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donderdag 1 januari 2026
WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE BELGIUM BRUSSELS - AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - Overwinningen, vrijlatingen en grote stappen vooruit
WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE ITALY - news journal UPDATE - (en) Italy, FAI, Umanita Nova #33-25 - Profits and Sharks. Leonardo-Rheinmetall Industrial Warfare Agreement (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
The first A2CS Combat (Army Armored Combat System) vehicles are
scheduled for delivery by the end of 2025. These vehicles are part ofthe initial batch of 21 vehicles generated by the agreement between the
Italian defense industry giants Leonardo S.p.A. and the German company
Rheinmetall. This agreement marks the beginning of the operational phase
of the A2CS program for the Army's new combat vehicles, which leverages
the synergy between the two Italian and German companies. This
industrial agreement strengthens Leonardo's position in the
modernization of the European integrated warfare system. The signed
contract concerns the first tranche of a plan to build 1,050 vehicles
that will renew the Army's entire fleet of heavy vehicles. The new Main
Battle Tank program is also being added to this A2CS stock. The first 21
A2CS vehicles include five Lynx KF-41 vehicles with Rheinmetall's Lance
turret and sixteen vehicles in a new configuration, equipped with Lynx
chassis and Leonardo's Hitfist 30mm turret.
The new joint venture, named "Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles"
(LRMV), is headquartered in Rome and has its operations in La Spezia. It
is owned 50/50 by the two companies. At least 60% of its industrial
activities will take place in Italy.
The new LRMV joint venture will become a leader in the defense industry,
aiming to develop, produce, and sustain new warfare systems for the
ground army and for future European main battle tanks.
LRMV has signed a contract with the Italian government that aligns with
the need for comprehensive army reform, a move advocated by Defense
Minister Guido Crosetto. The Minister himself recently stated that "a
reform of the Armed Forces is needed to increase personnel and ensure
the sustainability of the national defense model."
The A2CS modernization program aims to increase the Army's warfighting
capability, providing modern and advanced vehicles, which requires
significant investment in both finances and human resources. The A2CS
program represents the largest modernization operation of the Italian
Army in recent decades. It represents a significant opportunity for
technological and employment growth for the Italian defense industry,
with the prospect of exporting the platforms developed to other European
countries. The first contract for 21 vehicles is just the beginning.
With the A2CS program, the Italian defense industry will acquire the
capacity to lead the new era of strategic and technological cooperation
in the international defense sector.
Leonardo S.p.A.'s development and industrial expansion programs are
progressing rapidly. In the land sector, the agreement to acquire Iveco
Defence - valued at approximately EUR1.7 billion - will allow the
integration of vehicle capabilities with the group's electronics and
control systems, strengthening the European defense supply chain. At the
same time, the establishment of joint ventures and strategic
partnerships with Rheinmetall, Baykar Technologies, and Nuclitalia
demonstrates the desire to expand the national and European technology
ecosystem.
Leonardo S.p.A. reported strong growth in the first nine months of 2025,
with orders totaling EUR18.2 billion (+23.4% compared to the same period
in 2024). In 2025, Leonardo S.p.A. acquired Iveco Defence and the MoU
with Airbus and Thales for the European Space Alliance. In the first
nine months of the year, the Italian aerospace and defense giant saw its
key economic and financial indicators strengthen and its strategic
programs consistently advance, demonstrating once again that its
military strategy generates billions in profits.
