European elections this year — along with the war grinding away in Ukraine — are picking up where 2022 left off: with rising far-right parties threatening the continent’s liberal democracy.
The first round starts this weekend, with the first vote to choose the president of the Czech Republic. Billionaire populist and ex-PM Andrej Babis, who built his political career forming his own party and buying his own media, is attempting to bounce off being cleared this week of corruption charges to win the top job. Polls show a tight race against his main two opponents Petr Pavel and Danuše Nerudová, but not tight enough for him to win the second round of voting
The focus then shifts to Finland’s April elections where polls suggest it could be on the Swedish track. The current Social Democratic government led by 37-year-old Sanna Marin could be replaced by the traditional conservatives in the National Coalition, supported by the more popular — and more anti-immigrant — Party of Finns.
Then it’s Turkey in June, Poland in November and Spain by December. (Greece, too, in July, although there the anti-austerity populist momentum has been captured by the left party Syriza.)
Since the 2008 financial crisis, a German-dominated European Union has worked to strip the politics out of economic management with a TINA (“there is no alternative”) diktat on balanced-budget austerity. Right now French President Macron is paying the price as his support leaches away over a battle to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64.
The de-politicisation of economics leaves the continent with elections fought along the culture war front line, between particularly nasty forms of authoritarian-adjacent, ethno-nationalist populism on one side, and a fractured progressivism trying to hang on to the imperfect tolerance of liberal democracy on the other.
Europe’s new right is defined by what it’s against — particularly immigration and women’s rights, including abortion access (with active encouragement from US activists), in turn defining its relationship with European rights-based institutions. Right-wing governments attempt to dismantle national liberal institutions (like the courts, media and civil society) that get in their way, setting demands for national sovereignty at odds with the EU’s “rule of law” obligations.
It’s two trends in one. There is the sudden rise of once-fringe post-fascist groups on the right, jumping from what was once a hard voting ceiling of about 10% to a floor of about 20% — an electoral trajectory that last year boosted France’s Rassemblement National, Italy’s Fratelli d’Italia, and the Sweden Democrats.
As a result, traditional democratic centre-right parties are tacking to the fringe to compete (sounds like the Dutton strategy). The result? The far-right parties become a legitimated — if not leading — part of the conservative coalition.
It’s having an impact. Last month, the apparent rise of Austria’s right-wing Freedom Party panicked the country’s centre-right/Greens coalition government into vetoing the EU’s long-term goal of bringing its last two mainland EU members, Bulgaria and Romania, into the Schengen Area of borderless travel.
A clean sweep by the right this year — following on from their 2022 election wins in Italy, Sweden, Hungary and Serbia — would accelerate the fracturing of the continent and encourage a further lurch away from the culture of rights inherent in the European Union.
Right now, Poland looks like the country furthest down the right-wing track, with its elections being fought between the centre-right, pro-European Civic Coalition (KO in Polish) led by the former European Council president Donald Tusk, and the far-right, two-term governing Law and Justice (PiS) party.
It looks like a reprise of the US mid-terms, with abortion at the centre of the campaign. The right-wing government has legislated a near-total abortion ban with the toughest laws in Europe. The Civic Coalition has pledged to overturn it if elected.
Abortion is set to be an issue too in Spain. Last month, the socialist government expanded rights to abortion and approved greater transgender rights. But the gains could be short-lived, with polls suggesting the end-of-year elections will deliver a conservative Partido Popular government dependent for support on the post-fascist Vox Party. Italy’s newly-elected far-right government is also looking to tighten abortion rights.
While Europe’s right focuses on its culture war battles against migrants, women and LGBTIQA+ people, the war in Ukraine grinds on. As Macron publicly recognised over Christmas, victory by a democratic Ukraine over an authoritarian Russia has become central to defending the European model of liberal democracy.
Fair enough, but uses too many Anglo and non EU sources to suggest issues with the EU (ignoring EU sources?) which are always going to be present; whiff of anti EU/’Europe’ trade bloc agitprop while ignoring the chaos of Brexit and Trump’s rule.
However, many Anglo sources avert their gaze from reality, especially the UK’s hari kari act of Brexit, leaving the EU for…? Great victory for oligarchs, including Putin’s Russia, to avoid regulatory constraints especially on fossil fuels, finance, taxes etc.
Thankfully this has changed sentiments in not just the UK with Brexit regret, but the EU has become more popular from recent survey reported in media:
‘Support for leaving EU has fallen significantly across bloc since Brexit. People less likely to vote leave in every EU member state for which data was available than in 2016-17, survey finds’ (The Guardian, 12 Jan ’23).
