May Day 2026: Make May Day Communist Again!

US imperialism’s war against Iran has sent shockwaves across the globe. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sent prices skyrocketing. Militarism is firmly on the agenda, and the workers are being made to pay.

A mood of revolt is developing, against militarism, the rising cost of living, and the fact that behind the fig leaf of democracy lies a world run by billionaires. People are seething with anger, and drawing increasingly radical conclusions as a result. Our revolutionary communist ideas are connecting with wider layers than ever before. Especially, and most importantly, amongst the youth.

Compared to previous years, this year we organised far more of our own revolutionary May Day events in towns and cities all over the world. Such was the case in Stockholm, Sweden; Bregenz, Austria; and many cities across Pakistan, from Peshawar to Landhi industrial area in Karachi.

This year, as last, the biggest RCI-organised event was undoubtedly the ‘Revolutionary May Day’ march and festival of our comrades in Copenhagen in Denmark, which drew in thousands of young people and workers.

What is really astonishing is how many eager potential young recruits there communists can find almost everywhere. In country after country, we took the details of hundreds of people interested in joining: 123 in Sweden, 140 in France, 150 in Denmark, no less than 370 in the US! This in just a single day.

Unfurling and raising high the red banner of communism all around the world. That we certainly did. But more than that, all around the world we were laying out the ideas, and demonstrating that here alone are to be found the answers that the workers and youth are seeking.

In Madrid in Spain, in Warsaw in Poland, our comrades put on important schools to discuss further with those we’d met on the streets. In Italy too, the comrades put on marvellously successful ‘Red Festivals’, in Rome where 90 attended and in Milan where 250 attended.

In more and more towns and cities, it is impossible to ignore the presence of the revolutionary communists – to the delight of a growing layer of sincere communist youth looking to get organised; to the annoyance and dismay of reformists and bureaucrats who have allowed the tradition of May Day to wither and collect dust. We will shake off the dust and rejuvenate that tradition. We will Make May Day Communist Again!

Austria, Australia,  Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, El Salvador, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, USA, Yugoslavia 

Austria

Wars, inflation on the rise again, daily layoffs in industry – in the face of capitalist reality, the Social Democratic Party is proudly participating in a coalition government that pushes austerity and racism. The left, especially the reformist Communist Party, has no answers – while, at the same time, a veritable thirst for ideas, for answers, was felt by young people who went out on the street on May Day.

In this setting, the RKP Austria intervened with bold slogans against imperialism and war, attacking our own ruling class. The response we got was excellent, with record-breaking results all over. Over 1,200 papers were sold. The literature sales in Vienna doubled compared to last year. Around €5,500 in donations for our upcoming seminar were collected. Dozens of young people wanted to earnestly discuss ideas and became contacts. Our priority is now to follow up with them so that they will soon join the RCP.

We participated in 16 demonstrations in 10 cities and towns, including Lindau, a German town bordering Austria, where the organiser promoted our demonstration in the nearby Austrian city of Bregenz, with several people joining it afterwards.

The demonstration we initiated in Bregenz was the most successful ever, with 130 participants and an excellent mood. In Carynthia, we want to establish a tradition of May Day demonstrations and so called for a protest. Around 30 people listened to our speeches and discussed with us. 

In Vienna, Graz and Bregenz we held street fests that were a huge success: comrades, friends, sympathisers and neighbours came to discuss ideas, sing workers’ songs, buy literature, and to enjoy the political programme and BBQ.

Australia 

In the midst of US and Israeli imperialism’s war on Iran, comrades of the Revolutionary Communist International Australia attended an anti-imperialist May Day demonstration in Melbourne. In a speech and in conversations with attendees, comrades highlighted the complicity of the Australian ruling class in the war, and emphasised that only the working class internationally can bring an end to imperialism and capitalism once and for all.

Belgium

This year’s May Day was exceptional for the Revolutionaire Communistische Organisatie. It’s the first time that the Belgian section has attended 1 May across five different cities: Antwerp, Ostend, Leuven, Brussels and Liège.

The three branches in Brussels were joined by comrades from Namur and Mons. One group of comrades set up a stall at the FGTB (union event), while the other group attended a picket line in front of a shop (Hema) that had decided to open on May Day as a provocation to workers. After just 45 minutes, the local manager decided to close the shop. 

In the afternoon, the comrades gathered for the youthful Revolutionary May Day demonstration, alongside other leftist organisations. We formed a communist bloc, and our banner carried the slogan: “no war but class war!” Images of our bloc were published by a popular independent media outlet. 

Across the five cities, comrades reported that the atmosphere was very positive and combative. We stood out during the march, with our own communist chants, flags and political material. The cover of our paper – “they bomb, we pay” – connected with the anti-imperialist mood. 