Profits were clearly achieved in the Aeronautics Division, where
revenues reached EUR13.4 billion (+11.3%), with significant
contributions from the Defense and Security Electronics, Helicopters,
and Aeronautics sectors. It should also be noted that Leonardo S.p.A.
benefited from the contract to provide logistics support and training
for Kuwait's Eurofighter fleet. The order backlog consolidated at
EUR47.3 billion, revenues stood at around EUR18.6 billion, and EBITA
(earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization, a company's
operating margin net of depreciation of tangible assets but gross of
amortization of intangible assets) rose by approximately EUR1.66 billion
to EUR945 million (+18.9%). Leonardo S.p.A.'s 2025-2029 Industrial Plan
continues with technological innovation, digitalization, sustainability
and internationalization, expanding its presence in the cyber field with
the acquisition of the companies Axiomatics AB and SSH Communications
Security. In addition to the joint venture with Rheinmetall, Leonardo
S.p.A., through the CAPPA Electronics Evolution (G2E) consortium, has
signed a contract with Edgewing, establishing the joint venture between
BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy), and Japan Aircraft Industrial
Enhancement Co. Ltd. (Japan). Edgewing will serve as the primary systems
integrator for the development of the sixth-generation Global Combat Air
Programme (GCAP) fighter. The companies will collaborate to provide the
next-generation advanced sensor and communications system, known as
Integrated Sensing and Non-Kinetic Effects & Integrated Communications
Systems (ISANKE & ICS), as well as the integrated long-term logistics
support service (Through-Life Support Service - TLSS), which will
accompany the system for decades.
In the space sector, the Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus and
Thales envisions the creation, by 2027, of a European operator with
25,000 employees and pro forma revenues of EUR6.5 billion, intended to
strengthen Europe's strategic autonomy in space.
Leonardo S.p.A.'s transformation into a European leader in the defense
industry is proceeding apace, helping to arm bloodthirsty armies around
the world and generating billions in profits. This insane arms race must
be stopped and the defense industry must be converted into a factory of
peace and prosperity, channeling the hundreds of billions allocated for
armaments into social spending, starting with healthcare, education,
transportation, and the fight against poverty.
Renato Franzitta
Sites consulted
https://www.leonardo.com/
https://formiche.net/sezione/difesa/
https://www.difesaonline.it/
https://umanitanova.org/profitti-e-pescecani-accordo-bellico-industriale-leonardo-rheinmetall/
_________________________________________
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WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE FRANCE - news journal UPDATE - (en) France, AF: Open Letter of Thanks (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Mr. Laurent Nuñez, -- Minister of the Interior -- Hôtel de Beauvau -- 1,
Place Beauvau -- 75008 Paris
Subject: Open Letter of Thanks
Mr. Minister of the Interior,
Unable to believe that you lack culture to the point of ignoring the
Streisand effect or political courage to the point of initiating SLAPP
suits, we are forced to conclude that you are knowingly highlighting the
board game "Fachorama."
In a media landscape controlled by billionaires with a repugnant
political agenda, it is refreshing to know that the Ministry of the
Interior, which you represent, makes it a point to promote initiatives
of resistance. And this is not your first attempt!
After putting Mr. Pierre-Emmanuel Barré and the unbearable police
violence he denounced on the media agenda, you have now decided to
engage in publicity (for free, no less-what selflessness!) for a game
that, like its predecessor "Antifa - the Game," is likely to sell out
very quickly.
Although lawsuits of this kind are multiplying, and Ms. Sophie Binet and
her lawyers are probably still laughing about it, we are delighted to
know that you have so much time that you are personally handling the
after-sales service for the progressive ideas that we defend and,
admittedly with less success than you, are trying to promote.
If it is too soon to call you a comrade, don't despair; just a little
more effort and you'll be on familiar terms with Jean Moulin!
Wishing you a wonderful end to the year, please accept, Mr. Minister of
the Interior, our antifascist greetings.
Anarchist Federation
https://federation-anarchiste.org/?g=Lien_Permanent&b=1_268
_________________________________________
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Place Beauvau -- 75008 Paris
Subject: Open Letter of Thanks
Mr. Minister of the Interior,
Unable to believe that you lack culture to the point of ignoring the
Streisand effect or political courage to the point of initiating SLAPP
suits, we are forced to conclude that you are knowingly highlighting the
board game "Fachorama."
