The first congress of the Revolutionary Communist Collective (CCR) took place from 10 to 11 May in Lisbon. Over the weekend, around twenty communists from different regions of Portugal, half a dozen sympathisers, and three international guests participated in the various sessions. After two years of growth and development, the congress elevated the CCR to a higher level, tightening its organisation and raising its level of political understanding.

“Trotsky said long ago that unification is impossible. Trotsky understood this and from that time on there has been no better Bolshevik.” Vladimir Lenin delivered this statement to the Bolshevik Petrograd Committee on 1 November 1917 (Old Style).

On 3 and 4 May, members of the Revolucionarni Komunistički Savez (Revolutionary Communist League, RCL) met in Zagreb for this year’s congress. Delegates from Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia were present as members of the Yugoslav section of the Revolutionary Communist International (RCI). They were joined by guests from Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Italy, Britain, and Kosovo.

We are delighted to present brand new translations of three classic Marxist texts (Socialism: Utopian and Scientific by Engels, as well as What is to be Done? and Socialism and War by Lenin) in modern Azerbaijani. These were sent to us by a sympathetic group of Marxists in Azerbaijan, and we are making them available online for the first time!

What an embarrassment for Fritze Merz! For the first time in the history of the Federal Republic, an incoming German Chancellor has failed to be elected by the Bundestag, despite having signed a coalition agreement to gain a majority. This is embarrassing for Merz and an omen for his crisis-ridden government.

The first months of this year have posed very important challenges for the current Mexican government and also for the class struggle. The arrival of Trump is shaking the government and accelerating the contradictions inherent in reformism. Added to this is a wave of mobilisations led by the teachers of the CNTE union in Zacatecas and Chapingo against attacks on their pensions. Likewise, tensions in schools are also rising over the demand for subsidised canteens for the students.

In 1965, India and Pakistan went to war over Kashmir. The 17-day conflict resulted in thousands of deaths and a victory for the Indian ruling class. But it failed to resolve any of the underlying problems and, in particular, the question of the occupied and partitioned state of Kashmir. In the decades since, these frictions have driven India and Pakistan to war again and again.

India and Pakistan have been at war yet again. There is no sharper test of a party, its programme and ideas than the questions of war and revolution.

On 22 April, terrorists attacked the Pahalgam District's Baisaran Valley in occupied Kashmir, killing 26 defenceless people. The Modi government has used this heinous crime, which it has helped to provoke with its oppressive sectarian agenda, as an excuse to launch airstrikes on Pakistan-administered Kashmir, raising the spectre of a military conflict between two nuclear-armed states.

Wellred Books’ latest title Democracy, Bonapartism & Fascism: Class Struggle in the 1930s is out now! We publish below the introduction, written by Niklas Albin Svensson, which explains the invaluable theoretical lessons of this collection of writings by Leon Trotsky and Ted Grant.

We are living through a difficult period for traditional, establishment politicians. In country after country, renegade gangs of populists, demagogues and mavericks are challenging the old liberal elite for power, with increasing success. As the masses’ confidence in the liberals rightly crumbles, across the world the vacuum has been filled by the likes of Farage, Le Pen, Meloni and, of course, Donald Trump.

The second congress of the RCP was an electric event, like none other – rich in political understanding, revolutionary enthusiasm, and infectious confidence. There has never been a better time to get organised and join the communists!

The drums of war are beating again across South Asia. Amid the bloodthirsty hysteria, we must remember this truth: no imperialist war has ever benefited working people.

Last week's byelections in the UK were an earthquake in British politics. For the first time since the rise of the Labour Party 100 years ago, the two-party system has been upended. Now, a new contender for power has decisively entered the race: Reform.

Another war has begun between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, in which both have claimed victory so far. In the early hours of 7 May, the Indian Air Force carried out nine attacks inside Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. In retaliation, Pakistan claims to have downed five Indian jets, which India has so far denied.

On Saturday 26 April, a large demonstration led by the far right marched through Dublin’s North Inner City. The turnout was significant: estimates range from 5,000 to as many as 10,000. In fact, this was four or five times larger than the previous biggest far-right led mobilisation.

“Do I really need to read long theoretical books to be a communist?” This is a common question among class fighters today. In our final episode of this season of Spectre of Communism, we make the case that, in order to change the world, it is first necessary to understand it. And for that, we need a philosophy!

The year 2025 is turning into a decisive year. What seemed fixed and stable before is crumbling and in flux now. Millions of workers and youth are seeking to understand why. The revolutionary communists alone have clear answers. At this year’s International Workers’ Day protests on 1 May, we intervened in greater numbers than ever before with these answers. We include here a selection of reports that show how the revolutionary communists are beginning to turn the heads of a growing number of radicalised workers and youth.

El Lissitzky’s iconic Civil War poster ‘Beat the Whites With the Red Wedge’ is perhaps the single most recognisable piece of artwork to emerge from the entire Russian Revolution. Its influence is widespread even today. In this article, Nelson Wan and James Kilby explore how The Red Wedge came into being, how it captures the essence of revolution, and how a work of propaganda such as this can be considered great art.

Electoral success for Nigel Farage’s Reform in yesterday’s local and regional contests across Britain has provoked panic in Labour and Tory HQs alike. Britain’s political landscape is fracturing, as the centre ground collapses. Revolutionary upheavals impend.