Merkel bleibt hart beim G-20-Gipfel: Vereinigte Staaten in Seoul isoliert
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Barack Obama hat in Seoul einen schweren Stand. China, Deutschland, aber auch Brasilien sind - gelinde gesagt - über die amerikanische Wirtschafts- und Finanzpolitik verstimmt. Das Anwerfen der Notenpresse in den Vereinigten Staaten weckt Ängste vor Inflation und Spekulation.

Beim Gipfel der führenden Wirtschaftsmächte (G20) stehen die Vereinigten Staaten im Abseits. Das Anwerfen der Notenpresse durch die amerikanische Notenbank und die Idee einer „Exportbremse“ für Deutschland und China stießen schon vor Beginn des Treffens in der südkoreanischen Hauptstadt Seoul auf massive Kritik. Die G-20-Staats- und Regierungschefs wollen bis Freitag versuchen, einen „Währungskrieg“ und neue Schranken im Welthandel zu verhindern.

Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel (CDU) erteilte dem Vorschlag von Barack Obama eine klare Absage, führende Exportnationen müssten ihren Handelsüberschuss deckeln und stattdessen mehr für die heimische Nachfrage tun: „Eine politische Festlegung von Obergrenzen für Leistungsbilanzüberschüsse oder -defizite ist weder ökonomisch gerechtfertigt noch politisch angemessen“, sagte sie bei einem G20- „Business Summit“ vor 100 Topmanagern aus aller Welt. „Dies wäre unvereinbar mit dem Ziel eines freien Welthandels.“ >>> dpa | Donnerstag, 11. November 2010

G20 Protesters Clash With Police

Day Dawns for G20 Discussion After Night of Protests and Arrests
Police officers on Queen Street West (Toronto) Saturday night. Photograph: The Globe and Mail
THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Vigil at detention centre broken up by police; more than 400 arrested Saturday as storefronts vandalized, at least three police cars burned

More than 400 people have been arrested in connection with G20-related protests, and skirmishes between riot police and protesters continued into the early morning Sunday in downtown Toronto, only hours before leaders of the G20 are scheduled to begin their summit.

Police officers, with batons out, were searching bushes around a University of Toronto building near Russell Street and Spadina Avenue, in what appeared to be a major raid. At least two police buses were on the scene, along with more than 10 other police vehicles, mostly unmarked minivans. One bus was a "prisoner bus," a police officer said.

Several dozen police officers were searching trash cans. At least two people were seen with handcuffs on. More than 50 people had been arrested for wielding "street-type weaponry", such as bricks, police said. Some of thopse arrested looked much older than typical university students. The raid was at the Bancroft Building, the Earth Science Centre and the Graduate Students Centre.

After more than 14 hours of sometimes-violent confrontations between protesters and officers, the downtown core was largely quiet; discarded water bottles and plastic zip-tie handcuffs littered streets that had been the scenes of standoffs hours before. >>> Anna Mehler Paperny and Chris Hannay | Sunday, June 27, 2010

G20 Protesters Take to Toronto Streets


Police Cars Ablaze at G20

World on Economic ‘Tightrope:’ Harper
THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Summit turns to dilemma of sustaining growth versus cutbacks

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Photograph: The Globe and Mail
Group of 20 leaders meeting in Toronto Sunday will try to come up with an agreement on fiscal belt-tightening that finds the right balance between telling markets they are serious about cutting deficits and debt, and keeping the global economy from backsliding.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper opened the second day of talks by saying the summit must strike the proper balance between sustaining economic growth and pulling back fiscal deficits.

“Here is the tightrope we must walk,” Mr. Harper said. “To sustain the recovery, it is imperative that we follow through on existing stimulus plans. At the same time, advanced countries must send a clear message that as our stimulus plans expire, we will focus on getting our fiscal houses in order.”

Separately Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters the summit leaders will agree to Mr. Harper’s call for countries to slash their budget deficits by half by 2013.