In a media landscape controlled by billionaires with a repugnant
political agenda, it is refreshing to know that the Ministry of the
Interior, which you represent, makes it a point to promote initiatives
of resistance. And this is not your first attempt!
After putting Mr. Pierre-Emmanuel Barré and the unbearable police
violence he denounced on the media agenda, you have now decided to
engage in publicity (for free, no less-what selflessness!) for a game
that, like its predecessor "Antifa - the Game," is likely to sell out
very quickly.
Although lawsuits of this kind are multiplying, and Ms. Sophie Binet and
her lawyers are probably still laughing about it, we are delighted to
know that you have so much time that you are personally handling the
after-sales service for the progressive ideas that we defend and,
admittedly with less success than you, are trying to promote.
If it is too soon to call you a comrade, don't despair; just a little
more effort and you'll be on familiar terms with Jean Moulin!
Wishing you a wonderful end to the year, please accept, Mr. Minister of
the Interior, our antifascist greetings.
Anarchist Federation
https://federation-anarchiste.org/?g=Lien_Permanent&b=1_268
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
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A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE FRANCE - news journal UPDATE - (en) France, OCL: Deserters of all countries, unite! View online: Download Bulletin No. 8*(ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Bulletin No. 8 of the "Olga Taratuta" initiative in solidarity with
Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian deserters has just been published.This issue is under the call "Deserters of all countries, unite!" and
contains testimonies from Russian, Ukrainian, Sudanese, and Myanmar
(formerly Burma) deserters and evaders. ---- If you would like to
receive a printed copy, please let us know by email and we will send it
to you by mail. Shipping is free, however, a contribution towards costs
is appreciated.[1]
You can also download it online.
Please feel free to share it, in electronic or printed format, if you
think it might be useful.
The initiative continues its solidarity activities with Russian and
Ukrainian deserters. As every winter, our comrades from Assembleia in
Kharkiv are calling for solidarity to face the winter, while the Russian
Federation's army systematically destroys electrical infrastructure.
Financial support can be provided as previously indicated.
Peace to the humble homes, war to the palaces!
Olga
OLGA TARATUTA Solidarity Initiative With deserters, pacifists, and
refugees from Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus #8, November 2025 Pay what
you wish in solidarity
DESERTERS OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE!
Editorial
November 11th, a fateful date commemorating the end of the First World
War, the "Great War," the one that was supposed to be "the war to end
all wars," the final war. And then there was the Second World War. And
then the Cold War.
And then... Today, officially, there are 64 armed conflicts in the
world, in 36 countries, the highest number since the Second World War.
And we can clearly see that the race to war is being prepared
everywhere, and that
World War III could well arrive sooner than we would like.
The media-whether mainstream, opinion-driven, manipulated by financial
interests, or even left-wing activists-talk a lot about wars and
geopolitical issues. They bring in experts, generals, and doctors of
history or international relations, who comment on maps of battlefields
or graphs of military equipment production. All of this contributes to
dehumanizing war, making it an abstract thing. There is little room in
their analyses for populations and individuals. Or, from time to time,
they describe the horrors of war in a tearful tone, implicitly making us
understand how fortunate we are and that we must trust our leaders to
protect us from it. But above all, they never, ever give a voice to
those who are organizing against war, in the very heart of the conflicts.
That is why, for this issue of Olga Taratuta's newsletter, an initiative
in solidarity with deserters, pacifists, and refugees from Ukraine,
Russia, and Belarus, we wanted to give a voice to those who say no, who
refuse to fall in line and enlist. We hope that these testimonies will
both spark a movement of solidarity with these ultimate resisters and
contribute to a debate here, in times of "peace," about what might
happen if we were to descend into war...
These testimonies were collected at the symposium "2025 Symposium:
Mutineers, Draft Dodgers, Deserters... How Opposition to War Has
Manifested in Conflicts Since the First World War," organized by the La
Courtine 1917 association in Evry on October 4th and 5th. This popular
education, historical, and memorial association aims to raise awareness
of the mutiny of 10,300 Russian soldiers of the 1st Brigade in the
summer of 1917 at La Courtine in the Creuse region.
