Your first problem is your misconception that the Merkel's, Blairs, Obamas, Clintons and Trudeaus of this world are "on the left".
  Such misinformation is a major reason why North America is being pushed ruthlessly and relentlessly down the muddy slope of fascism.
  Those fake "progressives" are merely figureheads doing the bidding of the billionaire corporate oligarchs who run and rule the world. The phony "progressives" want you to believe they care about democracy, equality, progressive prosperity for all, justice for all, etc., but they don't give a hoot about anything but shoveling the wealth up to the 1% and getting their share of it.
   Calling these corrupt establishment figureheads "the left" is an insult to genuine leftists, such as Bernie Sanders.