In Antwerp, Ostend, Leuven, Brussels and Liège, we sold our newspapers – Revolution and Vonk – several copies of the In Defence of Marxism magazine and books. In every city we met many people who were interested in joining, which puts us much closer to our goal of 100 members.

Brazil

In Brazil, the RCI marked 1 May with the launch of our new newspaper, Brasil Comunista, in the city of São Paulo. During the morning, activists split into two demonstrations taking place in the city, where they presented the newspaper and made their first sales. One of the demonstrations was organised by parties, trade unions, and organisations supporting the Lula government, whilst the other was organised by left-wing critics. At both, Brasil Comunista was incredibly well received and sold over 200 copies!

In the afternoon, RCI members in São Paulo gathered to hold a public event to launch the newspaper. We were able to fill the venue, which was flooded both with supporters of the RCI, and people who are interested in learning more about our paper. Several other comrades followed the event online. 

A presentation of the newspaper was followed by a discussion on the communists’ position regarding the upcoming Brazilian presidential elections. The event concluded with a stirring presentation of the Programme for a Communist Brazil, the political platform that the Brazilian section of the RCI will be promoting in the coming period.

A video posted on Instagram featuring footage of the section’s activities on 1 May sets the tone for the struggle waged by our comrades, who are eager to shout at the top of their lungs that we want a communist Brazil and that our flag will be red (contrary to what the Bolsonarists say). Given the excellent reception of our newspaper, the comrades of the RCI-Brazil are filled with confidence.

Comrades across the country have already requested so many copies that the first thousand printed for this inaugural edition proved insufficient to meet everyone’s needs. Our Brazilian comrades are confident in saying that the launch of Brasil Comunista marked the beginning of a new phase for the RCI in the country.

Canada

Canada is facing an identity crisis as it struggles to find its place in a changing world. At the same time, the ruling class is demanding harsh sacrifices from workers and youth to navigate the present impasse of Canadian capitalism. 

In Quebec, where the provincial government recently passed anti-union laws and is moving towards austerity, thousands came out for May Day. We intervened at protests in Montreal, Quebec City, and Sherbrooke, arguing that austerity is on the agenda regardless of which party holds power—federally or provincially. We also argued that workers need a fighting leadership to defy anti-union laws meant to break us.

Traditions of May Day in English Canada remain muted, but we participated where we could. In Vancouver, we attended a small labour council rally featuring bold slogans like “No cuts, no losses, expropriate the bosses” and “No war but class war” – signs of growing class anger amongst organised workers. In Toronto, we attended a BBQ organised by some fresh elements emerging out of the developing student movement in Ontario, where our ideas were very well received. 

At every intervention, we stood out with our banners and speeches. Our book stalls were also very popular. We met 37 people interested in getting involved with our party and sold $616 in literature.

One point worth noting is the growing interest in communism among college and high school students. One college student we met at a demo declared she was ready to start building the RCP and is planning a paper sale at her college this week. Two teenagers (aged 12 and 13) picked up a fallen newspaper and called it “our new favorite newspaper!”

We also screened The Revolution Will Not Be Televised – a documentary about the 2002 Venezuelan coup attempt – and launched our book The Venezuelan Revolution: A Marxist Analysis. On International Workers’ Day, we highlighted how Venezuelan workers and youth defeated imperialist aggression through class struggle methods. We’re exploring other ways to ‘Make May Day Communist Again’ in cities across Canada without established traditions on this day – stay tuned.

Chile

In Santiago, the May Day event is organised by two different groups. On one hand, there is the march organised by the United Workers’ Union (CUT); on the other hand, a march organised by the revolutionary left and class-based movements. It was estimated that both events gathered around 60,000 people. 

 

 

 

 

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We wanted to participate in the latter, aiming to connect with the most radicalised sectors, gauge the mood, and find people interested in our ideas. Three comrades and four close sympathisers attended, two of whom travelled from other cities. We showed up with flags, leaflets, and were the only organisation with a table selling literature. 

 

 

 

 

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Because of this, we attracted quite a bit of attention. The quality of América Socialista stood out, as did the literature on Marxist classics. In total, we sold five books and five magazines for a total of 62,000 Chilean pesos ($68 USD). We also recruited a new member to our organisation, who had left the Communist Party some time ago due to disagreements with its programme. Additionally, we were interviewed by the Telesur news network.

It was a very successful event; it tested us as a group both organisationally and politically, and it greatly boosted our morale to continue building the forces of revolutionary communism in Chile.

