Lutte ouvrière
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|
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Leader | Collective leadership (Central Committee); Two spokespersons: Nathalie Arthaud, Arlette Laguiller |
Founded | 1939 (groupe Barta) 1956 (LO) |
Headquarters |
F-75865 Paris |
Ideology | Communism, Trotskyism, Marxism, Proletarian internationalism |
Political position | Far-Left |
International affiliation | Internationalist Communist Union |
Colours | Red |
Seats in the National Assembly |
0 / 577
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Seats in the Senate |
0 / 343
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Seats in the European Parliament |
0 / 72
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Website | |
LO | |
Constitution of France Parliament; government; president |
Workers' Struggle (French: Lutte Ouvrière French pronunciation: [ly.tu.vʁiˈjɛʁ]) is the name by which the French Trotskyist political party Communist Union (French: Union Communiste) is usually known, after the name of its weekly paper. Arlette Laguiller has been its spokeswoman since 1973 and ran in each presidential election until 2012, when Nathalie Arthaud was the candidate. Robert Barcia (Hardy) was its founder and central leader. Lutte Ouvrière is a member of the Internationalist Communist Union. It emphasises workplace activity and has been critical of such recent phenomena as alter-globalization.
Its origins lie in the tiny Trotskyist Group founded in 1939 by David Korner (Barta). This developed factory work throughout the war and was instrumental in the Renault strike of 1947, along with the anarcho-syndicalists. The group was exhausted by this effort and collapsed in 1952.
After attempts to revive the Trotskyist Group, Voix Ouvrière was founded in 1956 by Robert Barcia, known as Hardy and the group's pre-eminent leader, and by Pierre Bois, a leading activist in the Renault plant. Effort was made to involve Barta but disputes between him, Hardy and Bois prevented it.
VO established itself through the 1960s by producing mass factory bulletins, usually weekly. The Communist Party of France (PCF) retained its hegemonic position within the workers' movement in France and its members sometimes tried to prevent the distribution of VO bulletins. In part this explains the continued use of semi-clandestine operation within VO and in LO today.
After being banned due to its support of the Students Revolt of May 68, the group became Lutte Ouvrière.