“This will be part of the final document,” she said. Continue reading and comment >>> Jeremy Torobin | Sunday, June 27, 2010

Gouvernance : Le sommet de Toronto coûtera jusqu’à 1,2 milliard
Photo : Le Temps
LE TEMPS: Précédé par le G8, le G20 commence ce samedi. Les Européens font pression pour une taxe bancaire

La ville est déjà morte. Malgré la température estivale, Toronto semble désertée par ses habitants. La presse canadienne l’explique par le périmètre de sécurité dressé autour de l’Exhibition Center, au bord du lac Ontario, qui accueille dès ce soir la quatrième réunion du G20. De multiples restrictions de circulation paralysent une partie du centre ville. Des commerçants, qui redoutent aussi les manifestations, chiffrent déjà la perte à quelque 15% de leur chiffre d’affaires mensuel. «Moi, j’ai loué toutes mes chambres, alors j’aimerais un G20 tous les week-ends!», plaisante un hôtelier interrogé par Le Temps. >>> Frédéric Lelièvre, Toronto | Vendredi 25 Juin 2010

Cameron Risks Conflict with US Over Pace of Spending Cuts
David Cameron arrives in Toronto where he will attend the G8 and G20 summits. Photo: The Times
THE TIMES: David Cameron will risk a trans-Atlantic rift over his Budget today by insisting that Britain is right to slash spending despite American warnings that deep cuts could derail the global recovery.

Tim Geithner, President Obama’s Treasury Secretary, said it was paramount for European leaders to concentrate on growth, and that they could not rely on America to drive the recovery.

His comments reflect concern in Washington that European governments - Germany in particular - have cut their budgets too hard and too fast, and that the risk to growth could drag the world economy back towards recession.

Mr Cameron, who holds face-to-face talks with Mr Obama tomorrow in Toronto, will insist that he had no choice because the Greek crisis showed the dangers to governments of failing to deal with vast debts.

“For countries with big fiscal deficits, that path to recovery requires us to deal decisively with the deficit problem,” said the Prime Minister’s official spokesman.

“It is perfectly consistent to have strong position on fiscal consolidation and be pro growth.” Read on and comment >>> Roland Watson, Toronto | Friday, June 25, 2010

G-20-Länder: Obama warnt vor zu raschem Sparkurs
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Post vom amerikanischen Präsidenten: Barack Obama hat in einem Brief die Regierungschefs anderen großen Industrienationen vor übertriebenen Sparmaßnahmen gewarnt. Die Kürzung öffentlicher Ausgaben könne die Erholung der Weltwirtschaft erheblich gefährden. Deutsche Ökonomen reagierten skeptisch auf die Vorwürfe.

Der amerikanische Präsident Barack Obama hat die großen Industrie- und Schwellenländer davor gewarnt, die Erholung der Weltwirtschaft durch übereilte Sparmaßnahmen zu gefährden. Mittelfristig müssten die Schuldenquoten stabilisiert werden. Man dürfe jedoch nicht „die Fehler der Vergangenheit wiederholen, als der Konjunkturstimulus zu früh zurückgezogen wurde, was neue wirtschaftliche Not und Rezession zur Folge hatte“, schrieb Obama in einem Brief an die Staats- und Regierungschefs der zwanzig wichtigsten Volkswirtschaften (G 20).

Damit deuten sich gut eine Woche vor dem G-20-Gipfeltreffen im kanadischen Toronto transatlantische Differenzen über die Fiskalpolitik an. In Europa hat Deutschland als erstes großes Land ein Sparpaket vorgelegt, das den Abbau der Defizite um 80 Milliarden Euro in den kommenden vier Jahren vorsieht. >>> Von Philip Plickert | Freitag, 18. Juni 2010

Sommet : Le G20 se pose en nouveau gouvernement mondial
LE TEMPS: Le groupe des pays les plus puissants du monde s’est accordé sur un encadrement de la finance et une réforme du FMI

Vendredi, les chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement réunis à Pittsburg (Pennsylvanie), ont «désigné» leur enceinte comme «le premier forum pour notre coopération économique». Exit le G8. Il laisse la place à une organisation plus vaste, représentant plus de 80% de la richesse de la planète, qui fait la part belle aux pays émergents.