Czechoslovakia

The May Day celebration of the Czechoslovak group took place in the Slovak capital, Bratislava, where around 20 comrades gathered. First of all comrades visited the monument of the first May Day celebration in Slovakia in 1890, where a comrade delivered a speech, and a video expressing solidarity with Ehsan Ali was recorded. 

Afterwards, we moved to a gazebo that we had rented, where we held a discussion on world perspectives, as well as both a discussion and performance of revolutionary poetry. This was followed by a BBQ social that lasted into the night.

Despite our relatively small numbers, our event had an inspiring and motivating atmosphere, with one new comrade joining us on the spot!

Denmark

International Workers’ Day was a huge success for us in the Revolutionært Kommunistisk Parti. In all five of Denmark’s largest cities, hundreds of comrades turned out to turn 1 May into a true day of struggle.

In Copenhagen in particular, our event, Revolutionary May Day, has grown larger and larger in recent years. This year was the biggest so far. The day began with a march through the streets of the capital, ending in Fælledparken, where thousands of people gathered to celebrate the day of struggle at our rally.

But also in Aarhus, the country’s second-largest city, we were impossible to miss. We held actions around the city from early morning, marched through the streets and talked to everyone who showed up at the park where the May Day celebration was held.

The rise of communism in Denmark was also evident from our interventions in Odense, Aalborg, and Esbjerg. Because we were the most energetic communist force on 1 May, we were featured in several major media outlets. 

We have never before been in contact with such a large group of workers and young people on May Day who are interested in our revolutionary ideas. On the day itself, we sold more than €4,500 worth of communist material and met more than 150 people who signed up because they are interested in joining the Revolutionary Communist Party!

El Salvador

Around ten comrades of Revolución Comunista took part in the 2026 May Day march in El Salvador. The march gathered on one of San Salvador’s main historic avenues and proceeded towards the centre of the capital. The march brought together at least 50,000 people, including trade unions – mainly from the teaching sector – peasant organisations, youth groups and relatives of those unjustly detained under the state of emergency.

 

 

 

 

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After four years of a state of emergency imposed by the Bukele government, dozens of innocent people have been arrested without due process, in the context of the war between the state and criminal gangs. This same regime has also been politically persecuting opposition organisations, activists, and journalists, many of whom are currently imprisoned or in exile. In El Salvador, engaging in independent and opposition politics means facing constant persecution and harassment.

Despite this, we communists have once again taken to the streets to fight for a different society: against capitalism and its bourgeois governments, against imperialism and its wars. For this event, we printed dozens of copies of our political programme for young people, which was widely distributed among those present, along with leaflets, books and other political materials.

 

 

 

 

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Once again, alongside the working class and oppressed sectors, Revolución Comunista has actively participated in the May Day mobilisation to defend the ideas of communism and connect with a new generation of young people willing to organise and fight for a revolutionary transformation of society. The building of a revolutionary communist party in El Salvador remains a fundamental task for those of us who aspire to root out this system of exploitation and oppression.

France

This year’s May Day demonstrations attracted hundreds of thousands of people across France, with tens of thousands of young people in attendance. Our French section, Parti communiste révolutionnaire (PCR), was present in 13 cities – Paris, Toulouse, Grenoble, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Bourges, Caen, Brest, Lannion, Bordeaux, Montpellier and Nîmes – and mobilised 160 comrades. This was our largest mobilisation to date!

Jean-Luc Mélenchon used the occasion to launch his presidential campaign around the slogans ‘block prices’ and ‘make TotalEnergies [a French energy multinational] pay for the crisis’. Already seeing beyond his reformist calls for price control and a return to the ‘rules-based international order’, many radicalised workers and youth were there seeking a revolutionary alternative. Against inflation and imperialist war, our main slogan, ‘Expropriate the war profiteers!’ helped us connect with this layer. 

This was reflected in our paper sales: we sold a record 675 copies of Révolution, including 371 in Paris alone. We met 140 new people interested in joining the PCR.

Finland

In Hakaniemi square in Helsinki on May Day morning, the Finnish group of the RCI, Vallankumoukselliset Kommunistit (VK, Revolutionary Communists), was once again the first communist – or indeed any – group on the scene at 9am sharp.

A security guard inquired about permits, but with Bolshevik calm, we negotiated to stay where we had set up our book table. Conversation and sales of literature were brisk as people began to flow into the square for the start of the march to the Citizens’ Square in central Helsinki.

Finnish comrades travelled to Helsinki for the May Day activities from Tampere, Turku, Pori, Harjavalta, Kotka and Jyväskylä. All in all, almost 20 Finnish comrades participated. On the march, our bloc was the most energetic and possibly the loudest, leading chants such as,  “The workers, united, will never be defeated!”, “One solution: revolution!” and “Free, free Palestine!” All of these gained positive attention from other marchers. 

