May 19th, 1919, is the date Mustafa Kemal Atatürk arrived in the northern Turkish city of Samsun to start the armed struggle against the imperialist occupation of Türkiye and its collaborators. The date is considered as the beginning of the war of liberation. It is today celebrated as official holiday as the “Day of Commemorating Atatürk, the youth and sports”.
The Youth Union of Türkiye and the World Anti-imperialist Youth Union have organized on May 19, 2026, an international event with participation from dozens of countries of anti-imperialist struggle. During the convention, several speeches were held. One of the speakers was Miruna Pandele, Deputy Chair of the Romanian Socialist Party. Below we document her speech.
By Miruna Pandele, Deputy Chair of the Romanian Socialist Party
Dear comrades,
Thank you for the opportunity to be here on behalf of the Romanian socialist party. All of us are gathered here today, in this crucial moment in world history when imperialism takes many forms, and I am sure all of you, regardless of the part of the world you come from, are all too familiar with its vile and vicious actions all over the globe. From Palestine to Cuba, from Iran to Lebanon, we now face a monster that doesn’t even bother to hide its own predatory nature. But we stand here today because we know a better world is possible, and we have the blueprint to build it from those who stood before us. The struggles we face today are no different from the struggles our comrades faced less than a hundred in their fight against fascism.
In my country, Romania, since the 1989 coup d’état and the abrupt transition away from socialism, we have been dominated—politically, economically, and ideologically—by center-right administrations. All servants of US imperialism. These governments, whether liberal or conservative in name, ultimately pursued similar policies: privatizations, austerity, and the systematic weakening of the social state. My party carries the legacy of the shared prosperity of socialism.
We have been shaped by the aspirations, sacrifices, and resilience of generations who fought for social justice, equality, and the dignity of working people. Our enemy is capital. The capital that stole our country. Our enemy is the one bombing schools in Iran, Our enemy is raping children in Gaza. Our enemy is strong, but in his rush for capital he forgets history. For history shows us socialism prevails through resilience. Socialism was never defeated, it is alive today, it is alive in me, in you, and in every working man that wakes up and stands up against those who exploit the proletariat.
In Romania, the importance of socialism is intertwined with the nation’s 20th-century development. After World War II, Romania, like much of Eastern Europe, adopted a political system grounded in Marxist-Leninist principles.
This dramatically reshaped Romanian society in empowering ways by supporting massive industrialization, universal literacy campaigns, access to healthcare, housing, and the creation of an extensive welfare system. From an underdeveloped society plagued by fascism under the Hitler-allied Iron Guard, Romania became a modern socialist country. Our visionary leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu, raised my country from the ground up, into a sovereign, independent and respected nation. In the last 35 years, we have only seen corruption and stagnation.
Now, in the modern era, Marxism represents the foundation on which the people of the world lift themselves up and fight against poverty, inequality, and imperialist oppression.
In the 35 years since the fall of the socialist system, Romania’s middle class has been steadily eroded. Entire industries were dismantled, millions of jobs disappeared, and rural and working-class communities were abandoned. A small minority has accumulated enormous wealth, while the majority struggles with insecurity, low wages, and the feeling of having been left behind. It is within this environment of inequality and disillusionment that the far right has flourished—not only in Romania, but across Europe. When people feel that the political elite has betrayed them, when they feel unprotected and unheard, they become vulnerable to narratives that promise quick solutions and fantasies.
Yet, despite these challenges, we also see hopeful signs emerging throughout the continent. They demonstrate that there is a hunger for alternatives rooted in solidarity, fairness, and collective progress. These movements show that the left can once again become a powerful voice for social transformation when it listens to people’s needs and speaks with clarity and courage.
In this context, our party aims to present a real alternative by openly promoting Marxist ideas and by reconnecting with the social and economic aspirations of the Romanian people. It is no coincidence that 67 percent of Romanians believe that the communist period was the best in our country’s history. This sentiment reflects a memory of stability, dignity, and social equality. We intend to build upon this foundation, responsibly and thoughtfully, to strengthen our movement and re-establish the left as a credible force for change.
As we look toward the future, it is clear that our struggle cannot be confined within national borders. The challenges we face—economic inequality, the militarization of politics, the rise of xenophobia, the erosion of workers’ rights, and the aggressive expansion of neoliberal capitalism—are global in nature. Therefore, our response must also be global. We must strengthen cooperation between socialist, progressive, and workers’ parties across continents, sharing not only analyses but also strategies, organizational models, and practical experiences that have proven effective in mobilizing people—and it is through conferences like these that we will light the small spark that will start the prairie fire.
Please allow me to end with the words of our great comrade Thomas Sankara that still echoes today: “Imperialism is everywhere; it leads us to think like it, it leads us to submit to it, to follow it in all its maneuvers. We must block the path of this imperialism, but I tell you and I promise you that when imperialism comes here, we will bury it”.
Trăiască revolutia, trăiască muncitorii!
Long live the revolution, long live the proletariat!