Revolutionary Socialist Party (Netherlands, 2025)

For the interwar political party, see Revolutionary Socialist Party (Netherlands).
Revolutionary Socialist Party
Revolutionair Socialistische Partij
AbbreviationRSP
ChairpersonGwildor Sok
Founded2022
Split fromSocialist Party
HeadquartersGaffelstraat 61B, 3014RC Rotterdam
NewspaperParaat!
Youth wingROOD
IdeologyRevolutionary socialism
Communism
Marxism
Radical democracy
Progressivism
Political positionFar-left
Website
rsp.nu

The Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), known as The Socialists until 2025, is a Dutch revolutionary socialist political party.[1] The party emerged from a split within the Socialist Party (SP).

History

The creation of the RSP is the result of an internal ideological conflict within the SP. This conflict took place between the party leadership and the left wing of the party, formed by, among others, ROOD (the former youth organization of the SP), Communist Platform (CP) and the Marxist Forum. This conflict started over the incompatibility of the victory of the CP with the victory of the SP. From October 2020, members of CP were expelled. Subsequently, in November 2020, ties with the youth organization ROOD were suspended, because the chairman and the board member had met with CP.[2] In October 2021, ROOD and the Marxist Forum were labelled as 'political parties' by the party board, which prohibited dual membership. This amounted to the expulsion of several dozen members.[3]

The subsequent suspensions of the local boards of the Utrecht and Rotterdam branches prompted a number of members to issue a statement. It is stated, among other things, that the party "(…) suffers from a serious democratic deficit and a toxic leadership culture," and that "the party leadership (…) has launched an attack against socialism in these cities."[4]

On 25 September 2022, 'The Socialists' - as the RSP was then called - organized a first national conference with 140 attendees. It was decided to work on a countrywide socialist party.[5] When it was founded 'The Socialists' was supported by councillors in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Zaanstad, Assen and a member of the provincial council from Utrecht.[6] In addition, ROOD called on its members to join the new party.[7]

At a party congress held in March 2025, it was subsequently decided to continue under the name Revolutionary Socialist Party.[1]

Ideology

The party is largely based on the works of Karl Marx and his ideological descendants without giving a strong preference to specific currents within it. The party is explicitly non-Stalinist, and due to its history as a minority group, places a strong emphasis on internal democracy.

The RSP's programme[8] is divided into two parts: a maximum programme outlining its long-term goals, and a minimum programme detailing the short-term steps aimed at achieving those long-term objectives.

The RSP advocates for a radical democratization of society, including the economy. The party identifies as anti-racist, feminist, environmentally conscious, internationalist, and supportive of LGBTQ+ rights.

Maximum programme

As a long-term goal, the party names "(...) a communist society in the Netherlands, Europe and the world. In such a society, economic production will no longer be driven by the chaos of market forces and profit-seeking, but everyone will contribute according to their ability and everyone will take based on need. It is a stateless society, in which class rule has ceased to exist and in which the role of democracy and the other functions of the state have been absorbed by society as a whole". They also name socialism as a compass towards communism, explicitly stating that they have no blueprint for this.[9]

Activities

In 2024, ROOD, in collaboration with the RSP, started a campaign against NATO in the run-up to the NATO summit in The Hague in 2025.[10] As part of the campaign, ROOD and the RSP will give lectures, take action at defence locations and spread the anti-imperialist message.[11][12] As part of this campaign, ROOD, together with the RSP and other organizations, is organizing a counter-summit on June 21 and 22.[13][14]

On 1 May 2025, RSP members participated in a Labour Day demonstration in Amsterdam, alongside ROOD. They advocated for promoting class struggle, emphasizing the need for revolutionary action beyond parliamentary means.[15]

In May 2025, RSP activists squatted a building in the Mariastraat during a housing demonstration in Utrecht in protest against vacancy.[16][17]

Local

At the time of writing, the RSP has a party organization with branches in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Eindhoven, Overijssel, South Limburg, the Northern Netherlands, Arnhem, Nijmegen, West Brabant and Wageningen.[18]

Election results

After the split, which took place just before the 2022 municipal elections, three of the then local initiatives participated in elections under various names.[19] This is the only time so far that the RSP or groups around it participated in elections, no seats were won.

2022 Dutch municipal elections
Municipality # % Zetels
Amsterdam 1.427[20] 0,5% 0
Rotterdam 2.034[21] 1,0% 0
Utrecht 694[22] 0,4% 0

References

  1. ^ a b "De Socialisten gaat verder als RSP". Paraat (in Dutch). 2025-04-11. Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-04-12.
  2. ^ "SP schort alle banden met jeugdafdeling Rood op". RTL.nl (in Dutch). 2020-11-24. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  3. ^ "SP royeert tientallen leden vanwege 'dubbel lidmaatschap'". RTL.nl (in Dutch). 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  4. ^ "Thuis". RSP (in Dutch). 2025-05-06. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  5. ^ Persbericht - Betreft: Uit SP verstoten linkervleugel gaat zelfstandig verder (pdf) (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  6. ^ "Op naar een democratisch socialistisch perspectief". RSP (in Dutch). 2021-11-22. Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  7. ^ ROOD (2021-12-11). "De strijd voor een partij". ROOD (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  8. ^ "Programma". RSP (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  9. ^ "Maximumprogramma". RSP (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  10. ^ ROOD (2024-10-01). "NAVO? Nee dank je!". ROOD (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  11. ^ ROOD (2024-10-23). "Verslag van de lancering van de 'NAVO? Nee dank je!'-campagne: een vuist tegen imperialisme!". ROOD (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  12. ^ Scheffer, Sebastiaan. "RSP en ROOD protesteren bij Stadsschouwburg tegen NAVO". OOG (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  13. ^ "NAVO Tegentop | De Nieuwe Vredesbeweging" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  14. ^ "Er komt een nieuwe Revolutionair Socialistische Partij in Rotterdam". dagblad010.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  15. ^ van Raalte, Jeroen (1 May 2025). "Op de Dag van de Arbeid dromen socialistische jongeren hardop van de revolutie". Trouw (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 1 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  16. ^ "Woning in de Mariastraat in Utrecht gekraakt". DUIC (in Dutch). 2025-05-12. Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  17. ^ "Honderden mensen bij protest voor lagere huren in Utrecht, pand in Mariastraat na afloop gekraakt". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 10 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  18. ^ "Lokaal". RSP (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  19. ^ "Bestuur SP Utrecht treedt af vanwege 'onmogelijke situatie' na royement van negen afdelingsleden". De Utrechtse Internet Courant (in Dutch). 2021-11-04. Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  20. ^ In Amsterdam, the group participated in 2022 under the name Democratic Socialists Amsterdam (DSA).
  21. ^ In Rotterdam, the group participated in 2022 under the name Socialists 010.
  22. ^ In Utrecht, the group participated in 2022 under the name Socialists Utrecht.
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