Dans leur communiqué final, les Etats membres détaillent comment ils entendent se donner davantage de moyens pour renforcer cette coopération. Certaines de ces mesures restent vagues (sacro-sainte souveraineté des Etats oblige), très peu de sanctions ou de mesures contraignantes sont prévues pour convaincre les éventuels récalcitrants. Au final, les membres du G20 se sont octroyés à eux-mêmes la mission «d’agir ensemble pour générer une croissance globale forte, durable et équilibrée.» Ils s’en prennent notamment «au comportement téméraire et au manque de responsabilité» qui a amené à la crise financière actuelle. «Nous ne permettrons pas, assènent-ils, un retour aux pratiques bancaires ordinaires («banking as usual»).» >>> Luis Lema | Lundi 28 Septembre 2009

Obama Hails Progress at G20

Surprise Announcement That G20 Will Supplant G8

Etats-Unis : Semaine aussi chargée que risquée pour Barack Obama
LE TEMPS: Discours à la tribune des Nations unies, réunion du G20, dossier proche-oriental, sans oublier l’Afghanistan et le réchauffement climatique: le président des Etats-Unis risque d’engendrer des déceptions

Une fois de plus, Barack Obama jouera le rôle de protagoniste incontesté! Dans son agenda, Barack Obama a réservé cette semaine à l’avenir de la planète. De la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique à la suite des réformes du système économique mondial, de l’Afghanistan au conflit israélo-palestinien, des relations commerciales avec la Chine à la place à donner aux maîtres de l’Iran sur la carte mondiale…

Quelque 120 chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement attendus par ici. Les dossiers les plus incandescents du moment. Le chassé-croisé des enjeux politiques et économiques. Entre l’Assemblée générale de l’ONU qui vient de commencer à New York et la réunion du G20 qui se tiendra en Pennsylvanie à la fin de la semaine, la côte Est des Etats-Unis va devenir pour quelques jours le centre du monde. Avec une multitude de casquettes différentes, le président des Etats-Unis en sera chaque fois le capitaine.

Pour la première fois, le président s’adressera mercredi aux dirigeants de la planète de la tribune des Nations unies, chargé de donner un nouveau ton aux Etats-Unis dans un exercice que son prédécesseur, George Bush, avait transformé en un mélange de réticence et d’arrogance. Le lendemain, Barack Obama sera à la tête d’une réunion du Conseil de sécurité, actuellement présidé par les Etats-Unis, pour expliciter sa vision d’ancien étudiant d’un monde débarrassé à terme de toutes ses armes nucléaires. Au cours de la semaine, il croisera sans doute le Guide libyen Mouammar Kadhafi et, de loin, l’Iranien Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, ces parias internationaux auquel il a promis que les Etats-Unis étaient prêts à tendre la main, pour autant qu’eux-mêmes «desserrent le poing». Il aura réuni auparavant l’Israélien Benyamin Netanyahou et le Palestinien Mahmoud Abbas pour tenter de les faire avancer, ne fût-ce que de quelques mètres, sur le chemin tortueux de la paix au Proche-Orient. Puis le président américain s’envolera pour Pittsburgh afin d’assister à la réunion du G20, cette enceinte qui a pris le rôle inofficiel de directoire du monde et dont on attend qu’il s’entende pour faire en sorte que la récession économique actuelle ne soit pas la répétition générale d’autres crises à venir. >>> Luis Lema | Mardi 22 Septembre 2009

Barack Obama: President Pantywaist - New Surrender Monkey on the Block
TELEGRAPH BLOG – Gerald Warner: President Barack Obama has recently completed the most successful foreign policy tour since Napoleon's retreat from Moscow. You name it, he blew it. What was his big deal economic programme that he was determined to drive through the G20 summit? Another massive stimulus package, globally funded and co-ordinated. Did he achieve it? Not so as you'd notice.

