European Voice: How to deal with the gains of the far-right in Europe.

[pampango]

Issues surrounding immigration from outside Europe are now at the centre of political debate in many EU countries. The far-right is registering disturbing successes, which cannot be wholly and convincingly explained by the recession. While several of these parties exploit insecurities and fears of unemployment born of recession, they also fan the flames of a genuine popular dislike of what are understood (often mistakenly) to be the tenets and practices of Islam. They offer simple and frequently racist solutions so objectionable that they may even boost recruitment to terrorist groups.

Sweden has just become the third member state since June to find itself without a governing majority thanks to significant surges in support for anti-immigration or separatist parties. Coalition-building has also been greatly complicated in the Netherlands and Belgium by parties that have successfully fished for votes among electorates deeply dissatisfied with the apparent failure of established parties to respond to their concerns.

Is Frederick Reinfeldt, the leader of Sweden's Moderate Party, right to reject any idea of seeking parliamentary support from the Sweden Democrats, a party with an aggressively racist and neo-Nazi past that doubled its share of the vote in elections on 10 September? He will have looked across the border to Denmark to see what happens when a government accepts support from the far-right – in that case, the Dansk Folkpartei (Danish People's Party). Now that country's third-largest party, with nearly 14% of the vote in 2007, the Dansk Folkpartei has propped up governments since 2001. The price has been a tightening of immigration policies and low tolerance of refugees. But as it has steadily increased its share of the vote, the party has stolen votes from the left by pasting social democratic welfare policies into its racist manifestos. The same prescription is working well for Geert Wilders' Freedom Party in the Netherlands, the two far-right parties in Austria and now the Sweden Democrats.

Bringing right-wing parties into government tends to show up the dearth of talent that typically surrounds their charismatic leaders (Roberto Maroni's Northern League in Italy seems to be a notable exception). Political office can also create tensions between those ready to compromise on policy and others who want it pure and unadulterated. Collaborating in government with extreme right-wingers may seem too much like ‘supping with the devil' but it does expose them to greater scrutiny and accountability.

http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/imported/mainstream-struggles-to-deal-with-far-right-gains/69035.aspx

[RandomThoughts]

1. Funny, the movie 300 says that very thing. as that last sentance.

Anyone find that interesting?

I think it shows the hypocrisy, since that is what ever person does every day when convinced to not do better. I think it is about not fearing in that context, but that is a choice. You really have to filter that movie 300 it is mostly satire to play that. It is such a messed up film.

Satire is wrong word, it is what people actually made, and what many actually think, and it is totally messed up, so play it back at them, they made it.

But it is funny.

And once they start waving their self righteous flag it gets pretty funny.



And in more seriousness, prepare a table before my enemies, can also be that comment.



If anyone thinks that is playing both sides, guess what, I don't hate either side, and only those against me are my enemies, and even then I going to be kind to them.

Like not choosing to walk, I also don't have to choose to choose. That is a choice.