Extreme right wing populism is rising in Europe... What can we do to stop it?

[JohnnyAnger]

This foaming-at-the-mouth swivel-eyed rant wouldn't be out of place in CE&P. As an evident middle class xenophobe and racist, not to mention disillusioned tory pig, I don't need to see any more rubbish from you thanks.

The rest of UKIPs policies demonstrate that they occupy the extreme-right fringe of the neoliberal orthodoxy. They support massive tax cuts for corporations and the super-rich, the privatisation agenda, the destruction of what remains of the social safety net, the protection of the idle rentier class, the deregulation of firearms, the militarisation of the police, the construction of dozens of new privately operated jails as part of the prison-industrial complex, open discrimination against homosexuals, the scrapping of our human rights, the indoctrination of children with nationalist propaganda, anti-environmentalism, the expansion of Iain Duncan Smith's Stalinist forced labour schemes, an energy policy built on heavily subsidised nuclear power plants and fracking, the pushing of ""*free trade*"" onto the third world and all pervaded by the stench of barely concealed xenophobia.

UKIP are right about the EU being an anti-democratic shambles, but the rest of their policies are madder than a box of frogs. The fact that they are right about the EU but completely wrong about almost everything else can be explained with the old saying that "even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day".

 

[Adrusek81]

The rest of UKIPs policies demonstrate that they occupy the extreme-right fringe of the neoliberal orthodoxy. They support massive tax cuts for corporations and the super-rich, the privatisation agenda, the destruction of what remains of the social safety net, the protection of the idle rentier class, the deregulation of firearms, the militarisation of the police, the construction of dozens of new privately operated jails as part of the prison-industrial complex, open discrimination against homosexuals, the scrapping of our human rights, the indoctrination of children with nationalist propaganda, anti-environmentalism, the expansion of Iain Duncan Smith's Stalinist forced labour schemes, an energy policy built on heavily subsidised nuclear power plants and fracking, the pushing of ""*free trade*"" onto the third world and all pervaded by the stench of barely concealed xenophobia.

UKIP are right about the EU being an anti-democratic shambles, but the rest of their policies are madder than a box of frogs. The fact that they are right about the EU but completely wrong about almost everything else can be explained with the old saying that "even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day".

EXCELLENT points. Thank you.

 

[kallipolis]

From the perspective of gays living on the European continent the most noteworthy regression, in gay rights has been evident in Tsar Putin's Russia...this, very recently....

Here in Greece the public mood has swung leftwards, significantly with our radicalised, socialist party SYRIZA predicted to poll a significant increase in its support in the forthcoming local, and European elections....next month.

Despite the European Union scepticism of very many voters, polls in the UK indicate that the Labour Party's position has improved considerably of late despite, UKIPs increasing popularity dividing support among traditional Conservative voters boding well for the Labour Party.

Gay marriage rights have recently been introduced in England, and Wales under a Conservative/Lib-Dem coalition government.

Italy, Spain, and Portugal are also experiencing Euro sceptical voting patterns with no evidence of any significant increase in support for extremist right wing parties.

 

[JohnnyAnger]

Despite the European Union scepticism of very many voters, polls in the UK indicate that the Labour Party's position has improved considerably of late despite, UKIPs increasing popularity dividing support among traditional Conservative voters boding well for the Labour Party.

The Labour polls look good, but UKIP will probably take the largest number of votes in the European election judging on the current mood in the UK and the amount of bad will towards Europe and the outside world generally. In the case of the General Election I don't think this will be the case at all, and don't see UKIP taking any seats at the moment. Saying that UKIP are not really targeting conservative seats in that, and in fact plan to take 19-20 off Labour due to the rise of xenophobia and fear of immigration that is not really being challenged in the UK at all by anyone.

I am not really in favour of the EU at all, because I see it mainly as a undemocratic body of capitalists and I especially fear the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and what it means for workers rights and keeping anything in public ownership. This type of anger at the EU is not being articulated by anyone here. So instead we just get right wing bigotry being put out by groups like UKIP who correctly know the EU has serious serious problems, but put out populist anti-immigation messages to rile up people and gain ground without articulating anything more. I like a lot about the EU, I like that I can move around, I like the courts that challenge stupid ill-planned laws and much more about it. I don't really like that they bring in trade agreements that could destroy European ways of life secretly though...

Italy, Spain, and Portugal are also experiencing Euro sceptical voting patterns with no evidence of any significant increase in support for extremist right wing parties.

It depends how you see the independence movements in these areas. Groups like Lega Nord are a huge worry to me, as well as a few other groups in Italy making quite xenopobic comments.

 

[kallipolis]

It depends how you see the independence movements in these areas. Groups like Lega Nord are a huge worry to me, as well as a few other groups in Italy making quite xenopobic comments.

Lega Nord has lost the momentum it once possessed when its former leader was obliged to resign due to corruption charges.

Xenophobia is a fact of life because of high unemployment rates throughout the EU... not because of any hatred for Johnny Foreigner...when jobs reappear the xenophobia will diminish...

There is no doubt that centre parties will suffer great losses during the May elections.

 

[pat grimshaw]

I'm intrigued at how the word 'populism' is used here in this thread.

Populism means the will of the people, doesn't it?

Democracy is supposed to please the bulk of the people not just the self-appointed elites, isn't it?

 

[JohnnyAnger]

I'm intrigued at how the word 'populism' is used here.

Populism means the will of the people, doesn't it? Democracy is supposed to please the bulk of the people not just the self-appointed elites.

It is populist at the moment because its being furthered by the right wing media. What is never being challenged is the real exploit of workers from aboard. If employers were forced to actually pay the minimal wage, we would have less immigration and less xenophobic politics. But you know, can't criticize the rich can we...