Barack is not the first New World ingenue to discover that European leaders will load him with praise, struggle sycophantically to be photographed with him and outdo him in Utopian rhetoric. But when it comes to the critical moment of opening their wallets - suddenly it is flag-day in Aberdeen. Okay, put the G20 down to inexperience, beginner's nerves, what you will. Read on and comment here >>> Gerald Warner | Saturday, April 10, 2009

G20: A 'New World Order' Is Simply Fantasy
THE TELEGRAPH: The international act of posturing was pointless; because despite having caused the problem, the political class had none of the requisite skills to sort it out, says Simon Heffer.

Barack Obama and Gordon Brown: Don't trust these guys with your trillions. Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
Those who thought that Dr Goebbels came to an end on a stretch of waste ground in Berlin in 1945 have been forced to think again. The piece of theatre that concluded in London on Thursday was one of the great confidence tricks of our lifetimes. Just getting the 20 most important heads of government on the planet together in one place and not being unpleasant about each other was, we must concede, something of an achievement. But it won't make a blind bit of difference to the world's economy.

Nor, I imagine, will it have any effect on the result of the next general election. In the months ahead, as thousands more people go on to the dole every week, more businesses go under and confidence continues to seep out of a system wrecked by politicians, few will link in their minds the words "Gordon Brown" and "triumph". I have long thought that our Prime Minister was around elevenpence ha'penny to the shilling. His fantasy press conference at the end of the G20, with his grandiloquent (and preposterous) claim to have founded a "new world order", confirmed it. >>> By Simon Heffer | Friday, April 3, 2009

G20 Summit: Global Financial Crackdown Is Cost of Solving Crisis
THE TELEGRAPH: • New Financial Stability Board as global overseer • Tax havens and hedge funds to be punished • Heavy scrutiny for banks

Gordon Brown and his fellow world leaders have pledged the biggest crackdown on tax havens, hedge funds and banks in modern history as the price to be paid for the multi-trillion dollar bail-out of the world economy.

"The era of banking secrecy is over", the Prime Minister declared, as the Group of 20 leading nations agreed to impose a new range of regulations on banks and non-bank financial institutions as a punishment for contributing to the crisis.

Harsh fines and sanctions will be levied on tax havens that refuse to publish details of their accounts; hedge funds will have to provide more detailed accounts in the future; and bankers will have their bonuses more heavily controlled and taxed throughout the world, the communique pledged.

The range of new regulations will be implemented by national governments in the coming months, officials said, after the G20 agreed on more significant and far-reaching reforms than had been expected.

In what will be interpreted as a victory for the French and German factions, which had emphasised the importance of regulation over new fiscal giveaways, the G20 also ordered the creation of a new Financial Stability Board dedicated to monitoring leverage and inter-connectedness of international financial institutions. >>> By Edmund Conway Economics Editor | Friday, April 3, 2009

THE TELEGRAPH: G20 Summit: Blacklisted Tax Havens Face Sanctions

Tax havens that refuse to sign anti-secrecy agreements face expensive sanctions under an unprecedented global effort to catch illegal tax evaders.

Liechtenstein is among 45 territories blacklisted by the OECD and threatened with punitive financial retaliation for banking secrecy. Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
Switzerland, Singapore, the Cayman Islands, Monaco, Luxembourg and Hong Kong are among 45 territories blacklisted on Thursday by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and now threatened with punitive financial retaliation for their banking secrecy.

Among the sanctions being considered by the G20 are the scrapping of tax treaty arrangements, imposing additional taxes on companies that operate in non-compliant countries, and tougher disclosure requirements for individuals and businesses that use shelters.

