The Left Front (Russian: Левый Фронт, romanized: Levyy Front) is a united front of leftist political organizations in Russia in opposition to President Vladimir Putin. It was most active in the early 2010s.
Left Front Левый фронт | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Sergei Udaltsov |
| Founders | Sergei Udaltsov Anastasia Udaltsova Geydar Dzhemal Leonid Razvozzhayev |
| Founded | 18 October 2008 |
| Preceded by | Vanguard of Red Youth |
| Headquarters | Moscow |
| Newspaper | Ultimatum |
| Ideology | Communism[1] |
| Political position | Far-left[1] |
| National affiliation | Opposition Coordination Council (2012–2013) National Patriotic Forces of Russia (from 2017) |
| Colors | Red and black |
| Slogan | "Another world is possible!" ("Другой мир возможен!") |
| Anthem | "The Internationale"
|
| Seats in the State Duma | 1 / 450
|
| Seats in the Federation Council | 0 / 170
|
| Party flag | |
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| Website | |
| www | |
History
editThe first constituent congress of the Left Front was held on 18 October 2008, in Moscow. The main direction of work after the Congress was using social movements, unions, and labor collectives. The secondary focus of activists has been called "propaganda of action", in which the use of ideas and demands of leftist activists is supposed to be brought to society in the form of direct action, thus attempting to overcome the difficulties of access to media. In addition, the Left Front was the organizer of the annual summer youth camps, schools, political activists, conferences, study groups for the study of socialist thought and practice, film clubs, concerts and other activities.[2][3][4]
In total, over one and a half years (summer 2008 – autumn 2009), there have been more than 40 regional conferences, established under the areas of the country offices of the front.[5][6][7][8][9]
Actions
editThe Left Front organizes a variety of authorized and unauthorized actions, rallies, and marches. The most famous of the promotions are meetings under the title "Day of Wrath", which is hosted by the organization in Moscow and in other regions of the country. In addition, the Left Front, together with its allies, despite a governmental ban conduct actions under the name of "anti-capitalism", which aims, according to organizers, to show the public presence of political forces of anti-capitalist orientation.[10]
Position on the war in Donbas
editThe Left Front has declared its position against the War in Donbas and urged a ceasefire in 2014.
The fourth congress of the movement took place in Moscow on 23 August 2014. The delegates elected the new executive committee. No supporters of the pro-Russian republics were elected. However, ex-coordinator of the Left Front on organizational work and supporter of the pro-Russian Novorossiya confederation, Sergei Udaltsov, was elected to the executive branch of the movement by one vote. The congress also accepted a resolution declaring a "War against war!". The Donetsk People's Republic's representative to Russia, Darya Mitina, left the organization following the resolution.[11]
The resolution read "We need the campaign for peace. Against the bloodshed and the mass selling of blood. This campaign shouldn't be the support of the war in the back areas of the 'opponent'. Being against the military operation of the Kiev government doesn't mean supporting Putin and Strelkov. Being against Putin doesn't mean supporting Kiev government military operation. People need a campaign for peace against the greedy and cruel politicians and oligarchs, making profit of the others' grief."[12]
However, the party support the war against Ukraine after the Russian's full-scale invasion in 2022.[13]
Structure
editThe highest governing body of the Left Front is the Congress. The Council of the Left Front carries out the current leadership of the movement, and the executive committee is an operational working body of the organization.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b https://bigenc.ru/domestic_history/text/5867616 «ЛЕ́ВЫЙ ФРОНТ»
- ^ E. Savina.non-party opened the Left Front (Kommersant, № 190 / P, 20 October 2008)
- ^ Left organizations in Russia are united in a new movement (Newsru.com, 18 October 2008)
- ^ A. Ivochkin.Moscow. On the eve of the constituent congress of the Left Front Archived 13 January 2013 at archive.today (Novaya Gazeta, 19 October 2008)
- ^ To the left of the Communist Party noted the motion Archived 17 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine (Kommersant – Siberia », № 142, 13 August 2008)
- ^ P. Dobroliubov. Barnaul created regional department of the Left Front " Archived 27 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine ("PolitSibRu", 13 August 2008)
- ^ Left in St. Petersburg, the "front" set up, but choose the leadership and the delegates could not because of ideological differences (Zaks.ru, 15 September 2008)
- ^ in Karelia reappeared "Left Front" ("Zaks.ru", 28 August 2008)
- ^ Left activists Kirov together in the Left Front Archived 7 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine (Institute "Collective Action", 8 June 2009)
- ^ Движение «Левый фронт» планирует провести сегодня митинг в Москве (tr. "The Left Front movement plans to hold a rally in Moscow today ") echo.msk.ru
- ^ «Левый фронт» очистил свой исполком от симпатизирующих ДНР соратников (tr. ""Left Front" cleared its executive committee of allies sympathetic to the DPR ") (Russian Planet, rusplt.ru)
- ^ a b "Война войне! Единственное решение — социализм! Резолюция IV съезда Левого фронта" [War war! The only solution is socialism! Resolution of the IV Congress of the Left Front]. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
- ^ "Демонтаж капитализма — лучший способ прекратить войну! Заявление Левого Фронта в связи с событиями на Украине" [Dismantling capitalism is the best way to end the war! Statement by the Left Front in connection with the events in Ukraine]. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.