If “victory by a democratic Ukraine” is needed to defend “the European model of liberal democracy” then the latter has no hope. In what possible sense is Ukraine a democracy?
Even before the Russian invasion, Ukraine was rated as a “hybrid regime” – even lower than a “flawed democracy” – by the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index 2021.
Since February 2022 Zelensky’s government has banned more opposition parties (bringing the total to15 since the 2014 coup), jailed
opposition leaders, taken over independent TV stations, effectively criminalised use of the Russian language, shut down churches and monasteries, and eliminated most union rights and labor protections for Europe’s lowest paid workforce.
Ukraine the failed state controlled by far right wing militias and NATO proxy existing to further US interests.
And yet Ukraine’s citizens have surprised everybody by their willingness to fight to defend it. Perhaps they experience something more or something other than what you describe.
Nationalist views perhaps?
So you prefer a nationalism that induces a people to kill and invade and terrorise others, rather than a nationalism that rallies a people to defend its territory from invaders and murderers and terrorists?
No I just view the whole conflict as both sides being as bad as each other. Putin vs Little Putin in other words. Ukraine is no Saint.
You sound like George W Bush and the Merdoch press who kept repeating the nonsense that Iraq (and Afghanistan) gave the US no option but to invade and bomb the hell out of those people.
You sound like a typical Ukraine fanboi. Unable to open his eyes to what caused the current situation and unwilling to admit the Wests involvement in causing the current situation.
The US chose violence when it decided to invade and terrorise Iraq.
And Russia chose violence when it decided to invade and terrorise Ukraine.
No amount of victim-blaming or name-calling by Bush apologists or Putin apologists can change that.
No amount of insults by Ukraine fanboi’s will change the Wests utter hypocrisy and racism.
When it came to Iraq and Afghanistan there were absolutely no “sanctions” against the Western countries involved, no” condemnation”, no “seizing of assets”, no “war crimes investigations”, no Human Rights condemnations, no weapons supplies to the defenders in Iraq, Afghanistan etc, no nightly in depth one-sided coverage on the news railing against the “aggressors”, no bans on Western Media pushing their “Coalition of the willing” propaganda, no weaponisation of the International payments and banking systems etc etc.
Those are facts that can’t be denied. One rule for White countries and another for the rest.
Likening the state terrorism of one entity to the state terrorism of another entity would not be considered “name-calling” unless you happen to identify with one (or both) of the perpetrators of state terrorism.
Donetsk and Luhansk and 8 years of terrororism against Russian speaking inhabitants of those areas hold any meaning for you? No? Thought not. Fallujah? 20 years in Afghanistan? Syria?
NO “sanctions” against the Western countries involved, no” condemnation”, no “seizing of assets”, no “war crimes investigations”, no Human Rights condemnations, no weapons supplies to the defenders in Iraq, Afghanistan etc, no nightly in depth one-sided coverage on the news railing against the “aggressors”, no bans on Western Media pushing their “Coalition of the willing” propaganda, no weaponisation of the International payments and banking systems etc etc.
If that is not hypocrisy I don’t know what is.
I’m condemning both invasions and acts of state terrorism, whereas you’re condemning one and excusing the other.
You then have the nerve to accuse others of hypocrisy.
Completely missed the point as usual.
Whatever.
As the adage goes “You can always tell a Millennial, just not much”.
Yes as the West continues its long term approach of supporting Dictatorships. Zelenskum and Putin are both the same to me.
Whataboutery.
The usual Millennial rubbish “whataboutery” approaches don’t work with me.
Ukraine fanboi’s never like the truth to be told. Zelenskum and his regime are no different to Putin’s regime. In Ukraine no dissent is permitted, no Opposition in Government, State controlled media, secret police etc etc. Just like Russia.
Zelenskum’s latest increase in his Dictatorship:
https://www.newsweek.com/zelensky-accused-censorship-over-ukraine-media-law-1770958?amp=1
Compared to which regime, Russia with neither democracy nor rule of law and same leadership or dictatorship?
Dealing with corruption, more transparency in Ukraine has been ongoing since the first invasion, especially for EU accession and potential NATO membership.
Ukraine’s leadership has changed several times, oligarchs too, like the citizens now look west to the EU and the latter’s member nations support Ukraine, except ‘peacock dancing’ by Hungary?
Still a corrupt Dictatorship shored up by the West.
Syria, North Korea, Belarus? Of course, it isn’t only “the West” that partners with corrupt dictatorships.
