Hungarian CWP, Withdrawal from the Party of the European Left

Resolution of the Central Committee of the Hungarian Communist Workers’ Party

The Central Committee of the Hungarian Communist Workers’ Party has decided on its session of 25 April to leave the European Left Party from the 1 of May 2009, in accordance with the Statue of the ELP (Article 6).

The Hungarian Communist Workers’ Party is one of the founders of the European Left. Our party had some principal reservations concerning the general line of the ELP from the very beginning.

We did not agree with the estimation of the past of the European socialist country, including Hungary, made by ELP. We are convinced that the socialist countries achieved great results during the decades of socialism in political, economic, social life. This period is one of the most successful periods of the national history of the former socialist countries. We do not deny that there had been errors, mistakes but we will never allow characterizing these years as pure “Stalinism” and will always oppose to all attempts to throw it away.

We did not agree with the general philosophy of the ELP which excluded from the ELP a number of important and strong parties and turned the ELP into a party of the European Union.

We did not agree with the practical policy of the ELP which concentrated almost on the problems of the Western European countries, the issues of the European Union and did not pay attention to the real problems of Central and Eastern European countries.

We opposed the political line of the ELP to invite to the ELP parties which have nothing common with communist ideas, and in some cases they are even enemies of communism.

We opposed the practice that the political line of the ELP is being decided basically by parties which are represented in the European Parliament.

We did not agree with the new political line of the European Left expressed in the resolutions of the Second Congress of the ELP in November 2007. Our party was the single party which did not vote for the documents of the congress. We are convinced that we need not a “new European political culture” but we need very consequent fight against capitalism, for rights of the working masses. We should not only criticize capitalism but we should organise the everyday fight of the workers.

We want to liquidate capitalism; the European Left wants to make it better. We are standing on the basis of Marxism-Leninism, theory and practice of the fight of the classes, the principles of proletarian internationalism. The European Left unfortunately is standing on the basis reformism. The European Left fights against capitalism only by phrases, but in the practice it helps to strengthen the “democratic” image of the European Union, the European Parliament, and the capitalist system generally.

We tried to influence and change these processes but we should recognise that it is impossible. The political line of most of basic parties-members of the ELP and that of the ELP itself are going into a direction which violates the basic interests of the working class, the international communist movement.

We took into consideration the position of other communist parties, too. We agree that that the European Left plays a negative role in the international Left movement. We want to help to other parties with our decision to leave the ELP. We want to make it clear for all what a party the ELP is in the reality.

We think that revisionism and opportunism is now the largest danger threatening the communist movement. It is bad that we are poor, and it is bad that we have no money. But we will lose everything if we give up our clear ideological conviction, if we give up Marxism-Leninism.

We will continue to participate on the International meetings of the communist and workers’ parties, and will do our best to strengthen the communist pole in the movement according to the principles of proletarian internationalism. We will strengthen our bilateral relations with the communist parties. We will continue our fight against capitalism, on the basis Marxism-Leninism.

Our decision is based also on the realities of Hungary. The situation in Hungary is changing. People have already spent 20 years in capitalism and collected a lot of concrete experience, After 20 years most of them understand what capitalist exploitation, unemployment, and social injustice mean. On the other hand, they appreciate that it is the Hungarian Communist Workers’ Party which has always stand on their side and fought for their interest. It is our moral and political capital we can use in the coming battles. The Hungarian government tries to solve the actual crisis at the costs of the working masses. Salaries and pensions are frozen; public expenditures will be cut down. This policy instead of improving the situation of working masses will create new difficulties. People are waiting from us, communists clear positions, consequent fight. It is what we should do.

Budapest, 25 April 2009

Central Committee of the Hungarian Communist Workers’ Party