With stalls at both ends of the march, the comrades managed to sell material for a total of €649.90, which is a new record. We sold 69 papers, 17 pamphlets and 15 books, and lots of communist merch. 

Afterwards, we held an open meeting on the methods of working-class struggle. This was attended by a record of six people interested in joining the party, in addition to comrades of the VK. The talk was of a very high level and led to a lively discussion. At least two discussions with prospective members are scheduled for the following week.

All in all, May Day 2026 was a milestone for the Finnish organisation and a perfect dress rehearsal for our historic first annual congress in mid-May! Onwards to the Finnish proletarian revolution!

Germany

The Revolutionäre Kommunistische Partei (RKP) attended May Day demonstrations in 18 cities. It was the most successful intervention we have ever carried out as a section on a May Day. We collected the contact details of over 200 people, sold nearly 600 copies of our paper, and received €410 in donations.

Since our section has grown significantly over the past six months and has renewed itself even further, for many comrades this was their first May Day intervention – or their first intervention at all. However, the branches prepared themselves excellently, enabling even the newer comrades to intervene energetically.

In our cities where we have a larger presence, such as Berlin or Hamburg, we organised large blocs. Dozens of radicalised youth were attracted to our blocs by our radical slogans, speeches, and revolutionary presence. In Hamburg, we were even able to deliver a speech at the front of the demonstration. Even at the traditional trade union demonstrations of the DGB, the mood among young people was noticeably more radical than in previous years. This often made it easy to connect with them with our ideas.

We resisted attempts by DGB bureaucrats to ban our stands or our flags, and in several cities we had some of the largest and most visible stands, which naturally attracted a wide range of interested people.

Greece

This year's May Day demonstrations in Greece had the lowest participation in many years – lower even than the previous year, which had already marked a record low. This, of course, is not an expression of a lack of willingness among the working class and the youth to struggle – the historic general strike of 28 February 2025 made that clear – but rather a lack of trust in the leadership of the trade unions and the left parties.

Despite this mood, the members of the Revolutionary Communist International in Greece intervened with enthusiasm in the May Day demonstrations in Athens, Patras, Thessaloniki, and Santorini, with a banner in Athens bearing the slogan “Communism or Barbarism.” We also intervened in May Day events in two neighborhoods in Athens. In total, we sold 52 papers.

Ireland

The Revolutionary Communists of Ireland intervened at this year’s May Day trade rally in Dublin, alongside hundreds of others. On the march, we sold 13 papers and collected the contact details of six people who expressed interest in joining the struggle for revolutionary communism in Ireland.

The most striking feature of this year’s rally was the sharp contrast between the fighting mood of many of those we spoke to and the mildness of the slogans, speeches, and chants put forward by the leadership of the trade union movement throughout the evening.

Workers and youth in Ireland have been heavily impacted by rising fuel and energy prices, which risk triggering a new cost-of-living crisis on top of years of sustained increases. A militant fightback is urgently needed.

This year’s May Day rally took place only weeks after farmers and hauliers won significant concessions from the government by employing militant tactics, including blockading major roads and oil depots around the country. However, rather than drawing lessons from these methods and applying similar tactics in the interests of the working class, the trade union leadership has instead focused on criticising the protests and condemning the government for granting them concessions.

It is increasingly clear that workers and youth in Ireland require a militant, revolutionary leadership. The Revolutionary Communists of Ireland are fighting to build it, with the aim of challenging capitalism and imperialism at their roots.

Italy

In Italy, we participated in the demonstrations called by the unions and organised our own red festivals.

The biggest demonstration took place in Turin, where there is a well-established May Day tradition. In that demonstration, we organised a very militant bloc with a prominent red banner that read “Meloni Go Away. Our Liberation: Revolution”. Many young people joined us.

The same thing happened in Varese, where we had the loudest and youngest bloc on the demonstration. In Bologna, we sold over 100 copies of our paper, Rivoluzione. In Naples, we intervened in two demonstrations: one was made up of many agricultural migrant workers, and the other of the most exploited layers of the working class.

In Milan and Rome, we decided to organise red festivals. In Milan, it was attended by over 250 people, who enjoyed a BBQ, music, and a debate on the crisis of capitalism in which many workers contributed. During the party, it was announced that we had reached 100 comrades in Milan! In Rome, over 90 people attended our festival, where we also premiered the new layout of Rivoluzione.

In total, we intervened in about 15 cities, distributing over 400 papers, raising over €5,000 from political material and food, and collecting the contact details of about 30 people interested in joining the party.

