PSL helps organize almost every major protest, and "technically not-technically" run Breakthrough News, the most popular socialist video news org on YouTube.

[–] SlayGuevara@lemmygrad.ml 14 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Our party in Belgium is gaining ground. We have mandatory voting here. Last elections, around 20% of people in the city of Antwerp voted for us. That's 1 in 5 people wanting to vote for a communist party. Brussels has the same figures. In some of the city's districts we are the largest party. In the Borgerhout district of Antwerp, we spent the last 6 years governing and became the biggest party at the municipal's again, only being sidelined by the socdems who would rather govern with neolibs.

We have tens of thousands members active in local groups, tackling local problems and trying to convince more people of joining.

We have a dozen free healthcare clinics set up throughout the country.

Just a few things that come to mind. Sure, Belgium is a small country, but within that country I'd say we are definitely influential.

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

there are several, but all of the lack influence due to mainstream media blackout.

also, nearly all of them suffer from being captured by the mainstream loving masses; psl is probably the only one that hasn't.... yet

[+] Calfpupa@lemmy.ml -7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

PSL is doing it's own questionable stuff

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

please say more about it

[–] Calfpupa@lemmy.ml -2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

My understanding is that put a lot of pressure on members dues, have some kind yearly dues drive with a lot of social pressure to give something like 12% percent of your paycheck, and if you're unemployed they still pressure for $250 (it was the bottom cap for giving). They shame people that don't. My source is an ex-member, but this is a person I know personally and trust wouldn't say something that was a lie on purpose.

Other practices that I find concerning:

Chapter-to-chapter communication not allowed. Seems unhealthy that chapters can't communicate about their conditions and approaches to highlighting contradictions.
No contradiction agitating, only contradiction propaganda (per Lenin's WITBD differentiation)
Why so insular about general chapter bylaws? Lenin was interested in being secretive because of the persecution happening in Tsarist Russia; it was an adaption to their material conditions (people were being jailed for a lot less political activism than today).
Hot & Cold about coalitions: willing to drop out of a coalition if they don't feel like they're running the show, I've seen this happen in two different chapters so I assume this is their standard MO

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Considering the way that cpusa and socdems had been captured by the American government, it makes sense to that there precautions

[–] Calfpupa@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 months ago

Which of the list do you feel like appropriately guards against that?

[–] starkillerfish@lemmygrad.ml 7 points 2 months ago

what counts as influence for you?