 

[kallipolis]

Populism is not monopolised by any particular political ideology rather, serves to win votes for the governing party..in an attempt to keep that party in power....it's a particularly dangerous form of democratic governance for it often avoids taking necessary, unpopular decisions resulting in the sort of mess we here in Greece have been facing now for some five years...with many more years of austerity to reverse some thirty years of destructive populist politics by centre left, and centre right parties.

 

[bankside]

Lega Nord has lost the momentum it once possessed when its former leader was obliged to resign due to corruption charges.

Xenophobia is a fact of life because of high unemployment rates throughout the EU... not because of any hatred for Johnny Foreigner...when jobs reappear the xenophobia will diminish...

There is no doubt that centre parties will suffer great losses during the May elections.

Xenophobia is not an incident of unemployment. Why not send women back to the kitchen? Why not demand the gays be fired? The focus on nationalist isolationism is a problem in its own right.

 

[unloadonme]

... Iain Duncan Smith's Stalinist forced labour schemes ...

Stalinist? Iain Duncan Smith? Really? You seem to be living in the same 1970s Workers' Revolutionary Party fantasy world as the OP.

If employers were forced to actually pay the minimal wage, we would have less immigration and less xenophobic politics. But you know, can't criticize the rich can we...

It may surprise you to learn that HMRC already polices the National Minimum Wage regime (NB: minimum not minimal). I read that most offenders are small-time traders, hardly people who'd normally be characterised as rich. As I understand it, UKIP's position has nothing to do with the NMW, but instead says in effect that the UK is full. There aren't enough jobs or houses to go round and we shouldn't allow the position to get worse by allowing immigration to continue at current levels. I don't think that's xenophobic or racist, but there again, I'm apparently a disillusioned tory pig.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

Populism is not monopolised by any particular political ideology rather, serves to win votes for the governing party..in an attempt to keep that party in power....it's a particularly dangerous form of democratic governance for it often avoids taking necessary, unpopular decisions resulting in the sort of mess we here in Greece have been facing now for some five years...with many more years of austerity to reverse some thirty years of destructive populist politics by centre left, and centre right parties.

not say nothin
but hint any milioons ans a millions global balls 1st world public few sec froms a toys wot learn read playin twits ans social networkin electrics

thankyou

 

[Adrusek81]

The European far right is on the rise, again. Here's how to tackle it
It's an old problem, but, as European policymakers meet in Sweden on the subject, we have new ways to take action

Europe has spent much of the past decade focused on policies to tackle the threat of Islamist extremism. However, so far this year, far-right extremists have once again featured in Europe's headlines, from their role in violent protests in Ukraine, to the streets of Greece, where crime against minorities has become an everyday occurrence...

Find the link here.

 

[pat grimshaw]

Find the link here.

The Guardian article in the link keeps on using the 'we". viz—
we have new ways to take action
we need much smarter policing
we know very little about far-right extremism,
we know enough to act.

 

[IamNoah]

Isn't this stuff mostly about race/immigration/religion not gender/sexuality? I'm pretty myopic in m concerns. I have a hard time caring about things other than LGBTQ issues. Sad, but true. Also I'm an American.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

Isn't this stuff mostly about race/immigration/religion not gender/sexuality? I'm pretty myopic in m concerns. I have a hard time caring about things other than LGBTQ issues. Sad, but true. Also I'm an American.

no say nothin but wen great awsum huamn apes a civlized lands get real nice it make lot dead folk
wen a dig out wit bits bodys fit wot bit ans like say yea dat 1 a ape back gethda fa stuff in ground

kind a no matta really wot civlized apes world ova call da minoins suck ther shit

anyway

nice day taday

thankyou

 

[IamNoah]

I translate thought that I receive from nonphysical entities into human language. I can help you sloppyseconds. First, take off your pants and bend over.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

dat a secreat like hand shake bend ova like masons ans cia or it kgb in line dancin or 1 a many worlds great clubs?
_ get sum pants ta tak off_
ooh no say nothin maybe no see

anyway

bend ta da right or left or just right centur
_ linein up _
got get perfect cause neva get join mars supa human colony mars

thankyou

 

[pat grimshaw]

Isn't this stuff mostly about race/immigration/religion not gender/sexuality? I'm pretty myopic in m concerns. I have a hard time caring about things other than LGBTQ issues. Sad, but true. Also I'm an American.

You're OK. You don't have to deal with the problems we do.

 

[Willie Boy]

After posting in here about the very real dangers of radical Islamism in Europe, I couldn't help but to notice that there is a second pernicious force rising all over the continent: formerly marginal pro-Nazi, white supremacist, homophobic, supposedly "nationalistic" groups are acquiring ever greater relevance in many countries, where they have even positioned themselves as important political contenders with representation in the European Parliament.

If you read the two links I'll post, it's interesting to see how in a matter of just a few years, there has been a significant shift regarding the way in which these criminal organisations are perceived. Are we in for widespread support in just a few years? There are problems of racism and xenophobia in Europe which have never been properly addressed. A combination of diminishing resources available for the working classes, a sense of "otherness" and alienation from traditional political parties and prejudice can have terrible consequences - just look at the meteoric rise of Fascism all over the world in the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s, and the way in which it nearly destroyed the entire continent.

Here are the links:

A Gallery of the European Far Right (http://www.theguardian.com/gall/0,,711990,00.htm"]here, from a few years ago)

Golden Dawn and the Rise of the Far Right in Europe[/URL] (here, a very current article)

Between neo-Nazis and Islamic radicals, Europe appears to be drawing closer and closer to a political and social hecatombe, aided by the inactivity and obsession with protecting plutocrats of the traditional political parties.

Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out.

 

[nycguydowntown]

Yeah we have our version and it's on the rise here too--it's called the base of the gop---