We, the Left Students of Finland (VASOP) want to thank the European Students’ Union (ESU) for their fight against the right-wing agenda of education cuts with their latest statement regarding the future of the Erasmus programme. It’s good that ESU is able to contextualize these unfortunate developments with the crisis affecting Europe in general.
We urge ESU to not just oppose education cuts, but to go further – to the causes behind the current crisis and austerity. We hope ESU, the national students’ unions and the youth wings of European parties initiate open and inclusive discussion within the European student movement to make the voice of students heard in these trying times.
“The latest attacks on students both on European and national levels remind us of the importance of fundamental rights, such as the right to education on merit, not money, which is still not reality in many European countries.”, says Antti Kettunen, VASOP chairperson. “Europe suffers from mass youth unemployment and rising inequality. We, the student movement, have a duty to mobilize against the destructive austerity policies.”
ESU has acknowledged that there is a crisis. ESU has acknowledged that there is austerity. Left Students of Finland wish the Board Meeting 64 the courage to go beyond narrow student advocacy and take action against the current right-wing policy of starvation.
For more information, please contact
Antti Kettunen, chairperson / puheenjohtaja@vasemmisto-
or
Jussi Nuortimo, secretary general / paasihteeri@vasemmisto-