This conference, perfectly organized and incredibly enriching in terms
of both academic presentations and testimonies from those involved in
the anti-militarist struggle, provided all participants with the
opportunity to learn more about these events, often obscured or even
falsified by "official" history. These events included the mutiny of
10,000 Russian soldiers in the village of La Courtine in 1917, the
Portuguese deserters from 1961 to 1974, the massacre of Senegalese
riflemen at Thiaroye in 1944, the extraordinary story of the pacifist
war memorial in Gentioux, and the conscientious objectors during the
Algerian War. Finally, the messages of deserters and refuseniks
resonated powerfully.
The proceedings of the conference, as well as "Les Cahiers de La
Courtine 1917," are available by writing to the association:
lacourtine1917@gmail.com or to: Association la courtine 1917, 8 rue de
la république, 23000 GUERET
CONTENTS:
*[RUSSIA]Mass arrests of young people protesting their conscription,
thanks to facial recognition technology
*[SUDAN]Opposing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) does not mean siding
with the state!
*[MYANMAR]Young people who want to escape compulsory conscription, "the
road to death," are left to fend for themselves.
*[UKRAINE]Desertion and evasion are becoming widespread.
Notes
[1]in the form of stamps, checks made payable to "La lettre du CDES" to
be sent to CNT-AIT, 7 rue St Rémésy 31000 TOULOUSE, or by bank transfer
to "La lettre du CDES", IBAN: FR36 2004 1010 1603 0872 1H03 752, BIC:
PSSTFRPPTOU; reference "solidarity Olga")
*
https://nowar.solidarite.online/blog/bulletin-8-de-linitiative-olga-taratuta-russie-ukraine-soudan-myanmar-d%C3%A9serteurs-de-tous-les-pays-unissez-vous
http://oclibertaire.lautre.net/spip.php?article4574
_________________________________________
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WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE FRANCE - news journal UPDATE - (en) France, Monde Libertaire - History Pages No. 104: Hannah Arendt by Thomas Meyer (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
In a biography first published in Germany, philosopher Thomas Meyer
revisits the life of one of the most widely read political scientistsand philosophers of the 20th century, whose work, whether adored or
criticized, remains essential. Thomas Meyer is the editor of Arendt's
complete works in German-a total of thirteen volumes, pending the
discovery of other unpublished material. His biography, published two
years ago in Germany, offers new perspectives, highlighting the
centrality of exile and her years in Paris to her work. As a reminder,
Hannah Arendt was born in 1906 in Hanover into a family of Jewish
technicians and merchants. Orphaned at the age of seven, she was raised
by her mother. Considered a particularly precocious child, she passed
her baccalaureate exams in 1924, a year early, and embarked on studies
in philosophy. She maintained a clandestine love affair with her
philosophy professor, Martin Heidegger. On the advice of her mentor and
lover, she received philosophical training from Karl Jaspers. In the
late 1920s, she married Günther Stren, the future Anders, a leading
figure of the Frankfurt School. Simultaneously, from the mid-1920s
onward, she participated in the activities of the German Zionist Union.
Tasked with analyzing the rise of antisemitism in Germany, she was
forced to flee after a brief arrest in 1933. In Paris, the couple separated.
