Update Jan. 11th: Check out the anger in Malta, here.
Update Jan. 10th: British white backlash here.
Here is a lengthy and thoughtful article in something called Women’s International Perspective about how the resurgence of the right in various European countries is being driven by anger over uncontrolled Muslim immigration.
We often hear people say that Europe is ten to fifteen years ahead of the US in the swinging of the political pendulum. This article makes me think there is something to that.
First Europe happily opened its gates wide to immigrants from everywhere, multiculturalism ruled, now inexorably the pendulum is swinging back with more Austrians, Dutch and Danes standing up to save their cultures and their economies. There is also great fear that the generous social welfare system is being sunk by the influx of unemployable foreigners. So, as the US swings way Left, Europe is heading to the Right.
Author, Handan T. Satiroglu, begins:
Not too far from the Baroque palaces and Gothic cathedrals that made the city of Vienna famous, a group of jubilant men and women are packed into a café. Glasses clink with each congratulatory toast. Jubilations like “long live populism,” and “Austria is the Freedom Party” fly randomly across the room. On that memorable September evening, I watched the celebration of the far-right triumph in Austria. It was the Austrian ‘extremist’ right’s best performance since World War II.
If the old face of the Far-Right in Europe resembled that of a combative fascist, these new ordinary faces put those images to rest. Gone are the days when support for the radical right came from neo-Nazi elements in European society; they now come from ordinary citizens, concerned not only about bleeding social welfare programs, but also from worries about the continued influx of immigration – a feeling that is likely to worsen as recession hangs over the continent.
“I voted for the Freedom Party to stop immigrants from burdening our social welfare system,” says Lukas, a grandfatherly figure and government employee. A former supporter of the Social Democrats, he gestures towards the rushing pedestrians outside the café, “Austria has inhaled enough people. We are full.”
Statistics seem to bear out the sentiment expressed by the new Right. I would like to know what the percentages are in the US, I bet not nearly so high.
Such is the dynamic in today’s European race relations. A December Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project reports anti-immigrant, and especially anti-Muslim sentiments, to be growing steadily across the continent. Noting that the increase in Muslim prejudice has occurred over a period of decades, the report claims that nearly 52 percent of Spaniards expressed a negative opinion of Muslims – a view echoed by 50 percent of Germans, 46 percent of Poles, and 38 percent of French people. According to an April Georgetown University report, 67 percent of Dutch, and 80 percent of Danes agree with the statement, “the growing interaction between the Muslim world and the West is a menace to freedom.”
Here is Ms. Satiroglu’s conclusion. The political right is growing in all segments of society.
Though I don’t personally believe the far-right is a panacea to the continent’s woes, I do believe the time has come for a new kind of politics, not necessarily far-left or far-right, but politics that genuinely represent the interests and concerns of citizens; politics that make the diversity of Europe work. Until then, Europe can expect votes for the radical right to come from the right and the left, the young and the old, the marginalized and privileged, the integrated and the alienated, the urban and the suburban for years to come. It is a phenomenon leftist or centrist parties can no longer ignore.
An afterthought from me: Saul Alinsky (Rules for Radicals) would be annoyed. In bringing about “change” in the direction of socialism/Marxism one must be very careful not to push large numbers of people to the right. Looks like the European open borders Leftists have managed to do just that.
Back in the US, Barrack Obama’s success (so far!) is because he has managed the blank-slate persona needed to not scare large numbers of people to the right. If and when the press forces him to actually take stands on issues (amazing how he has managed to duck that so far), the shoes will start to fly.
Note to American conservatives: to end the American Obama love affair, force him to take positions.