No it isn’t but at least the others aren’t the utter hypocrites the West are.
“the West” are hypocrites?
Are you not a constituent of “the West” by having been born in or resided in “the West” and therefore an utter hypocrite?
Or do you mean by “the West” simply everyone that you and Putin and Kim Jong-un and Ali Khamenei and Alexander Lukashenko disagree with?
And do you not think it’s utterly hypocritical to complain about US terrorism in Iraq, but not Russian terrorism in Ukraine?
Or maybe you think US terrorism was worst because Saddam was less of a dictator than Zelenskiy?
“The West” constantly complains about any nation they disagree with and “condemn” their actions yet usually these nations have done no more, or less, than “the West” has done countless times.
We refuse to acknowledge our own failings yet we attempt to impose our views and ideology on non-Western nations (which are usually not white either btw).
Nobody in “the West” gave a monkeys for Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria etc yet we scream like frightened children when someone dares to do (exactly what “the West” has done) to a White, Christian nation. “The West” has done far more damage to non-Western nations yet walks away without consequences.
“The West” whines about “forced technology transfer” yet “the West” stole most of the base technology from other nations. The US stole everything they could lay their hands on in Germany and protected war criminals because they were useful yet howl when others do the same to them.
“The West” drones on and on about a “Drools based Order” when in fact this is nothing more than a group of Western established and run Organisations that “the West” doesn’t want non-Western nations to have a say in.
Try standing up for your own values and national interests against “the West” and you will find that you are designated a “rogue nation” and that all of this “Drools-based order” has been weaponised against you. If you are a Western nation, you will be excused (as long as it’s against a non-Western nation).
NATO is for defence only (Oops forgot about Kosovo).
The list is endless……
“Nobody in “the West” gave a monkeys for Iraq”?
Even you, I suspect. know that to be a nonsense.
Just off the top of my head: Paul O’Neill, Joseph Wilson, Richard C. Clarke, Andrew Wilkie, Claire Short, Robin Cook,
Greg Thielmann, Malcolm Turnbull, the Australian Labor Party, the millions who took to the streets throughout Australia, the UK and Europe, the leaders of France, Germany and pretty much every country that refused to join the ‘Coalition of the Willing’. The Guardian even published a book titled “The War We Couldn’t Stop”.
Not nonsense at all and your comment that some public whining and a few books is evidence that “the West” gave a monkeys about Iraq or Afghanistan is ridiculous.
When it came to Iraq and Afghanistan there were absolutely no “sanctions” against the Western countries involved, no” condemnation”, no “seizing of assets”, no “war crimes investigations”, no Human Rights condemnations, no weapons supplies to the defenders in Iraq, Afghanistan etc, no nightly in depth one-sided coverage on the news railing against the “aggressors”, no bans on Western Media pushing their “Coalition of the willing” propaganda, no weaponisation of the International payments and banking systems etc etc.
The racism and utter hypocrisy of the West has been eminently displayed over decades and decades.
There was certainly more opposition to the invasion of Iraq in “the West” than there is to the invasion of Ukraine in Russia.
Haven’t found much evidence of opposition parties or mass protests condemning Russian state terrorism under Putin. But No doubt that’s the fault of “the West” too?
And let’s not forget that the Spanish people actually changed their government when Aznar sought to politicise the Madrid bombing (2004) and align it with Spain’s participation in the ‘Coalition of the Willing’. (But then that doesn’t fit with your nonsense about everybody and everything you label “the West” acting in unison as part of some unthinking monolith, does it?)
Funnily enough, if you take what you write and change “the West” for “the Left”, you sound exactly like one of those parrots who work for Merdoch or the US Republican Party, whose power comes from dumbing down everything to fit a culture war framework of division and demonisation that cements existing power structures.
But I guess that’s why the Oligarchs, fossil-fools and crony capitalists (throughout the world, not just “the West”) love Trump, Putin, and their partnered right-wing dictatorial strongmen so much.
The usual fanboi response along with continued attempt to discredit anyone that doesn’t agree with you. Unable to accept that “the West” is the leading cause of most of the world’s conflicts.
Again, when it came to Iraq and Afghanistan there were absolutely no “sanctions” against the Western countries involved, no” condemnation”, no “seizing of assets”, no “war crimes investigations”, no Human Rights condemnations, no weapons supplies to the defenders in Iraq, Afghanistan etc, no nightly in depth one-sided coverage on the news railing against the “aggressors”, no bans on Western Media pushing their “Coalition of the willing” propaganda, no weaponisation of the International payments and banking systems etc etc.