This was also right off the back of our intervention on 25 April (the anniversary of Italy’s liberation from fascism), where we intervened in the local demonstrations and sold over 1,800 copies of Rivoluzione, raising over €8,000 from political material and merchandise, and met over 60 people who wanted to get organised with the communists. The red week of the Italian RCP was a huge success!

Mexico

With a total of 261 comrades on the streets in 24 states, this 1 May represented the biggest and most extensive intervention of the Revolutionary Communist Party in Mexico (PCR) to date.

Despite the fact that the demonstrations were not massive, the discontent of a radicalised sector of the working class was expressed this May Day. Particularly prominent were slogans against American imperialism, demands in defence of a living wage and pensions, and denunciations of the government’s refusal to solve such basic issues, such as the immediate reduction of the working week to 40 hours.

Armed with the latest issue of our newspaper – Revolución Comunista – which specifically focuses on the question of imperialism, alongside other material, our comrades sought to connect with this mood. They intervened in May Day events in 34 cities across the country.

This was a part of our Mayo Rojo y Proletario (Red and Proletarian May) campaign, which sought to mobilise and educate our comrades across the country – our party has recruited over 300 communists in the past year, and so this was a good opportunity to steel them in our traditions. This was a success, and our blocs around the country were vibrant and youthful.

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, twelve comrades intervened in the May Day demonstration organised by the FNV trade union federation. Carrying banners and flags, we chanted slogans against the government’s austerity and militarist policies. 

The demonstration attracted 18,000 people, which is much larger than in previous years. The Netherlands is one of the few countries where May Day is not a holiday, so workers had to take the day off. This impressive attendance was only possible because there is a desire to fight back against austerity.

Earlier this year, Rob Jetten (of the liberal D66 party) became prime minister after defeating right-wing demagogue Geert Wilders. While the bourgeois press celebrated this as a victory for ‘moderate’ politics, the new coalition agreement reveals that Jetten’s policies differ little from those of the last right-wing government. His government plans to carry out a policy of austerity in almost every sector except for military spending.

The rejection of his government was obvious at the May Day demonstration in Amsterdam. Thousands chanted slogans against Jetten’s austerity policies, and many demanded that 1 May be made a national holiday.

At the end of the march, we set up a stall to sell our literature and papers. There, we had many great conversations about communist ideas, and raised €86 in materials. 

This year’s May Day clearly revealed the ever-growing discontent of the Dutch working class against capitalism, which is also being reflected in the growth of our group!

Pakistan

The Revolutionary Communist Party held activities in more than 20 cities across Pakistan and took the message of revolutionary communism to the advanced layers of workers and students.

A special poster was published before May Day with the title that the only solution to end imperialist wars is to establish a workers’ state. The poster also put forward the demand for a country wide general strike to end price hikes, unemployment and privatisations. The poster was pasted in all the major industrial areas of the country. 

May Day activities were held in Karachi, Hyderabad, Chambar, and Larkana in Sindh; Quetta, Loralai, Qilla Abdullah, and Gwadar in Baluchistan; Peshawar, Chakdara, and Swat in Pashtunkhwa; and Lahore, Faisalabad, D.G.Khan, Bhakkar, Jhelum, Kasur, Pattoki, and other cities of Punjab. Activities were also held in Rawalakot, and other cities of Azad Kashmir and in Gilgit as well.

In Karachi, a rally was held in the Landhi industrial area in which workers from General Tyre and other industries participated in huge numbers. Paras Jan from the RCP addressed the rally. In Peshawar, a rally was held in the industrial area of the city in which students from Peshawar University also participated. 

In Jhelum, Adam Pal from the RCP participated in the rally of miners and industrial workers of Khewra organised by the Salt Range Labour Federation. Workers from the LCI Soda Ash factory, Gharibwal cement factory, Dandot cement factory, and miners from salt, coal, and gypsum mines of the area participated with enthusiasm and paid tribute to the Chicago martyrs and vowed to carry their struggle forward.

Pakistan has been one of the worst-affected countries from the war imposed on Iran by US and Israeli imperialism. Prices have skyrocketed in the last two months, with fuel prices having risen more than 70 percent and inflation reaching 11 percent in April, with the estimates of a further huge rise in May. Wages haven’t been increased, and unemployment is rising, due to the closure of most infrastructure-related projects and industries. 

State repression has also intensified, with any protest or strike being brutally crushed and any effort to organise workers or students being labelled as ‘anti-state’. But comrades of the RCP are determined to carry on the struggle of the workers to better their conditions and to overthrow capitalism.

