Remembering François Vercammen
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It was with great sadness that Socialist Resistance members heard of the death of François Vercammen, a Belgian leader of the Fourth International (FI), at age of 69 after a long struggle with illness which had taken him out of politics for the last years of his life.
In the late 1980s and in the 1990s, François was frequently in contact with supporters of our political current at international meetings and also spoke several times at events organised by SR.
François, together with Pierre Rousset, was instrumental in establishing International Institute for Research and Education in Amsterdam, which became a school and meeting place for Fourth International and other socialist militants, as well as social movement activists, from around the world.
François was quick, not only to see the importance of building broad parties of the radical left, but also of co-ordinating such parties across Europe.
He was key to the establishment of the European Anti-capitalist Left (EACL) that was launched in Lisbon in March 2000. It had representation from the Scottish Socialist Party (which had 1 MP in the Scottish Parliament at the time but won 5 more in 2003), the Portuguese Left Bloc, the Danish Red-Green Alliance, the French LCR, and the Turkish ÖDP. More organisations joined later including Rifondazione Comunista (RC) from Italy. From Britain the Socialist Alliance was involved and then Respect. The SWP played a role at one stage.
For the next 7 years the EACL met every six months in different parts of Europe often coinciding with EU summits and counter demonstrations and events. Francois was its central organiser on behalf of the FI.
As well as organising around EU summits, its aim was to meet the EU criteria to become an officially recognised party. This required at least 6 parties with elected representatives at the European or the national level.
After the RC joined a centre left coalition government and the SSP lost its representation in 2007, this was no longer a realist objective, particularly with the rise of the European Left Party which emerged at that time. As a partisan of building broad left parties he was reluctant to draw the conclusion that anti-capitalist militants had to continue their struggle outside the PRC and the Brazilian Workers Party (PT) after these parties moved to the right.
But he was also politically tough, with a hard headed approach to political realities. He played an important role in elaborating the documents for the FI 2003 world congress, a congress that was a key point in the long-term reorientation of the Fourth International away from the idea of ‘the world party of socialist revolution’ towards a more realistic assessment of its role and possibilities.
He followed European politics closely. He had a vast knowledge of the world workers movement and of the left, especially in Europe. He travelled widely in Europe and could confidently discuss with leftist leaders and activists from diverse political backgrounds. He could hold an audience in five different languages.
Activists wanted to talk to François because he was full of knowledge, full of news and insights, but also full of personal charm and infectious humour.
François was very close to his early mentor Ernest Mandel, but even as a real Mandelista he was able to see beyond the limitations of ‘orthodoxy’. He was an inspiring and charismatic figure.
Phil Hearse and Alan Thornett