The longstanding effort to keep extremist forces out of government in Europe is officially over.
For decades, political parties of all kinds joined forces to keep the hard-right far from the levers of power. Today, this strategy — known in France as a cordon sanitaire(or firewall) — is falling apart, as populist and nationalist parties grow in strength across the Continent.
Six EU countries — Italy, Finland, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and the Czech Republic — have hard-right parties in government. In Sweden, the survival of the executive relies on a confidence and supply agreement with the nationalist Sweden Democrats, the second-largest force in parliament. In the Netherlands, the anti-Islamic firebrand Geert Wilders is on the verge of power, having sealed a historic dealto form the most right-wing government in recent Dutch history.
Meanwhile, hard-right parties are dominating the polls across much of Europe. In France, far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s National Rally is cruising at over 30 percent, far ahead of President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, according to POLITICO’s Poll of Polls. Across the Rhine, Alternative for Germany, a party under police surveillance for its extremist views, is polling second, head-to-head with the Social Democrats.
Please help us, how do we make it stop?
I don’t know, but I am scared for the future. It’s also worrying how popular far right is under the youth. I worry about my little kids growing up …
It’s looking bleak here, indeed. My Heimat is jerking off Wilders and here in Germany it’s the AfD, though luckily in BW they aren’t as popular as in other parts of Germany…
Still, not really sure what to do about it. I vote, but it doesn’t seem to matter. Don’t know how to explain to people why they should care about others. It’s a good thing I have enough books and games and series to offer escapism, because otherwise I’d probably need to get some prescription medication.
Well, they win because they get votes, what is it that they’re unhappy with that they’re drawn to the potential leadership of these parties? I’d start with that. These are democracies, so these parties can’t gain power unless they offer the citizenry of their countries something they want.
That assumes a fair and level playing field and it really isn’t
How so? The parties they’re competing against are incumbents, and often, there are laws preventing them from campaigning. If anything they’re at a disadvantage policitally, and yet they’re winning. Obviously, what they’re offering is popular for some reason.
In my opinion these parties are often mentioning valid issues or things that could be improved in society, and people vote for that. The problem is these parties don’t really have solutions either, but that’s something that doesn’t show up until after the elections…
Can you undo too much immigration?
Maybe sending people like you back to level it out could work?
Simple really - stop importing people from countries incompatible with western culture, like most muslim countries.
Most of the discourse is around anti Islamic immigration so the people might be somewhat discontent with that…
Holy fucking racism Batman
You asked a question and he replied by giving the only reason why people vote for the far right.
Also religion is not race.
Race and religion are absolutely just smoke and mirror scapegoats and panic-triggering red buttons, for the far-right.
People vote far right because of strongman propaganda (Great Leader will solve it all!!!), combined with feelings of anger, frustration and powerlessness.
Any country that keeps it’s people poor and/or let’s rich fucks get rich enough, will get a blooming field of far-right politicians, vying for the privilege of getting more power, to suck the rich people’s dicks better, and get richer themselves.
Just give in to the hate and give the fear mongers exactly what they want to make them stop must be the dumbest thing ever posted on Lemmy. Congrats!
fear mongers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_terrorism#France (since the 80s nonetheless)
Also religion is not race.
It’s still discriminatory, though.
If the religion itself is discriminatory towards the tolerant, why should we be tolerant of them?
Nice. Generalizing an entire group of people to fit your narrative. Can you say the same about Christians? You sure can, but again, you’d sound stupid because you’re generalizing.
I don’t think you can… In majorly Christian and atheist nations in Europe, there isn’t much prejudice against women and people from the LGBT group, unlike in the middle East.
I’m no fan of any religion but some have clearly stopped in the middle ages.
Islamophobia is racism. The logic is subtle and inescapable. Read about it.
Also religion is not race.
That is semantics. It doesn’t change anything about the point they were making since both race and religion are protected from discrimination.
Truth does not equate to racism.
Sure, provided that the EU, pays reparations to the countries that it gouges the last 50 years, and provided that former colonial European countries, pay reparations to their former colonies.
What, no?
You can’t colonize Algeria and then complain about Algerians in France. You can’t import gastarbeiter and then complain about Turks in Germany. You can’t genocide the Kongo, Namibia, etc and then complain about Africans. You can’t keep West Africa in a perpetual chokehold with the franc and complain about the Senegalese.
Basically, you simply can not fundamentally alter the rest of the world to serve your interests and then pretend that you don’t have to change yourself.
The funny thing is that the European project as a supra national project is actually perfectly placed to overcome these old wounds by promoting peace and prosperity and encouraging regional integration outside Europe. The basic tenets of Europeanism are wildly successful at promoting peace and prosperity internally. The European experiment seems to have worked and Europe could very well foster similar projects around the world. Instead, they play the role of Vikings…
Sure, provided that the EU, pays reparations to the countries that it gouges the last 50 years, and provided that former colonial European countries, pay reparations to their former colonies.
Congratulations, you just succinctly demonstrated why Far-Right parties are rising. Turns out that many voters do not want to do either of those things.
Yup. So what is your take?
white ppl have some nerve whining about “importing people from countries incompatible with culture” considering their history of colonisation
There is no correlation between your area receiving immigration and people turning far right. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t, and sometimes they turn far right in some backwater town where no one wanted to move into anyway. Muslims are just a scapegoat that people too lazy to think about the root of their own problems are fast to attack.
People really don’t like hearing the truth here.
Do we still have good news? One? Two? None?