On May Day, comrades of the RCP also carried banners to protest the arrest of Ehsan Ali Advocate and other leaders of the Awami Action Committee in Gilgit Baltistan. These leaders have been arrested on false charges of terrorism and have been in police custody for almost two months now, and their trial hasn’t even begun yet. The RCP has vowed to continue this struggle against state repression in the coming weeks, to fight for the release of all of the arrested leaders.

Poland

As in previous years, we spent Labour Day and the following two days very actively. We took part in marches organised by trade unions and various left-wing organisations, using these events to talk with participants and sell our newspaper. We also held our usual hours-long paper sale.

On 1 May, we also organised a rally in front of the US embassy, where we held numerous speeches and chanted anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist slogans in solidarity with the people of Iran, Venezuela, Cuba – as well as the American working class.

The next two days were devoted to our May School – this year’s theme was ‘In Defence of Communism.’ We tried out a new format – shorter-than-usual lead-offs with more time allocated for discussion. Thanks to this, we were also able to fit more topics into each day, and the discussion was more lively and vibrant than ever.

We sold 71 tickets for the event and raised 16,781 PLN (around £3,400), which means that for both the attendance and the collection we broke records compared to last year.

Comrades put in a lot of effort to make the school as successful as possible, and we can definitely say that it was. The speeches were of a high standard, covering topics related to debunking myths about communism, the global situation, militarisation, imperialism, and the era of the People’s Republic of Poland. You could really feel the effort our organisation had put into education in the previous period.

We now need to consolidate our ranks, connect with the radical mood on the streets, and march boldly forward!

Portugal

In Portugal, May Day cannot be separated from the anniversary of the revolution a week earlier. On 25 April, the entire organisation came out in full strength in Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra. The demonstrations were massive and very youthful, with hundreds of thousands out in Lisbon. The lamentations of the reformists about the ‘rise of fascism’ notwithstanding, this shows the real balance of forces in Portuguese society.

We were armed with the new issue of our paper, Lessons of April – our history of the Portuguese revolution by Rui Faustino – and Ted Grant’s The Menace of Fascism. We made a powerful impression with our banners, flags, and megaphones, as well as the stickers that we put up in the area.

While the official left has turned 25 April into a celebration of bourgeois democracy, we use this date to denounce Portugal’s rotten capitalist regime and agitate for a new April that goes the whole way, to the overthrow of capitalism.

This year we focused on the imperialist war and on the complicity of the PSD government with the attack on Iran – it is allowing Trump to use an airbase in the Azores. Bear in mind that the Portuguese revolution started as a revolt against colonial war. Our slogan, which we carried on our front cover and on our banners and chanted in the demonstration, was “against imperialist war, socialist revolution”.

Our intervention on May Day was similar, with the difference that the marches were smaller, and therefore the labour leaders had a firmer grip over the crowds. In Coimbra, the trade union bureaucrats pushed our comrades behind the police lines beyond the demonstration, an attack we will denounce publicly. In Porto, the comrades initially marched with the main CGTP contingent, but later joined a smaller rally of the radical left where they made speeches that were very well received. 

Beyond the demonstrations, we organised three events on the Portuguese revolution: a cadre school in Coimbra on 11 April, and two book launches, one in Porto on 19 April, and in Lisbon on 29 April. Here we explained our ideas on the revolution, which set us apart from the rest of the left.

We sold most of our current issue of the paper, dozens of books, and met lots of people who are interested in joining our organisation: just in Porto we had seven sign ups through the website, which does not include the people we met in person! We are on the cusp of reaching 50 comrades, and we are optimistic we will reach this watermark before our congress at the end of May.

Puerto Rico

The march on 1 May took place in Puerto Rico, marking the tenth anniversary of the US government’s imposition of a Fiscal Control Board. The Board has been responsible for implementing austerity measures, such as imposing restrictions on collective bargaining, banning wage increases, closing hundreds of schools, and dismantling pension systems for state employees. It has also overseen the privatisation of the electricity sector, and the  raising of tolls, water, and electricity rates, as well as tuition at the University of Puerto Rico.

The march, estimated at around 2,000 participants, set out in the morning from the island’s largest shopping center and stopped in front of the US government’s court, where several speeches were delivered. It is important to highlight the march’s diversity, which included not only unionised workers and retirees but also environmentalists, feminists, and a large group of striking university students. However, two university unions held separate marches, and a third union opted to hold a nighttime vigil.

The unified march ended around noon, with a rally in front of the Fiscal Control Board offices, during which a joint statement signed by more than 30 unions was read. During the march, there was an extraordinary deployment of police forces and the installation of barricades to close off streets, with the aim of containing the demonstrators and protecting the capital’s banking district. For the first time, police control was observed along the march route, with official vehicles escorting it. As a result of the workers’ action and the police barricades, the entire banking district remained closed for the day.

