Can social justice and environmental justice be fused into a single political force?

Can social justice and environmental justice be fused into a single political force?
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In short: In Italy, the Greens and Left Alliance (AVS) is attempting to bridge the gap between ecology and labor rights. By uniting Green Europe and the Italian Left, this red–green federation seeks to transform everything from wealth taxation to reproductive healthcare through a unified, progressive agenda.

Launched on 2 July 2022, the Greens and Left Alliance (AVS) emerged from a federation of two parties: Green Europe (EV) and the Italian Left (SI). The alliance was formalized following a joint convention in Rome called "New Energies," which aimed to create a unitary electoral program. This movement seeks to integrate social and environmental justice, a goal that led scientists from Climalteranti and the Italian Climate Network to describe AVS as the best Italian party for "climate commitment."

The alliance's platform is expansive, touching on labor, health, and civil rights. From an economic perspective, AVS promotes an hourly minimum wage of 9 or 10 euros alongside decreased working hours at no pay cut. They propose a progressive personal wealth tax on assets exceeding 5 million euros, which could rise to 2% for assets over 50 million euros. For the 2027 elections, they have proposed a tax reform—presented on 2 October 2026—that would replace the three existing IRPEF brackets with a single, highly progressive continuous function.

In the 2024 European Parliament elections, AVS achieved a breakthrough, securing 6.8% of the vote and electing six MEPs. These representatives are split between two groups: Ilaria Salis and Mimmo Lucano joined The Left group, while Cristina Guarda, Benedetta Scuderi, Ignazio Marino, and Leoluca Orlando joined the Greens–European Free Alliance. The party also maintains a strong presence in regional politics, securing significant vote shares in areas like Tuscany (7.0%) and Piedmont (6.8%) in 2024.

Beyond economics, AVS supports various social reforms, including the legalization of cannabis for personal use and the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide. On international issues, the alliance supports a two-state solution for the Israeli–Palestinian conflict based on 1967 borders and calls for the suspension of the EU's association agreement with Israel in response to alleged violations of international law.

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