Those are facts that can’t be denied. One rule for White countries and another for the rest.
No, I do accept that “the West” has been the leading cause of many of the world’s conflicts.
What I don’t accept is that that in itself must therefore excuse or legitimise the wars and terrorism caused and conducted by other actors/states/coalitions.
I also don’t accept the simplistic Merdoch-like insistence that the entire “the West” or the entire “the Left” acts in unison as as some unthinking monolithic entity.
That kind of stupid over-generalisation serves no purpose beyond dumbing-down, demonising and dividing.
You want everyone to hate whatever you label “the West” as Murdoch and his right-wing allies want everyone to hate whatever they label “the Left”.
By all means, carry on hating and name-calling as if you were Carlson Tucker or Andrew Bolt. But just be aware that, unlike them, you’re not on a protected platform so may be called out for it.
You’re the one doing the hating and name calling, not me. Left or Right I don’t care (UK is right, US is Left, Australia is Left, EU is a mixture). I just see the usual hypocrisy from anyone in “the West”. War in Afghanistan and Iraq OK, Ukraine not OK.
When the West is held to account then you can complain about what other nations do and not before. You will be waiting a long time.
BTW. Don’t try and make threats to Subscribers simply because you don’t agree with their position.
“When the West is held to account then you can complain about what other nations do and not before”?
What I write will not be dictated by you, thanks.
No amount of name calling and soft-censorship by George W fans stopped me opposing the invasion of Iraq; and no amount of name calling and soft-censorship by Putin fans will stop me opposing the invasion of Ukraine.
Maybe try writing to your MP suggesting all speech that doesn’t meet your conditions be banned? (But, you will need to define and clarify those conditions.)
It could be good practice for you to start off here and define what “the West” is, and what exactly constitutes this vague, amorphous entity being “held to account”?
But maybe you feel threatened having people actually disagree with you and challenging the nonsense you sometimes come out with? In which case, see if you can get a gig with your mates Carlson and Bolt? They seem sit on protected platforms where their nonsense is not subject to alternative ideas and opinions or challenged in any meaningful way.
Ditto. What I write will not be dictated by you, thanks.
No amount of name calling and soft-censorship by Zelenskum fans will stop me opposing the hypocrisy of “the West” in decrying Russia’s actions while doing exactly the same as “the West” has done on multiple occasions (with absolute abandon and no consequences). Hypocrisy thy name is “the West” when it comes to Putin vs Little Putin.
Good idea. Maybe you should take your own advice and try writing to your MP suggesting all speech that doesn’t meet your conditions be banned? (But, you will need to define and clarify those conditions.) wait, that seems to be standard Millennial practice – free speech NOT!
“In which case, see if you can get a gig with your mates Carlson and Bolt? They seem sit on protected platforms where their nonsense is not subject to alternative ideas and opinions or challenged in any meaningful way.” Still name calling like a true Millennial who thinks that anyone who disagrees with you is the enemy as always.
You seem to be the one who can’t stand anyone that doesn’t agree with your views, not me.
You must be out of ideas as you’ve gone into mirror mode: reflecting, deflecting and saying nothing.
And, for the record, I suggested you write something (“Maybe try writing to your MP”) whereas you stated I couldn’t write something unless I met your condition (“When the West is held to account then you can complain about what other nations do”). One’s a suggestion and one’s a decree. But, then paying attention to facts, evidence and detail certainly aren’t on part of your skillset.
Be genuinely interested to know what your definition of “the West” is and what you think it being “held to account” consists of (especially given nobody is allowed to say anthing bad about acts of state-terrorism until this condition of yours is met). But, I suspect answering questions or participating in a two-way conversation is not one of your strong points either (you have that in common with your Bolt and Carlson . . . and that’s not me ‘name-calling’ it’s simply identifying something you have in common).
Whatever.
You can always tell a Millennial, just not much.
Worst generation ever!
Yeah, things were certainly better in your day. Make The World Great Again, eh?
I wonder what would happen if you took some of the concepts you’ve raised here and applied them to the English invasion of Australia and the maintenance of that invasion through genocide, slavery, stolen generations, etc and the ongoing impacts of those things? Makes a Voice to Parliament look a pretty small bikkies response.
Not germaine to the conversation and I will care about the Voice when the details are provided and not before.
So lexusaussie you are contradicting yourself now. You are, what you are against!!
Not contradicting anything and have no idea how you came to that view.
It is surprising that the government of an occupied country under daily bombardment would introduce restrictions.
Most countries when they’re invaded open the borders and declare a legislative free-for-all.