Comac is the student youth wing of the Belgian Marxist political party, the Workers' Party of Belgium (WPB), (known as PTB-PVDA in Belgium). The movement is active in 11 places across Belgium, operating in different cities, universities, as well as hogescholen. Comac's projects engage in political and symbolic movements, and it frequently hosts gatherings, protests, or other actions. The organization is bilingual, with Flemish and Walloon sections cooperating on a national level.
The student wing strives for a spectrum of social goals, such as a sustainable future, universal access to quality education, attention for mental health and climate action. Reversely, it opposes forms of discrimination, sexism, racism and aims to counteract the far-right. Comac envisions a radically democratic, social and diverse society. While being politically aligned to PVDA-PTB, Comac is autonomous in their affairs; it is not required to be a WPB-member to join Comac.
The student wing's abbreviation reflects its goals: Change: Comac seeks to unite youth willing to stand up to injustice in society and fight to change the world; Optimists: hopefulness towards alternatives and a better world; Marxists: Comac sees Marx's ideas as a platform to understanding present-day capitalism and creating a new society; Active: the student movement fights alongside climate activists, workers and people of everyday life; Creative: change requires a broad movement independent of current dominant structures, to work on a new culture based on solidary.
The organization has a joint movement, RedFox, for high-school students.
History
Comac (short for Change, Optimisme, Marxisme, Activisme, Creativiteit in Dutch and Changement, Optimisme, Marxisme, Activisme, Créativité in French) is a result of the 2002 merger of the Leninist MML, Mouvement marxiste leniniste, and Marxistisch-Leninistische Beweging (MLB), which were active at universities, and Rebelle or Rode Jeugd, who were active in the secondary schools. In April 2016, a split was made to demarcate between university students and younger members, as well as to represent the movement in high schools, leading to the creation of the sister movement RedFox.
In 2018, Max Vancauwenberge was elected as national chairman, succeeding Charlie Le Paige, who had served the position for three years.
In 2022, internal documents of the youth organisation , a far-right Flemish nationalist group, contained plans to infiltrate Comac and gain control from the inside-out, as well as secure influential positions in society. Comac chairman Max Vancauwenberge has strongly condemned these tactics, calling them "typical methods of fascist organisations: physical and digital intimidation, provocation and violence." Schild en Vrienden has been known to launch troll attacks on social media.
Sander Claessens was elected new chairman in November 2022, succeeding Max Vancauwenberge. Octave Daube was voted for vice chairman. As of 2023, Comac has institutions in the VUB, ULB, Leuven, Antwerp, Ghent, Saint-Louis, Louvain-la-Neuve, Mons, Namur, Charleroi and Liège.
Activism
Comac is active via protests, direct action, and by manifesting in other symbolic events to support LGBT pride, women's rights, feminism and political action. Comac members have also volunteered for many solidarity actions, often jointly with other organizations and non-members, or in cooperation with the WPB or RedFox. These events aim to support disadvantaged groups, such as low-wage workers or refugees. The student wing furthermore has an online shop where stickers with messages can be purchased, such as against sexism and racism.
Climate protests
Members from Comac have frequently participated in large-scale climate protests, as well its own actions to advocate for climate action, such as blockading the entrance of the VBO (pictured), a building representing polluting multinational corporations. Comac called for a more collective climate approach as well as investments in transport and public transit to make these carbon-neutral. The youth wing also criticizes the proposed carbon tax, opting for expansion on green energy alternatives as well as taxing polluting multinationals themselves.
The youth organisation has furthermore sent 200 members to Glasgow to demonstrate at the COP26 summit for climate action.
Anti-war protests
Comac and the WPB have organized and participated in pacifist rallies, calling on the Belgian government to discard military spending. The coalition government had approved over 12.2 billion euro in military allocation, meant to further purchase F-35s, frigates and drones, as well as fund more personnel and digital security.