Tomás Ó Flatharta

Looking at Things from the Left

Archive for the ‘Stefanie Prezioso’ Category

Swiss Grannies Win Historic Climate Change European Court of Human Rights Victory – Irish Green Party Minister Éamon Ryan Fought Them – and Lost

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You could not make it up. The Irish Green Party Leader Éamon Ryan is a Minister for Climate Change in the FFFGGG (Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Greens and Gombeens) Dublin Coalition Government. In a display of pure gombeen politics, the Green Irish TD fought the “Swiss Grannies” (“Aînées pour le climat”) in the European Court of Human Rights (EHCR) – and lost.

The “Aînées pour le climat” won a historic victory.

Heat-related deaths were at the heart of a recent landmark legal case taken by the so-called ‘Swiss Grannies’ in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The group, representing 2,400 older women, had argued that senior citizens were more likely to die in heatwaves. Earlier this month the court found that weak Swiss government climate policies had violated their human rights.

Jennifer Whitmore TD, Social Democrats, Wicklow

Marielle Budry describes the case :

Source : International Viewpoint,

Historic victory for the “Aînées pour le climat”

Link : Swiss Grannies – Historic victory for the “Aînées pour le climat”

On 9 April, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights handed down a historic verdict, ruling that Switzerland is violating the human rights of older women because the country is not taking the necessary measures to combat global warming. [Aînées pour le climat – Older Women for Climate]

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The Irish Left’s response to Russia’s war on Ukraine – Debate on the letters page of the Irish Times – Part Two

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We published a post covering the Irish left’s response to Russia’s imperialist invasion of Ukraine on February 25 :

https://tomasoflatharta.com/2023/02/25/russias-imperialist-genocidal-and-ethnic-cleansing-invasion-appeasing-putins-aggression-will-not-bring-peace/

We included references to an Irish Times letter signed by 12 Oireachtas public representatives ((TD’s and Senators) – which prompted several critical replies. One of the original Oireachtas 12, Senator Tom Clonan, responded positively to the critics.

On Wednesday March Ivana Bacik TD (Labour Party Leader) joined the discussion – robustly stating

We believe that it is misguided for anyone on the left in Ireland to call for a ceasefire, without making any reference to the need for Russian withdrawal from this illegal and barbaric occupation

Ivana Bacik TD, Irish Labour Party Leader
Ivana Bacik TD (Irish Labour Party Leader) and others discuss the Irish left’s response to Russia’s imperialist invasion of Ukraine

Ivana Bacik’s letter is below, along with a number of other letters.

Left’s response to Russia’s war on Ukraine

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Elected Left for Ukraine Launched

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Left-Wing elected representatives launch global solidarity network with Ukraine

Declaration [English, Deutsch, Polski, Español, Catalá, Ελληνικά, Italiano, Français]

List of signatures here.For more information: representatives@ukraine-solidarity.eu

“Without the mobilisation of the working people of Ukraine in their millions, the country would never have withstood Vladimir Putin’s criminal invasion one year ago. Now they need solidarity from working people everywhere to help win their country’s definitive liberation.”

“Without the mobilisation of the working people of Ukraine in their millions, the country would never have withstood Vladimir Putin’s criminal invasion one year ago. Now they need solidarity from working people everywhere to help win their country’s definitive liberation.”

With these words, Stéfanie Prezioso, deputy for Ensemble a Gauche in the Swiss Parliament, announced the formation of the global network Elected Left for Ukraine.

Prezioso said that the network will build support for Ukraine’s military and civil resistance among left and progressive elected officials from all levels of government.

One of the first signatories is John McDonnell, British MP for the Labour Party, and a founder member of his country’s Ukraine Solidarity Campaign. He is joined by Argentine MP Juan Carlos Giordano (Labour and Left Front) who recently visited Ukraine with material aid for Ukrainian trade unions, and to learn more from feminist and left groups resisting the Russian invasion. They are joined by more than 50 representatives from Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, the UK, Argentina, Brazil and Peru, elected at municipal, regional and national level, and in the European Parliament.

Søren Søndergaard, deputy for the Red-Green Alliance in the Danish parliament, who joined Prezioso in announcing the initiative, explained that the Elected Left for Ukraine network will mobilise political solidarity and material aid to Ukraine’s trade union, feminist, environmental and human rights organisations.

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