Of the offending jurisdictions, 40 "have committed to the internationally agreed tax standard" but have yet to implement it. Only Costa Rica, Malaysia, Philippines and Uruguay have refused to sign up altogether. Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are fully compliant already.

Illegal tax evasion through offshore shelters has been a long-standing irritation for Gordon Brown, President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. An estimated $7 trillion of assets are held offshore and, according to pressure group Tax Justice Network, developed countries lose $180bn a year in evaded taxes. >>> By Philip Aldrick, Banking Editor | Friday, April 3, 2009

G20 Summit: Leaders Target Bankers
THE TELEGRAPH: World leaders will agree unprecedented global restrictions on pay and bonuses for bankers at the G20 summit in London.

G20 rioters storm RBS – Telegraph TV exclusive
In future, bankers will be prevented from receiving multi-million pound cash bonuses for speculating on the stock market.

Their remuneration will instead be based on the risks they take over the long term. Bankers deemed to be making risky investment decisions will only be paid in shares that can be cashed in after several years.

The multi-million-pound bonuses paid to bankers have been blamed for encouraging them to take the "reckless" decisions that triggered the global financial crisis.

The Daily Telegraph has learnt that the remuneration deal was thrashed out over the past few days following intensive diplomatic efforts by Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, and Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor. The measure did not appear in a draft communiqué that was leaked at the weekend.

The European leaders were understood to have pushed for an exact monetary limit on banking pay but were prepared to sign up to the new, strongly-worded agreement.

Regulators in each of the G20 countries will impose the new restrictions, which cover both private banks and those owned both wholly and partially by the state.

The agreement will be the most eye-catching part of the communiqué, which is expected to be released by G20 leaders at the summit in London's Docklands on Thursday.

On Wednesday, violent clashes took place in the capital between police and anti-capitalism protesters ahead of the talks. In the City of London, a branch of Royal Bank of Scotland was attacked and looted as violence flared during a 6,000-strong protest, which resulted in 32 arrests.

A man died after he collapsed at the scene of protests near the Bank of England last night.

A protester called the police after they saw the man collapse and stop breathing in St Michael’s Alley, near Birchin Lane just off Cornhill shortly before 7.30pm.

Two police medics broke through the cordon and carried the man to a clear area in front of the Royal Exchange where they gave him CPR.
The ambulance arrived six minutes later and took him to hospital just before 8pm, where he was pronounced dead.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “The officers took the decision to move him as during this time a number of missiles - believed to be bottles - were being thrown at them.”

It is believed that the man died of a heart attack. >>> By Andrew Porter, Robert Winnett and Christopher Hope | Thursday, April 2, 2009

G20: Sarkozy and Merkel Form Pact to Curb the Excesses of Disgusting, Shameless, Greedy, 'Can't-Get-Enough' Bankers
THE TELEGRAPH: Tough regulation of global financial markets is a non-negotiable demand of France and Germany at tomorrow's G20 summit, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel have said.

France's President Sarkozy waves alongside German Chancellor Merkel before a bilateral meeting in London, ahead of a G20 summit meeting. Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
In a tough-speaking joint press conference in London on the eve of the summit, the two leaders left no doubt that they will refuse to sign an agreement which does not meet their "red lines" on tax havens, hedge fund regulation, banking transparency and a worldwide cap on bankers' pay.

Mr Sarkozy said that the summit provided a once in a lifetime opportunity to give capitalism a conscience.

He said: "Germany and France will speak with one and the same voice.

"We are aiming for the same objectives in terms of principles and how we apply those principles. The objective is a simple one – we demand results, we want hard and fast results."

He added: "This is a historic opportunity afforded us to give capitalism a conscience, because capitalism has lost its conscience and we have to seize this opportunity."

Mrs Merkel said that Germany was ready to offer support to poorer countries which are unable to deliver fiscal stimulus packages of tax spending and public investment from their own resources.

