PSUC viu
Encyclopedia
PSUC viu is a political party in Catalonia
, Spain
. PSUC viu emerged out of factional fighting within the Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia
(PSUC) in the mid-1990s. Since 1936 PSUC had been the Catalan referent of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE). PSUC and PCE existed as parallel parties, and PCE did not organize any branch of its own in Catalonia.
(IU) coalition, PSUC had launched the coalition Initiative for Catalonia (IC). But whereas PCE maintained its character as an independent party, PSUC gradually became a dormant structure within IC. The party leadership of PSUC worked towards converting IC into a political party and dissolving PSUC into it. In January 1990 a national conference of PSUC was held, which decided that the political action of PSUC would be carried out within the framework of IC. Likewise a decision was taken on a Central Committee meeting of PSUC on 22 March 1991 that all PSUC members automatically would be members of IC. The 8th congress of PSUC was supposed to have been held in 1992, but was never convoked.
In 1995 the tradition of holding the Festa de Treball, a of the PSUC organ Treball, was cancelled by IC, allegedly on grounds of lack of finances. At the 4th national conference of IC, held in November 1996, the internal opposition within PSUC raised their voice. The group around 'Manifesto for PSUC' was organized as the Red, Green and Violet Collective (Col·lectiu Roig, Verd i Violeta). The opposition grouped around the Manifesto wanted to maintain PSUC as a separate communist party and was IC as a strategic front of the party. The opposition launched, for the first time, their own alternative candidate for the presidency of IC, Ramon Luque.
The 8th congress of PSUC was finally convoked for 10 May 1997. At the congress the group around the Manifesto was defeated, and PSUC ceased to function as an independent party. The minority then left PSUC and IC, and by June the same year they had reorganized themselves as PSUC viu. Quickly PCE recognized PSUC viu as their new Catalan referent. Parallel to this, the other main communist party in Catalonia, the Party of the Communists of Catalonia
(PCC, which had formed part of IC but left it), called for unity amongst the Catalan communists.
In 1998 a new coalition was constructed by PSUC viu and PCC, the United and Alternative Left
(EUiA). EUiA became the new Catalan referent of IU. However the founding of EUiA was by no means uncomplicated as the founders of PSUC viu had belonged to opposing factions in the intense inner-party conflicts in PSUC in the early 1980s. At that time the founders of PSUC viu had been aligned with the Eurocommunist majority. That conflict ended with the departure of the pro-Soviet
faction and their creation of PCC.
The current general secretary of PSUC viu is Alfredo Clemente. The leading body of the party, between two congresses is the Central Committee.
A congress is held every three years. The Central Committee elects an Executive Committee. The day-to-day affairs are run by a Political Secretariat.
Although PSUC viu is an independent party, it takes part in PCE congresses as a PCE regional federation. Members of PCE who move to Catalonia become members of PSUC viu and likewise members of PSUC viu who settle anywhere else in Spain become members of PCE.
The central organ of PSUC viu is Nou Treball. The youth wing of the party is the Young Communists
(JC).
Today PSUC viu is the second largest grouping within EUiA (after PCC). The conflict with IC-V (new name of IC) is no longer as dramatic as during the end of the 1990s, and now IC-V and EUiA contests elections jointly.
PSUC viu works for the establishment of a democratic and federal republic
in Spain, in which different nationalities are given the right to self-determination.
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. PSUC viu emerged out of factional fighting within the Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia
Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia
The Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia , was formed on July 23, 1936 through the unification of four left-wing groups; the Catalan Federation of Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , the Partit Comunista de Catalunya , the Unió Socialista de Catalunya and the...
(PSUC) in the mid-1990s. Since 1936 PSUC had been the Catalan referent of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE). PSUC and PCE existed as parallel parties, and PCE did not organize any branch of its own in Catalonia.