After participating in the two previous May Day marches by distributing flyers, this year our comrades took to the streets with the first printed issue of our newspaper, Rumbo Alterno, selling 54 copies. We must emphasise that the preparation and distribution of the newspaper have allowed us to organise our forces more effectively. We are confident that the publication of this new print medium will reinforce the work we carry out through our digital magazine at rumboalterno.net.

Spain

Comrades of the Spanish section of the RCI, Organización Comunista Revolucionaria (OCR, Revolutionary Communist Organisation), intervened in six cities this May Day: Mallorca, Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Pamplona and Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Our intervention involved a total of 73 comrades, and we sold more than 65 copies of our papers in the three languages: Spanish, Basque and Catalan. This is a significant jump compared to last year.

In each city, our comrades made a tactical decision of where best to intervene in order to connect with the most revolutionary layers of youth who are most open to our ideas. This is because the labour movement is very divided: in most major cities, there was a main protest, organised by the two largest trade unions, the UGT and CCOO, and then an alternative march composed of the smaller unions and workers’ organisations.

In Madrid, we intervened with 29 comrades, which was our largest bloc to date! For a lot of new, young comrades, this was their first ever May Day. Here, the comrades decided to intervene in the main march, which was attended by 5,000. We handed out flyers inviting protesters to our regional day school on the following day, in which we discussed the crisis of capitalism and the origins of the state. 

As in all of our blocs across the Spanish state, at the front of our bloc was a large banner with the slogan “El costes de su guerra que lo pague el capital” (capital should pay the cost of its own wars), which was similar to the title on the front cover of our paper. At the end of the march, we gave a short speech and then sang The Internationale. Afterwards, a group of young people came up to us to compliment our communist t-shirts and ask about our organisation. 

In Barcelona, 23 comrades – more than double our intervention last year – formed a bloc to intervene in the alternative rally organised by the other trade unions. Here, the main slogan was focused on salaries and housing: “Ni salaries pel terra, ni habitatge pels núvols” (Neither salaries on the floor, nor housing in the clouds).

There were also slogans against the implementation of a new law aiming to introduce a police presence in schools. At the end of the protest, our comrades gave a short speech, which served as good practice in overcoming our nerves for future interventions. Trade unionists approached us to comment on how surprised they were to see us having grown so much so quickly. Our comrades appeared briefly in the coverage of a national media outlet.

In Vitoria-Gasteiz in the Basque Country, a handful of comrades joined a bloc with workers from Saltoki in solidarity with the workers of Primafrio who are currently being targeted by the bosses. We denounced the bosses’ persecution of the unionised workers and demanded the readmission of workers who have been sacked. We also interviewed Primafrio’s shop steward for the paper. Comrades also intervened in Bilbao, another major city in the Basque Country where we are beginning to build a presence.

In Pamplona, comrades from our new branch together with comrades from other parts of the Basque Country, met up early to put up posters around key parts of the city. First, the comrades went to the protest organised by the Socialist Movement (MS), which brought together members from all over the region. Then they moved onto a protest run by the Basque trade union LAB to hand out flyers and sell the paper – Zirta, or Spark – which we now also produce in the Basque language.

Sweden

With an openly communist message and slogans targeting the racism, imperialism, and warmongering of the ruling class, the Revolutionära Kommunistiska Partiet (RKP) made an unprecedented impact this May Day across nine different towns and cities.

Over 150 comrades – from Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Umeå, Karlstad, Borås, Linköping, Västerås, and Växjö – met a total of 123 people interested in organising with the RKP, and sold 657 newspapers.

Wherever possible, we combined intervening at the largest demonstrations – organised by the Left Party – with rallies and demonstrations of our own.

In Stockholm, we gathered one hundred people. Our Gothenburg comrades’ speeches at Järntorget were the most well-attended of the public meetings held there. In Umeå, our rally was attended by around 60 participants – making it the largest rally to the left of the Left Party. 

The continued rightward drift of the Left Party leadership has created a large discontent among their members and sympathisers, and a lot more of them are therefore open to discussing with us.

In Karlstad, a racist party staged a provocation. We were the only ones to organise a counter-demonstration.

More people are looking for a revolutionary party. Our successful communist May Day was a stepping stone for us in becoming the most visible revolutionary alternative in Sweden.

Switzerland

On this year’s May Day, tens of thousands took to the streets across Switzerland. The largest demonstration took place in Zurich, where 15,000 people took part under the slogan ‘Blocchiamo tutto!’