Arendt met the former council communist activist, Heinrich Blücher, and
frequented the circle of exiles living in Paris's 15th arrondissement,
including Erich Cohn-Bendit and Herta David, the future parents of
Gabriel and Daniel, Arthur Koestler, and Walter Benjamin, as well as
networks of those who had broken with communism, such as Willy
Münzenberg. Arendt then cared for Jewish children preparing to leave for
Palestine. She worked closely with Arnold Zweig, then a Zionist and
anti-militarist activist-who, after 1945, having broken with Zionism,
became one of the leading figures in East German literary life-believing
that Zionism needed a concrete embodiment. One of the book's central
contributions is to show that, contrary to the myths perpetuated by both
her supporters and detractors, Arendt participated in the Zionist
movement, contributed several articles to Zionist journals, and traveled
to Palestine for the first time under the British Mandate. It further
demonstrates that while she expressed concern about the future of
Israel, she was never anti-Zionist. Her Parisian exile transformed the
philosopher; she became particularly attentive to social phenomena while
simultaneously remaining attached to the idea of bohemianism and social
change, as evidenced, for example, by her attention to and support for
anti-authoritarian groups in France during May 1968 and for refugees and
displaced persons, as the author emphasizes in analyzing her notes on
the condition of modern man. Having become an American citizen in 1951,
she remained, in a sense, stateless and hoped for the end of
nation-states. Her second American exile brought her a certain renown.
Her trilogy on totalitarianism was its crowning achievement. But,
contrary to what her admirers believe, her critique of totalitarian
regimes also contains a demanding vision of democracy, of which the
volume on colonialism is a central element: guaranteeing freedoms
applies to everyone and to everything... Reducing Arendt's work to the
last volume on totalitarianism (1) or to Eichmann in Jerusalem would be
a fundamental error in understanding her.
This stimulating biography, based on newly discovered archives, invites
us to reread Arendt, and we hope that, as in Germany, the complete
versions of her works will be translated, incorporating the various
versions of the texts.
Thomas Meyer
Hannah Arendt
Calmann-Levy 2025 544 p. EUR25.90
(1) One of the leading specialists in the analysis of totalitarian
regimes, Bernard Bruneteau, has recently been honored with a summing up
of his work, following a long-standing academic tradition (edited by
François Hourmant, *Europe and Totalitarianism*), Rennes, PUR, 2025, 240
pp., EUR24. This book underscores the heuristic value of the concept of
totalitarianism. The historian has published several essential works on
the subject, ranging from the analysis of the utopian dimension of
totalitarian systems to the analysis of clothing. The value of this
present work lies in also demonstrating its application in the context
of travel, specifically regarding the journeys of pro-Albanian Maoists
to Tirana, and in a dimension little explored in fiction, whether in
literature, film, or television series. As this book clearly
demonstrates, the concept has undeniable value.
https://monde-libertaire.net/?articlen=8716
_________________________________________
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WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE FRANCE - news journal UPDATE - (en) France, UCL AL #366 - The new issue of AL is on newsstands! December 2025 (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Drug trafficking, Louvre robbery, fast fashion, anti-Shein,
anti-capitalism, social psychology, fascism, authoritarianism,
right-wing alliance, war in Sudan, anti-colonialism, Palestine and
sport, uprising in Nepal, football and billionaires, right to the city,
speciesism and anti-speciesism, Christiania, Denmark, Strasbourg,
anti-ableism, assisted dying, ExisTransInter, World March of Women, 1995
strikes, Cameroon, Algeria, Françafrique, Michel Cordillot, Mathilde
Ramadier, Élodie Durand, Sarah Dindo, Hélène Aldeguer, Léa Gauthier,
Emma Goldman, Ariane Talibart, Aurélie Verdon, Alternative Libertaire
fundraising campaign
EDITORIAL - SPOTLIGHT
Drug trafficking: the state complicit
Louvre robbery: But who are the outraged?
Fast fashion: Anti-Shein is good, anti-capitalist is better!
ANTIFASCISM
Social psychology: Dissecting fascism, authoritarianism laid bare
Morbihan: Against local fascism, a social antifascism
Union of the Right: Love and disillusionment among reactionaries
INTERNATIONAL
Sudan: Europe complicit in a war
Anti-colonialism: The struggle for Palestine is also being waged in sports
Nepal: Corrupt politicians swept away, and then what?