History
In the 1980s PCE and PSUC developed in different ways. Just as PCE took part in setting up the United LeftUnited Left (Spain)
The United Left is a political coalition that was organized in 1986 bringing together several political organisations opposed to Spain joining NATO. It was formed by a number of groups of leftists, greens, left-wing socialists and republicans, but was dominated by the Communist Party of Spain...
(IU) coalition, PSUC had launched the coalition Initiative for Catalonia (IC). But whereas PCE maintained its character as an independent party, PSUC gradually became a dormant structure within IC. The party leadership of PSUC worked towards converting IC into a political party and dissolving PSUC into it. In January 1990 a national conference of PSUC was held, which decided that the political action of PSUC would be carried out within the framework of IC. Likewise a decision was taken on a Central Committee meeting of PSUC on 22 March 1991 that all PSUC members automatically would be members of IC. The 8th congress of PSUC was supposed to have been held in 1992, but was never convoked.
In 1995 the tradition of holding the Festa de Treball, a of the PSUC organ Treball, was cancelled by IC, allegedly on grounds of lack of finances. At the 4th national conference of IC, held in November 1996, the internal opposition within PSUC raised their voice. The group around 'Manifesto for PSUC' was organized as the Red, Green and Violet Collective (Col·lectiu Roig, Verd i Violeta). The opposition grouped around the Manifesto wanted to maintain PSUC as a separate communist party and was IC as a strategic front of the party. The opposition launched, for the first time, their own alternative candidate for the presidency of IC, Ramon Luque.
The 8th congress of PSUC was finally convoked for 10 May 1997. At the congress the group around the Manifesto was defeated, and PSUC ceased to function as an independent party. The minority then left PSUC and IC, and by June the same year they had reorganized themselves as PSUC viu. Quickly PCE recognized PSUC viu as their new Catalan referent. Parallel to this, the other main communist party in Catalonia, the Party of the Communists of Catalonia
Party of the Communists of Catalonia
Party of the Communists of Catalonia is a political party in Catalonia. PCC was formed in April 1982 by the pro-Soviet fraction of the Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia . The formation of PCC was the peak of a long and intense struggle within PSUC between the pro-Soviet and Eurocommunist...
(PCC, which had formed part of IC but left it), called for unity amongst the Catalan communists.
In 1998 a new coalition was constructed by PSUC viu and PCC, the United and Alternative Left
United and Alternative Left
United and Alternative Left is a political party from Catalonia, Spain. EUiA has 4000 members and it is the Catalan correspondent of the Spain-wide United Left ....
(EUiA). EUiA became the new Catalan referent of IU. However the founding of EUiA was by no means uncomplicated as the founders of PSUC viu had belonged to opposing factions in the intense inner-party conflicts in PSUC in the early 1980s. At that time the founders of PSUC viu had been aligned with the Eurocommunist majority. That conflict ended with the departure of the pro-Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
faction and their creation of PCC.
The current general secretary of PSUC viu is Alfredo Clemente. The leading body of the party, between two congresses is the Central Committee.
A congress is held every three years. The Central Committee elects an Executive Committee. The day-to-day affairs are run by a Political Secretariat.
Although PSUC viu is an independent party, it takes part in PCE congresses as a PCE regional federation. Members of PCE who move to Catalonia become members of PSUC viu and likewise members of PSUC viu who settle anywhere else in Spain become members of PCE.
The central organ of PSUC viu is Nou Treball. The youth wing of the party is the Young Communists
Young Communists (Catalonia)
Young Communists is the youth wing of PSUC viu in Catalonia, Spain. It was initially known as Joves Comunistes del PSUC viu. JC publishes Veu Rebel. JC is a federated organisation to the Communist Youth Union of Spain since April 2006The highest organ of JC is the Congress...
(JC).
Today PSUC viu is the second largest grouping within EUiA (after PCC). The conflict with IC-V (new name of IC) is no longer as dramatic as during the end of the 1990s, and now IC-V and EUiA contests elections jointly.
PSUC viu works for the establishment of a democratic and federal republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
in Spain, in which different nationalities are given the right to self-determination.