Spain’s Sanchez, Brazil’s Lula lead international gathering of left-wing leaders in opposition to far-right rise | EUROtoday

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will head a gathering of leftist leaders on Saturday in Barcelona, looking for to rally in opposition to the menace to democracy from the far proper.

The gathering comes as democratic establishments and values have confronted rising threats across the globe from advancing authoritarian and far-right forces within the age of US President Donald Trump.

Among these scheduled to attend the “Meeting in Defence of Democracy” are South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum and European Council chief Antonio Costa.

Both Sanchez and Lula, who’re going through rising far-right challenges forward of upcoming election campaigns, are vocal critics of the Trump administration.

But in an interview with Spanish each day newspaper El Pais forward of the gathering, Lula harassed it’s “not going to be an anti-Trump meeting”.

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“What we want is to talk and see if we can find a solution to strengthen the democratic process in the world, so that we don’t allow any setbacks,” he added throughout a joint information convention with Sanchez on Friday.

“Because when there is a setback, a Hitler happens.”

Sanchez has mentioned he hopes the occasion “will provide the basis for all progressive forces in the world to unite. Our unity will be our strength”.

Hungarian inspiration

The Barcelona gathering can be held on the identical day as a gathering of far-right European leaders in Milan in Italy.

It follows the defeat of Hungarian nationalist chief Viktor Orban in a normal election on Sunday, seen as a setback for Europe’s far-right events that had regarded to him as a mannequin.

Progressives have hailed the outcome as proof that entrenched populist governments may be defeated on the poll field.

The Barcelona occasion was launched by Brazil and Spain in 2024 after far-right events made important features in European Parliament elections.

The first two editions of this occasion had been held on the United Nations and the earlier one was held in Chile final yr.

Many of the individuals will participate within the first version of the so-called “Global Progressive Mobilisation” which can be held in the identical venue.

Some 3,000 folks, together with present and former heads of state, mayors, union representatives and researchers from greater than 40 nations are anticipated to participate.

The occasion is being held underneath the auspices of the Socialist International, which is headed by Sanchez.

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Both Lula and Sanchez will handle this gathering, which is able to function talks on points akin to revenue inequality, the inexperienced transition and the way progressives can enhance their election outcomes.

Sanchez, in energy since 2018, has emerged as a outstanding determine for Europe’s disillusioned progressives, who see him as one of many few remaining brazenly leftist voices in a continent more and more dominated by right-wing politics.

His vigorous criticism of Israel, championing of immigration and staunch opposition to the US-Israeli warfare on Iran have bolstered his picture as a left-wing hero.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)