist was born. From Turin’s workers’ councils to founding the Communist Party of Italy, his Prison Notebooks - written under fascist imprisonment - reshaped Marxist thought on power and hegemony.

We’re hiring a full-time Global Web Editor for rosalux.org. You’ll commission and edit international left-wing political content with our global network, working from Brussels at @rosaluxeu.bsky.social. Apply by 8 February:

Solidarity Cities shows how European municipalities are pushing back against deterrence and exclusion. From Palermo to Berlin, cities are proving that a humane, rights-based migration policy is not only necessary, but possible.

Appeasing Trump won’t protect Greenland. After the illegal attack on Venezuela, silence only invites the next takeover. Europe must defend self-determination and international law — or accept a world ruled by force.

We’re hiring a Project and Social Media Manager, based in our @rosaluxeu.bsky.social office, to strengthen left and progressive political communication across our global platforms. Apply by 8 February: