Power in Unity: European Left at the Fiesta of the PCE
European Left at the 47th Fiesta of the Communist Party of Spain: Strengthening Alliances for Peace, Rights, and Social Justice
The European Left proudly participated in the 47th edition of the Fiesta of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE), held from September 27–29, 2025, in Rivas Vaciamadrid. This annual celebration—one of Spain’s most important political and cultural events—brought together progressive leaders, activists, and citizens committed to defending democracy, workers’ rights, and social justice.
In the year of the PCE’s 104th anniversary, the festival once again combined political debate, culture, and solidarity. Under the banner “Building alliances, stopping the far right by winning rights,” the program featured prominent voices from Spain’s transformative left, including Yolanda Díaz, Pablo Bustinduy, Sira Rego, and Antonio Maíllo. The central rally, led by PCE Secretary General Enrique Santiago, set the tone for the movement’s ongoing struggle against neoliberalism and reactionary forces threatening peace and equality across Europe.
Across three vibrant days, the Fiesta merged culture and politics—concerts, film screenings, book presentations, and accessible gastronomy—with debates on the key social challenges of our time. The discussions addressed urgent issues such as labor rights, migration, housing, and the growing threat of the far right.
The European Left (EL) delegation was proud to actively participate with a presentation stand and interventions in several key debates. Our members joined panels addressing antifascism, workers’ rights, and international solidarity—affirming once more that Another Europe is Possible. During the debate “How to confront the extreme right?”, EL representatives highlighted the urgent need to defend democracy, equality, and social rights from authoritarian threats:
As Anna Camposampiero from Partito della Rifondazione Comunista, Italy emphasized, “We must be able to update antifascism by offering our class real answers and hope for a future that is not defined by war, climate change, and injustice. True security is social justice.”
Oguz Turkyilmaz of the SOL Parti, Turkey underscored the class dimension of the far-right threat: “The problem is the threat of the extreme right: behind anti-immigration and xenophobia, their main goal is to silence and crush the working class through fascist, anti-labour policies and practices. It is necessary to establish direct contact with the masses trapped in these illusions and lies—to build relationships, to warn them, to raise awareness.”
From Belgiums PTB-PVDA, Ilona Vandenberghe powerfully connected the fight for peace to the defense of workers’ rights: “Every euro spent on weapons is a euro less for wages, pensions, healthcare, and the environment. The military and energy industries make record profits while families face impossible bills. Our rights—freedom of speech, the right to strike—are all under attack in the name of ‘security.’ In reality, it’s a war on the working class.”
The presence of international delegations, including from the French Communist Party (PCF) and other members of the European Left, reflected the deep commitment to cooperation and shared struggle across borders. As Hélène Bidard of the PCF stated, “Together with the delegations of the PCF and the European Left at the wonderful @elpce festival in Madrid. As Enrique Santiago rightly said: ‘We are not alone in this battle—for peace, against fascism, and for the planet.’”
Throughout the weekend, the Fiesta PCE once again demonstrated how culture and politics can come together to inspire hope and collective strength. For the European Left, it was a moment to reaffirm our unity in the face of the far-right threat and to celebrate the international solidarity that binds us in our common struggle for social justice, peace, and democracy. Another Europe is Possible.