The RKP was present with 230 comrades in twelve cities in all three major linguistic regions of the federal republic – from Ticino to Eastern Switzerland. In Zurich, Bern, Basel and Geneva, we had communist blocs at the rallies that were loud and visible. Our slogan “Down with warmongers and right-wing demagogues – world revolution and communism!” struck a chord: we sold 580 copies of our newspaper Der Kommunist, plus 57 books and pamphlets, and made contact with 125 new people interested in joining the party. A resounding success!

This success is the result of our political preparation with our newspaper, focusing on the key issues of war and right-wing populism. Trump and the US-Israeli war against Iran were on everyone’s minds, as was the possible victory in June of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party with its demagogic attempts to channel the working class’ anger over the cost-of-living crisis and turn it against migrants.

We explained that to fight against war and right-wing demagogues, we must fight against the entire class of billionaires and against capitalism as a whole. The working class must take control of society. To achieve this, we are building the revolutionary party – and for that, we need you! This connected very well with the many newly radicalised youth who came to the rallies in search of convincing answers.

A highlight was one young person who travelled alone from the countryside to Zurich to join his first May Day. He checked all the organisations at the rally and finally settled on the RCP bloc, where he discussed for hours with the comrades and bought two books at our stall. He documented his journey on a vlog. Very inspiring!

Taiwan

For the first time, the Revolutionary Communist Party of Taiwan (RCPT) went beyond the May Day event held in the capital city Taipei, and intervened in May Day events in three different cities!

This year’s march centred on two principal demands: “increasing workers’ retirement pensions” and “improving migrant workers’ rights.” This is particularly relevant given the wave of anti-migrant worker sentiment fanned up by the opposition KMT and the far-right Taiwanese nationalist TSP. Building on these, the RCPT put forward our own revolutionary transitional demands. 

 

 

 

 

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In Taipei, we organised a contingent of over 20 comrades and sympathisers in the march, distributing leaflets to workers, selling publications and merchandise at the march site, and delivering a short speech on migrant workers’ rights in the Taiwanese language! 

In Kaohsiung, we organised a street rally and sold Traditional Chinese-language versions of the In Defence of Marxism magazine. 

In Taichung, though no event was held, our comrades took to the streets to put up leaflets and spread our ideas!

The response to our propaganda and publication sales in both the north and south was excellent! We made record sales of literature and received a substantial donation from an enthusiastic sympathiser.

 

 

 

 

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Despite considerable harassment against us online, our party continues to grow steadily. In the wake of May Day, comrades are gearing up to throw themselves into party building – training and consolidating newer comrades and making new recruits to the party.

Forward to 50 revolutionary communists in Taiwan!

Forward to 10,000 members of the RCI around the world!

Workers of the world unite!

USA

In the wake of Trump 2.0, the Iran war, and the Minneapolis general strike, the RCA anticipated that this would be the biggest May Day in the US in living memory. One sign of the times: Zohran Mamdani was the first New York City mayor to speak at a May Day rally since the Great Depression-era mayor Fiorello La Guardia. Pressure from below compelled the labour leadership to endorse demonstrations in dozens of cities – and at almost every one across the country, the communists were there.

362 comrades in over 28 cities intervened, where we sold at least 739 copies of The Communist. The comrades gathered 370 contact details of people interested in joining the RCA, and we collected over $3,270 in sales. Coast to coast, the reports exuded our forces’ enthusiasm.

In Philadelphia, one contact came to May Day seeking us out saying, “I knew you guys would be here!” Another person in Philadelphia joined the party that day at $120 dues. In Seattle, union rank-and-file were receptive to our slogans for a class-independent workers’ party, too.

In multiple cities such as Boston and Portland, OR, we held public meetings the following day to discuss why radicalised workers should join the RCA!

Yugoslavia

May Day events in the ex-Yugoslav republics are not the most politically charged, and are often organised by union bureaucracies in the most routine manner. The worst example of this was in Serbia. In contrast to last year, where the students pressed the union leaders to organise one joint event, this year four major unions all organised different events, doing their best to undermine workers’ unity. The energy of these official events in Serbia, as well as Macedonia, was clearly lacking.

But despite this, the Yugoslav section had great interventions, mobilising five branches, 15 members, and five sympathisers, in Rijeka, Skopje, Belgrade, and Trieste, where one of our Slovenian comrades joined forces with the Italian section. We made marvelous results, selling 75 copies of our printed material. We met one person interested in joining us, but more importantly, the sympathisers who were with us were so inspired by our interventions, that they are now considering joining us as members.

Our special highlight was the intervention in the Croatian town of Rijeka, in which all four of our comrades there attended. The event there was the only one which was organised in the spirit of workers’ struggle, which definitely helped us make our mark, with 34 sales of our material.