On 30-31 May, the Revolutionary Communist Collective (CCR) gathered for its second annual congress in Lisbon, having doubled our forces since we founded! With Portugal on the brink of its second general strike in six months, our event stood out for its electric enthusiasm, flowing from our recent successes and our Marxist ideas.
The gathering was attended by around 30 comrades, three international guests, and several contacts and sympathisers. To set the tone, it was announced at the opening session that we had surpassed the target we set ourselves last year of reaching 50 members by our second congress!
Not only that: beyond our initial stronghold in Lisbon, we now have solid branches in Coimbra and Porto, creating the scaffolding for a national organisation. In particular, the Porto group has experienced explosive growth and is hot on Lisbon’s heels, having gone from just a handful of comrades to 20 since the start of the year!
A world in flames and Portugal in ferment
The congress started off with a discussion of world perspectives. As the speaker noted, the international situation is changing so rapidly that perspectives need to be updated daily. This reflects the deep crisis of capitalism and the sharp realignments on the world stage, particularly between US imperialism and Europe.
The economic impact of the Iran War is having a profound impact on the class struggle, while the political authority of the ruling class in one country after another lies in tatters. Between the punishing cost of living, the seemingly endless wars and the disgusting revelations in the Epstein Files, the consciousness of the masses is undergoing a sea-change. As a young American worker said earlier this year, after burning down the warehouse where he was employed:
“They had it coming… f**king eight hours, six days, stuck paying rent on a bullshit ass apartment that I can’t afford to fucking live… paedophiles out here… profiting off these f**king wars.”
A volcano of class anger exists just beneath the surface of society, creating huge opportunities for revolutionary communists to grow their forces.
We then debated national perspectives. This discussion was based on two documents: one on general perspectives and another focusing on the rapid rise of the right-wing populist party, Chega.
Our revolutionary optimism contrasts starkly with the sullen mood of the Portuguese left. Lacking faith in the working class and scientific perspectives, they conclude that the rise of Chega and the rapid decline of the reformists indicate a ‘turn to the right’ in society. What it really represents is a total rejection of all the mainstream parties, which have now been tested to destruction in power.
The sharp electoral oscillations are a consequence of the massive discontent that is building up in society, which presently lacks an expression on the political front. This pent-up anger was momentarily revealed last December, when a general strike was launched against Prime Minister Luís Montenegro’s ‘labour package’, the deepest series of attacks on working people since the dictatorship. The workers have just flexed their muscles again, with another general strike on 3 June.
The masses are restless: they are looking for a way out and are putting the different parties to the test. They tried their luck with the reformists, who ruled through various government deals involving the Socialist Party, Bloco Esquerda, and the Portuguese Communist Party from 2015 to 2023. But these parties ended up managing the crisis, carrying out cuts and discrediting themselves.
This opened the road for the rise of Chega.
But Chega is based on shameless demagoguery that is riven with contradictions. It will inevitably be exposed. Notably, 67 percent of Chega members opposed the labour package and supported the general strike!
If Chega comes to power, it will rapidly expose itself as an enemy of working people and a servant of the capitalist system, which will prepare the ground for new swings to the left.
Building the party!
On Saturday night, we had a very lively social, where comrades and sympathisers delivered a rap concert (with revolutionary lyrics!) and which ended with a DJ set. During the party, comrades engaged in animated, hours-long political discussions.
On the second day, we discussed the history of Bolshevism, which is a treasure trove of lessons for revolutionaries today. We are currently transitioning from a small group to a more professional cadre organisation, meaning we have much to learn from Lenin’s struggle to build a revolutionary party.
In the last session, we discussed the organisation, assessing our recent advances and discussing our next steps. We set the target of reaching 100 comrades by the next congress. This is an ambitious objective. But we can achieve it with enthusiasm, with the methods and tactics, and with a focus on the youth.
The prevailing enthusiasm was expressed in different ways: lively interventions, numerous political discussions during breaks and a mood of camaraderie. But the most important gauge of our optimism was undoubtedly the financial discussion and the collection.
We have set the target of hiring our first full-timer before our next congress. With a group our size, this is a pressing necessity. Achieving it will require sacrifice on behalf of our dedicated membership.
In the collection, many comrades raised their monthly contributions on the spot. We raised almost €3,000. If we include the money raised at the social and through our paper and book sales, we can safely say we surpassed the €3,000 mark. This is a large sum for a country where the minimum wage is €920.
This congress set the ground for bigger advances over the next 12 months. Capitalism is at a dead end all over the world, and this is particularly stark in Portugal, Western Europe’s poorest country.
The working class can overthrow this rotten system and transform society. But for this, it needs a lever and a point of support: it needs a programme and a party. It is our task to provide this.
We still have a long way to go. But we also have all the necessary tools: boldness, enthusiasm, and the ideas and methods of Marxism.