ECOLOGY
Football: Red Card Against Billionaire Football
Right to the City: Capital's Assault on Our Spaces
POLITICS
Debates: Beyond Speciesism and Anti-Speciesism
Denmark: Capitalist Contradiction and Radicalism, a Journey to Christiania
Strasbourg: Raising Anti-Ableist Critiques of "Assisted Dying"
ANTIPATRIARCHY
ExisTransInter March: Political Conflicts with Disastrous Consequences
Sixth World March of Women: "We Resist to Live, We Fight to Transform!"
TRADE UNIONISM
The 1995 Strikes: What Driving Forces for a Mass Movement?
The 1995 Strikes: What Remains Thirty Years Later?
HISTORY
Cameroon: "The Other Algeria" and the Birth of Françafrique
CULTURE
Read: Michel Cordillot, "1864-1880, The First International in France"
Read: Mathilde Ramadier and Élodie Durand, "La Belle de Mai: Factory of
Revolutions"
Read: Sarah Dindo, "Between Jail and Land: Building an Alternative to
Prison"
Read: Hélène Aldeguer and Léa Gauthier, "Emma Goldman, Woman and Anarchist"
Read: Ariane Talibart and Aurélie Verdon, "My First Songs of Revolt"
UCL NEWS
Fundraising Campaign: Help us bring your ideas to life!
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?-Le-nouveau-numero-d-AL-est-en-kiosque-601-
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
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A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
anti-capitalism, social psychology, fascism, authoritarianism,
right-wing alliance, war in Sudan, anti-colonialism, Palestine and
sport, uprising in Nepal, football and billionaires, right to the city,
speciesism and anti-speciesism, Christiania, Denmark, Strasbourg,
anti-ableism, assisted dying, ExisTransInter, World March of Women, 1995
strikes, Cameroon, Algeria, Françafrique, Michel Cordillot, Mathilde
Ramadier, Élodie Durand, Sarah Dindo, Hélène Aldeguer, Léa Gauthier,
Emma Goldman, Ariane Talibart, Aurélie Verdon, Alternative Libertaire
fundraising campaign
EDITORIAL - SPOTLIGHT
Drug trafficking: the state complicit
Louvre robbery: But who are the outraged?
Fast fashion: Anti-Shein is good, anti-capitalist is better!
ANTIFASCISM
Social psychology: Dissecting fascism, authoritarianism laid bare
Morbihan: Against local fascism, a social antifascism
Union of the Right: Love and disillusionment among reactionaries
INTERNATIONAL
Sudan: Europe complicit in a war
Anti-colonialism: The struggle for Palestine is also being waged in sports
Nepal: Corrupt politicians swept away, and then what?
ECOLOGY
Football: Red Card Against Billionaire Football
Right to the City: Capital's Assault on Our Spaces
POLITICS
Debates: Beyond Speciesism and Anti-Speciesism
Denmark: Capitalist Contradiction and Radicalism, a Journey to Christiania
Strasbourg: Raising Anti-Ableist Critiques of "Assisted Dying"
ANTIPATRIARCHY
ExisTransInter March: Political Conflicts with Disastrous Consequences
Sixth World March of Women: "We Resist to Live, We Fight to Transform!"
TRADE UNIONISM
The 1995 Strikes: What Driving Forces for a Mass Movement?
The 1995 Strikes: What Remains Thirty Years Later?
HISTORY
Cameroon: "The Other Algeria" and the Birth of Françafrique
CULTURE
Read: Michel Cordillot, "1864-1880, The First International in France"
Read: Mathilde Ramadier and Élodie Durand, "La Belle de Mai: Factory of
Revolutions"
Read: Sarah Dindo, "Between Jail and Land: Building an Alternative to
Prison"
Read: Hélène Aldeguer and Léa Gauthier, "Emma Goldman, Woman and Anarchist"
Read: Ariane Talibart and Aurélie Verdon, "My First Songs of Revolt"
UCL NEWS
Fundraising Campaign: Help us bring your ideas to life!