But she made clear that both France and Germany feel they have already implemented substantial stimulus packages of their own.

Mrs Merkel said that France and Germany wanted to see "a new architecture and new regulations for financial markets" spelt out very clearly in the final communique of the summit. G20 Summit: Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel Demand Tough Market Regulations >>> | Wednesday, April 1, 2009

TIMESONLINE: Franco-German Demands Upset G20 Unity

The leaders of France and Germany delivered a stunning ultimatum to Gordon Brown tonight when they demanded binding reform of world financial markets as the price of their support at tomorrow's G20 summit.

Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel made the comments at a joint press conference at which they promised that they would "speak with one voice" at the meeting in London's Docklands.

Having already scuppered Gordon Brown's plans for the summit to agree on a massive and coordinated fiscal stimulus, the two European heavyweights are demanding that it now move to do away with the "light-touch" Anglo-Saxon model of regulation blamed for the current economic crisis. >>> Philippe Naughton | Wednesday, April 1, 2009

G20 Protests: Rioters Loot RBS as Demonstrations Turn Violent
THE TELEGRAPH: G20 summit protesters looted a City office of Royal Bank of Scotland this afternoon, as a largely peaceful demonstration spilled over into bloody violence in the centre of London.

G20 violence. RBS windows smashed.
A small number of demonstrators forced their way into the building on Threadneedle Street near the Bank of England after smashing windows and throwing smoke grenades.

Hundreds of protesters cheered as office equipment including a printer was carried out of the building – which is believed to have been empty – before riot police wielding batons managed to force the crowds back.

The rampage inside RBS will raise questions about the effectiveness of the £7.2 million security operation. The bailed-out bank was known to be a target of anti-capitalist groups in advance of the protests, but police efforts had concentrated on defending its headquarters on Bishopsgate in Liverpool Street, around half a mile away.

Twenty-three people were arrested as protesters clashed with police around the Bank of England, which was the focus of today's anti-capitalist and anarchist demonstrations. >>> | Wednesday, April 1, 2009

TELEGRAPH picture gallery: G20: Protests turn violent >>>

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback & Hardback) – Free delivery >>>

Protesters Take to London’s Streets
FINANCIAL TIMES: Thousands of anti-capitalist protesters have gathered around the capital on Wednesday morning for a day of action ahead of the G20 summit.

By 11am four marches, led by representations of the horsemen of the apocalypse, were preparing to depart to advance on the Bank of England.

Amid a huge police operation, the mood was largely good natured as protest groups assembled, shouting slogans and carrying banners.

But there were early signs of friction as police contained demonstrators within barricades outside Liverpool Street station, who started screaming ”let us go”.

About 100 cyclists sped down Bishopsgate ”pedalling for the planet”. One cyclist was asked why he was taking part. ”It’s a day out of the office,” he said.

Olivier Dale, a 28 year old attending the demonstration said: ”I am sick of these bankers and this greed. It has got to stop. We have to make a stand. But we want it to be peaceful.”

One protester wearing a balaclava and carrying a sign saying ”welcome to pig city” and who declined to be named said: ”I am an anti-capitalist, I am an anarchist. It’s a rich man’s club. I believe in class war. It is poor versus rich, as simple as that. ” >>> By FT Reporters | Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Nicolas Sarkozy’s Threat to Walk Out of Global Summit
TIMESONLINE: Anglo-Saxon gibe strains relations with Obama


President Sarkozy yesterday threatened to wreck the London summit if France’s demands for tougher financial regulation are not met.

France will not accept a G20 that produces a “false success with language that sounds good but contains no commitments”, his advisers said.

Asked if this meant a possible walk-out, Xavier Musca, Mr Sarkozy’s deputy chief of staff for economic affairs, said: “A basic rule with nuclear deterrence is that you do not say at what point you will use the weapon.”

The French threat dramatically raised the temperature hours before President Obama arrives in London today. If carried through, it would ruin a summit for which Mr Brown and Mr Obama have high ambitions, believing it vital to international recovery.