I should stop doomscrolling for today but my commute is taking ages again…
I mainly blame the influences of people like Joe head-kicked Rogan, Elmo, Benzo Kermit and the Russian troll farms.
It is happening in Belgium as well.
At least people are wising up, the extreme right party might be polling high, but the second right-wing party is doing better. I may not always agree with that party, but at least their leader isn’t a raging racist that thinks everything is woke, thinks trans shouldn’t exist and wants to split Belgium in 2 while simultaneously abandoning the EU.
So, I’ve always wondered why the far right is unusually strong in France. I can explain its strength in America, rooted in our culture, history and geography. Parts of Eastern or Central Europe also don’t overly surprise me. I understand Italy.
But why France? What is it that makes Le Pen so strong there? I don’t understand what aspects of French history, culture or geography make this such a problem in what is otherwise a very western nation, with significant wealth and values ostensibly based in liberty and equality.
The french people are very proud of their culture and free spirit, so even hard opinions are articulated freely.
Additionally it appears they struggle with problems in the suburbs (banlieue); The public opinion in europe shifts to blame uncontrolled immigration it appears to me.
From my pov it feels like everyone most people are either racist, or they dont give a fuck about politics
Because they have a strong culture of “I want what I want, and everyone else can get out of the way”. It’s easier to group together when that sentiment is “I want other people to get fucked” than “I want to help better my country and my fellow citizens”. Weren’t there something like three progressive parties in the last election that, instead of forming together to form some kind of coalition, decided to go all in on themselves and split the vote in such a way that they all got fucked?
Doesn’t help that they only seem to really go for what they want when they’ve already lost it, instead of fighting for the future before things actually get bad. Plus a feeling of “If we just have a massive generic protest, we’ll get what we want!” even though they seem to keep having to do it over and over and over, with limited long-term change.
why France?
Islamic terrorism since the 80s.
One word: immigration.
Lots of places have immigration. What would make it more upsetting to the French than others?
Also, I don’t think pride alone is enough explanation. Pride in ones culture is also very common pretty much everywhere.
French culture has a long and bloody history specifically centered around getting rid of religious rule (read christianity), and implementing laws that essentially amount to freedom from religion. This is unlike a lot of other countries which focused on freedom of religion.
When large muslim communities form, this often leads to the imposition of their religious expressions upon others. This specifically clashes with French culture, where religion is a private matter, for private spaces. Hence why many french react strongly when muslims complain about how the very laws they relied on to rid themselves of the yoke of Christianity is somehow specifically discriminatory against them.
No, it’s not discriminatory against islam or muslims in particular. It’s a defence mechanism against the imposition of regressive, anti-humanist values on the general population by organized religion.
not news. propaganda
Politico.eu’s main mission seems to be “Stir up shit” these days
next month? It’s this week!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
For decades, political parties of all kinds joined forces to keep the hard-right far from the levers of power.
Today, this strategy — known in France as a cordon sanitaire (or firewall) — is falling apart, as populist and nationalist parties grow in strength across the Continent.
Six EU countries — Italy, Finland, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and the Czech Republic — have hard-right parties in government.
In the Netherlands, the anti-Islamic firebrand Geert Wilders is on the verge of power, having sealed a historic deal to form the most right-wing government in recent Dutch history.
Across the Rhine, Alternative for Germany, a party under police surveillance for its extremist views, is polling second, head-to-head with the Social Democrats.
As we approach next month’s European Parliament election, these parties may use their momentum to form a powerful political bloc — if they can maintain their unity.
The original article contains 353 words, the summary contains 145 words. Saved 59%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
not news
I think more bureaucracy, more european funds giving money to their friends, more surveillance and more prohibitions should do the job.
If you want change, start by removing prohibitions, give back freedom of decision how people can live and die, start lowering cost of living by repairing existing infrastructure instead of only destroying it, start destroying monopolies, start promoting small businesses, stop all socialism, start respecting all people and their believes instead of promoting only one single source of truth - we are different, protect native culture, promote traditional family that is roots of europe. Stop promoting and spedning money only on new things and stop taking care of only of yourself.
But what I know. I’m nobody and the best I can hear is I’m under russian influence, I’m racist and I am underman because I dared to think by myself.
I… What?
If I were to plot all of your positions on the political compass, would that draw Rick Astley…?
Because of people like you Europe will die, because people are divided on those who are allowed to speak and who can’t speak freely about what they feel because they’re scared they would be laughted from and marginalized or more likely canceled - just like you did laughted my comment.
Hmmm nooo, I have no problem with you speaking, I’m just pointing out that what you speak makes no sense. That’s just free speech :)
Well I fell the same about your text. Maybe that’s what people are, they write without sense and read without sense.
Ok, let’s see how your proposals are faring in the contemporary laboratory of the far right.
If you want change, start by removing prohibitions
Italy moves to ban lab-grown meat
give back freedom of decision how people can live and die
Italy’s LGBTQ+ community decries government’s attacks on same-sex parental rights
start lowering cost of living
Cost of living in Italy to rise again from September
And so on. Looks like the only things she’s delivering is fucking over anyone who looks or lives differently. Keep deluding yourself thinking that screwing over others will solve your problems. You’ll have time to relish in your triumph when Europe becomes a shithole and you realize that, after having removed the undesirables, your life is still shit.
Stop socialism, but also stop taking care of only yourself!
So don’t be socialist, but also be socialist.
And you wonder why people say you don’t make any sense.
How about pushing for more immigration, I’m sure that will help the left in the polls?