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?-Le-nouveau-numero-d-AL-est-en-kiosque-601-
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
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WORLD WORLDWIDE EURPE ITALY - news journal UPDATE - (en) Italy, UCADI, #202 - 1, 090: the measure of Italy's civilization (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
This is the number that measures Italy's level of civilization. It's not
an identification code or the result of a mathematical calculation:
1,090 people died at work in 2024. Killed not by fate, but by falls from
heights, crushing, or electrocution, often aggravated by failure to
implement safety measures, excessive fatigue, or inadequate work
environments. This number marks a 4.7% increase over the previous year,
and all this in a country that defines itself as modern, European, and
democratic. 2025, now drawing to a close, offers nothing different: from
January to September, 784 victims were recorded, compared to 776 deaths
recorded in the same period in 2024. And in the following months, up
until early November, more names were added to that endless list that we
hypocritically call accidental deaths to avoid calling them workplace
homicides. The construction sector continues to lead the list of deaths,
followed by manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, and trade, which
together account for over 50% of all deaths. These numbers speak of
shattered lives and affected families, and in the immediate aftermath of
the event, they resonate with the public and become tools for public
discussion, sparking intense emotions and igniting political debate.
They tell of a boy who fell from a ten-meter silo in the province of
Rovigo. They reveal the tragic fate of a worker who died in Rome after
being trapped for almost an entire day under the rubble of the collapse
of the Torre dei Conti in the Imperial Forum. They describe three men
who, on a sultry July day in Naples, died after falling from a mobile
scaffolding hoist while working on roof maintenance on a seven-story
building. They describe the tragic end of two workers who, on June 23,
were crushed by a slab of rock in Lombardy. And so many other stories
like these, which last as long as a newspaper headline.
Each time, the script is the same. Condolences, flowers, indignant
tweets, clichés: "Dying on the job is an outrage to civilization," "You
can't lose your life working." Then silence falls. Until the next
tragedy. A ritual of national falsehood, repeated identically for
decades. Institutions are moved, promise safety, convene discussions,
but forget the essential: on Italian construction sites, the average age
is 47. They overlook the fact that the highest mortality rate is among
those over sixty-five, followed by workers between 55 and 64. They
pretend not to see that men of that age should be retired, not clinging
to scaffolding twenty meters above the ground, with tired bodies and
shaking hands. These are men who started working at fifteen or sixteen.
They've spent their entire lives among scaffolding, iron, concrete, and
wind. They've built houses, roads, schools, bridges. Yet, at sixty,
they're still there,
climbing on innocent pipes, with the cold cutting their skin in the
winter and the scorching heat in the summer.
For them, the retirement age remains 67, the same as for those who work
in an office, sitting in front of a computer. Only the very small group
of workers constantly engaged in underground activities, in confined
spaces, or in extreme climatic conditions-so-called "abusive jobs"-can
access early retirement. Nor can they benefit from other forms of early
retirement, such as APE Sociale, because they rarely demonstrate at
least six continuous years of contributions within the last seven years.
A bureaucratic process that often denies the right to it to those who
need it most. And that's not all.
Despite the exhausting, dangerous jobs that require physical strength,
pinpoint attention, and extreme clarity, wages remain among the lowest
in Europe. A construction worker earns less than an administrative
clerk, but every day they put their life on the line. Chronic fatigue,
accumulated tiredness, and grueling shifts increase the risk of error,
and therefore death. Those who work with their heads have more rights
than those who work with their hands.
But it is precisely on the hands of these men that the entire country
rests. Houses, schools, bridges, factories: everything around us is
built by their toil. And so the question is no longer whether Italy is
civilized, but what idea of dignity it has chosen to accept. Perhaps the
real wear and tear is not that of the bodies on construction sites, but
the moral wear and tear of a nation that considers work a personal risk
and not a collective right. And as long as the death of a worker remains
news and not a scandal, no reform, no promise, and no flower can be
called justice.
