Translated "Avante!"article by Ângelo Alves, Member of the PCP Political Committee
Upon 38 minutes, the European Council approved the United Kingdom Exit Agreement/Ultimatum from the European Union and the negotiation issues for a future relationship.
Amid European Union bureaucracy nothing happens by chance. The meeting term had the purpose to sustain one of the main messages the European Council wanted to pass: the unwavering “unity” among the 27 in the name of the “defence of the European Union interests”. “Unity” that was immediately conveyed towards its real purpose: change an institutional agreement /deal into an ultimatum against the British people. The expressions “ bad deal for both sides, mainly for the United Kingdom”, “ a sad day for Europe”, from “ the possible agreement/deal” but the “ only possible one” and finally, the British “ accept it or no deal”, were repeated in chorus, over and over.
Once again, the EU aristocracy democratic and conciliating mask fell. The arrogance during the agreement / deal negotiations and approval proves the political, economic and military block has difficulty in handling peoples’ sovereign decisions.
Strategy is clearer: on one hand to approve an agreement/deal that by opening up the exit, and by sealing it , if there were to be an agreement /deal, in March 2019 next, maintains Great Britain at least unto December 2020, tidied down to several of the European Union rules (the foundations for a future relationship reply to some of the European Union basic political and ideological principles). On the other hand, to approve and agreement/deal that in reality distorts the British people decision, a “bad agreement”, that creates enormous difficulties towards its popular approval and acceptance.
In other words, with this agreement /deal / ultimatum, the European Union advances with a double strategy. Or the United Kingdom approves this agreement/deal and the transitory period ( that might eventually be extended) and future relationship framework end up tying down the country in various aspects to the European Union or instead the United Kingdom rejects the agreement/deal /ultimatum and a new blackmail chapter on the people of Britain takes place, opening the path for new reversion attempts against its decision.
The political and ideological purpose is the very same that presided to previous blackmails: in order to create a framework that ought to nurture the idea that there is not alternative before the European Union, its policies and its domain mechanisms and any disengagement decision is untenable. But there exists an alternative. Capitalist integration process is untenable. Browsing from crisis unto crisis, the European Union deepens all its neoliberal, militarist and federalist pillars.
On the discussion over an European army; the securitary drift; the growing political interference; Macron’s “European sovereignty” speech; the Italian budget process; the attempt to bridge the renowned “budget treaty” unto European law or the insistence in the Economic and Monetary Union deepening. The British exit process is complex, and the EU and May’s government class interests (coincident) moved it away from the British people’s desires. But as the British communists and other progressive forces state, a progressive exit is possible and it all depends, above all, of the workers and the people of that country, along with their struggle.