Macedonia’s protests 2015 and the chance for a new beginning Anastas Vangeli #protestiram || Solidarity Movement of the Left September 14, 2015

Talk outline Context Timeline Actors, ideas and tendencies Emergence of new politics Points of conflict between the new and the old The road ahead

Context What’s the proper historical framework? Political crisis 2015; Neoprebendal, neoliberal, populist authoritarianism 2008 – onwards; or the triple transition and the accompanying maladies (since 1991) that have enabled the emergence of the contemporary model? The data says that as in the last couple of years the confidence in institutions and the incumbent party (VMRO-DPMNE) has declined, the confidence in the opposition (SDSM) did not increase significantly; instead, more and more people had become active participants undertaking confrontational strategies May 2015 should be seen as the point in time when for the first time in MK’s contemporary history local agency challenged power, structures and teleological thinking

Timeline Emergence of movements and grassroots protests 2008-2014 Peak of protests in late 2014 and early 2015: student protests + student occupation; high school students and teachers; marginalized communities; contract workers; May 1 rally of the Left and trade unions The leaked tapes by the opposition; first unsuccessful attempt for protest in February; May 5 protest and crackdown by the police May 5 – May 9 – daily protests; May 9 – Kumanovo and the transformation of the protests in a peace movement; May 12 – resignations and re-energizing of the protests; the buildup to the mass pro-opposition rally on May 17

May 5 – Gjurgjovden Uprising

Actors, ideas and tendencies Government (captured state by VMRO-DPMNE + DUI) + para-police forces + pro-government media empire. Goal trying to cling on resources The broader civic movement comprised of Student’s movement trying to overcome the problem of fragmentation/ depoliticization of causes; also practicing direct democracy The emerging Left pursuing radical democracy; standing for socio-economic rights as precondition for not only overthrowing Gruevski but also building a socially just society A number of groups and individuals who are mad as hell and cannot take it anymore The intellectual diaspora and “cultural/political capital remittances” Somewhere in between: the opposition Party (SDSM) + a substantial number of NGOs united around an ‘anti-Gruevski’ platform The curious case of the ‘international community’

New politics vs. the Old The Old: hegemony of those who have accumulated more resources (not necessarily meaning those in power), ‘rational choice,’ clientelism, fixed identities The New: empowerment, counter-hegemony, idealism, transcending boundaries between different groups Several particular elements

Some key tenets of the new politics Decentralization of the protest – on the eve of May 8, there were protests in 9 cities around the country (i.e. on May 17, the opposition brought people by bus to Skopje) + political involvement of the progressive diaspora Grassroots radical democracy (plenum-like decision making, no leaders, no official ‘representatives’ - #protestiram = #iProtest – first person singular) Connection with transnational movements – shared experiences with activists from the region and the world, solidarity from around the globe

“Women’s revolution” + feminized democracy

Beyond ethnicity

Kumanovo

Points of conflict First of all, is conflict of ideas (within the broader ‘movement’) good or bad? Do we fight Gruevski, Gruevism or the illness that Gruevism is a symptom of? Is the goal to get rid of Gruevski, or to establish a new social contract/ restart society? Who are the victims? Oppressed bourgeoisie in the Gruevski era vs. the Macedonian 99% How to deal with Gruevski? Via direct action or via negotiations? May 17 as an apple of discord Democracy now, or later? The unpleasant authoritarian logic of the opposition party and parts of the civil society What are the examples to follow: ‘color revolutions’ or the strengthening of protest Left?

The road ahead – creation of our own model How to strengthen local agency; how to make new politics mainstream? How to (help) create new disequilibrium? Do we run for elections in 2016, and how?

Thank you for your attention. Q&A More info on the protests: www.protestiram.info Solidarity Movement of the Left: www.solidarnost.mk Contact me: anastas.vangeli@gmail.com