Sabrina Barresi
https://www.ucadi.org/2025/11/30/1-090-la-misura-della-civilta-dellitalia/
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
Send news reports to A-infos-en mailing list
A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
an identification code or the result of a mathematical calculation:
1,090 people died at work in 2024. Killed not by fate, but by falls from
heights, crushing, or electrocution, often aggravated by failure to
implement safety measures, excessive fatigue, or inadequate work
environments. This number marks a 4.7% increase over the previous year,
and all this in a country that defines itself as modern, European, and
democratic. 2025, now drawing to a close, offers nothing different: from
January to September, 784 victims were recorded, compared to 776 deaths
recorded in the same period in 2024. And in the following months, up
until early November, more names were added to that endless list that we
hypocritically call accidental deaths to avoid calling them workplace
homicides. The construction sector continues to lead the list of deaths,
followed by manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, and trade, which
together account for over 50% of all deaths. These numbers speak of
shattered lives and affected families, and in the immediate aftermath of
the event, they resonate with the public and become tools for public
discussion, sparking intense emotions and igniting political debate.
They tell of a boy who fell from a ten-meter silo in the province of
Rovigo. They reveal the tragic fate of a worker who died in Rome after
being trapped for almost an entire day under the rubble of the collapse
of the Torre dei Conti in the Imperial Forum. They describe three men
who, on a sultry July day in Naples, died after falling from a mobile
scaffolding hoist while working on roof maintenance on a seven-story
building. They describe the tragic end of two workers who, on June 23,
were crushed by a slab of rock in Lombardy. And so many other stories
like these, which last as long as a newspaper headline.
Each time, the script is the same. Condolences, flowers, indignant
tweets, clichés: "Dying on the job is an outrage to civilization," "You
can't lose your life working." Then silence falls. Until the next
tragedy. A ritual of national falsehood, repeated identically for
decades. Institutions are moved, promise safety, convene discussions,
but forget the essential: on Italian construction sites, the average age
is 47. They overlook the fact that the highest mortality rate is among
those over sixty-five, followed by workers between 55 and 64. They
pretend not to see that men of that age should be retired, not clinging
to scaffolding twenty meters above the ground, with tired bodies and
shaking hands. These are men who started working at fifteen or sixteen.
They've spent their entire lives among scaffolding, iron, concrete, and
wind. They've built houses, roads, schools, bridges. Yet, at sixty,
they're still there,
climbing on innocent pipes, with the cold cutting their skin in the
winter and the scorching heat in the summer.
For them, the retirement age remains 67, the same as for those who work
in an office, sitting in front of a computer. Only the very small group
of workers constantly engaged in underground activities, in confined
spaces, or in extreme climatic conditions-so-called "abusive jobs"-can
access early retirement. Nor can they benefit from other forms of early
retirement, such as APE Sociale, because they rarely demonstrate at
least six continuous years of contributions within the last seven years.
A bureaucratic process that often denies the right to it to those who
need it most. And that's not all.
Despite the exhausting, dangerous jobs that require physical strength,
pinpoint attention, and extreme clarity, wages remain among the lowest
in Europe. A construction worker earns less than an administrative
clerk, but every day they put their life on the line. Chronic fatigue,
accumulated tiredness, and grueling shifts increase the risk of error,
and therefore death. Those who work with their heads have more rights
than those who work with their hands.
But it is precisely on the hands of these men that the entire country
rests. Houses, schools, bridges, factories: everything around us is
built by their toil. And so the question is no longer whether Italy is
civilized, but what idea of dignity it has chosen to accept. Perhaps the
real wear and tear is not that of the bodies on construction sites, but
the moral wear and tear of a nation that considers work a personal risk
and not a collective right. And as long as the death of a worker remains
news and not a scandal, no reform, no promise, and no flower can be
called justice.
Sabrina Barresi
https://www.ucadi.org/2025/11/30/1-090-la-misura-della-civilta-dellitalia/
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
Send news reports to A-infos-en mailing list
A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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