Mr Sarkozy, who blames the “Anglo-Saxons” for causing the economic crisis, told his ministers last week that he would leave Mr Brown’s summit “if it does not work out”. >>> Charles Bremner in Paris and Philip Webster | Tuesday, March 31, 2009


THE GUARDIAN:
Those key G20 questions answered: The big issue is: can they agree a plan to rebuild the world economy? But there are other pressing questions: Who should we be watching? What's in the Downing St goodie bag? And who's the new Carla Bruni? >>> Words by Jon Henley, Aditya Chakrabortty, Oliver Burkeman, Stuart Jeffries, Jonathan Glancey, Amy Fleming, John Vidal, John Crace, Paula Cocozza | Tuesday, March 31, 2009

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback & Hardback) – Free delivery >>>

Altermondialistes: "Un immense cri"
leJDD.fr: Le G20 se réunit le 2 avril à Londres. A l'ordre du jour: la réforme du système financier international. La police est déjà sur le pied de guerre, craignant des débordements venus des altermondialistes. Samedi à Paris, une manifestation est organisée. David Eloy, rédacteur en chef de la revue Altermondes*, décrypte pour leJDD.fr la nébuleuse altermondialiste.

Comment définir la mouvance altermondialiste?

Il n'y a pas de définition très claire, c'est même devenu un sujet d'étude pour les chercheurs. Disons que c'est un ensemble de mouvements citoyens qui, à travers le monde, se mobilisent pour prôner la construction d'une société planétaire qui soit plus juste, plus durable et plus solidaire. A l'intérieur de ce mouvement, on retrouve des acteurs très différents, dans leur histoire et dans leurs pratiques. Certains vont être plus radicaux que d'autres. Ce sont ceux que l'on a le plus vu ces dernières années. Mais au sein de la famille altermondialiste, on retrouve des organisations confessionnelles, des syndicats, des organisations laïques, des associations... tout un ensemble d'acteurs pour qui l'objectif commun est de construire un monde meilleur.

Comment construire ce "monde meilleur"?

C'est très compliqué en effet. Il y a cinquante ans on était communiste ou capitaliste. Il suffisait de choisir son camp. Aujourd'hui, on voit bien que la réalité est plus complexe. Du point de vue de la solidarité internationale, il faut avant tout revoir la façon dont est géré le monde. Or, ce qui prime aujourd'hui, ce sont les questions économiques et financières. Elles priment sur les questions sociales, sur l'emploi ou sur l'environnement. Ce qui nous manque, ce sont des règles claires, équitables, transparentes et justes au service des populations et non des acteurs économiques et financiers pour permettre à ce monde meilleur d'émerger.

"Un déficit de réflexion à long terme"

Nicolas Sarkozy multiplie les déclarations d'intention pour réformer le capitalisme: il parle de morale, d'honnêteté... Cela correspond-t-il aux attentes du mouvement? Sur les intentions c'est effectivement quelque chose de très important. Le mouvement altermondialiste souhaite mettre de l'éthique dans le fonctionnement du monde. Ce n'est pas juste une conception morale, c'est aussi et surtout une conception de justice et de droit international. Mais on sait comment cela fonctionne : il y a les intentions, certes louables, mais quelles mesures vont être prises? Le G20 de Londres va déboucher sur des grands principes. Mais il n'y aura pas de mesures concrètes, pas de réforme drastique du système financier. Or, le système tel qu'il fonctionne ne marche plus. La crise nous le montre. Alors, soit on continue à se voiler la face avec des ajustements cosmétiques, soit on remet à plat l'ensemble des circuits de discussion. C'est fondamental. Il y a un déficit de réflexion à long terme. >>> Propos recueillis par Jérôme GUILLAS, leJDD.fr | Vendredi 27 Mars 2009

*Altermondes, revue trimestrielle de solidarité internationale.