European Politics

[Yel]

Maybe just a general thread for all of Europe not covered in the UK or Ireland ones.

I think it's going to get even more turbulent, probably for the foreseeable future, across all of Europe.

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Polls in Italy CLOSE: Country braces for political earthquake in election which is set to usher in the most right-wing government since the Second World War

• The Brothers of Italy party, headed by one-time Mussolini supporter Giorgia Meloni, has led opinion polls
• It looks set to take office in a coalition with the far-right League and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia parties
• Meloni, 45, who campaigned on a motto of 'God, country and family', hopes to become Italy's first female PM
• President Sergio Mattarella and Enrico Letta, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party, also voted on Sunday
• Turnout was over 19 per cent by 10am, according to the interior ministry, in line with the last elections in 2018

Polls in Italy have closed as Italians voted on Sunday on whether to usher in the country's first government led by the far-right since World War Two.

The Brothers of Italy party, headed by one-time Mussolini supporter Giorgia Meloni, has led opinion polls and looks set to take office in a coalition with the far-right League and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia parties.

Meloni, 45, who campaigned on a motto of 'God, country and family', hopes to become Italy's first female prime minister.

 

[Ensay]

It's definitely a bit concerning. I know some people object to calling Giorgia Meloni "far right", but she's certainly on the right - given her views on immigration (the Brothers of Italy party want to blockade ports), she's also against abortion, same sex marriage, adoption by same sex couples etc.

I think that's what a lot of people who vote for these parties forget. They want tougher immigration controls (which I do understand) but do they also realise the other socially conservative policies they might be helping to usher in?

 

[Yel]

I know some people object to calling Giorgia Meloni "far right", but she's certainly on the right - given her views on immigration

It's like many of the "far right" European politicians she's far right on immigration but more on the left for the economy. It really isn't helpful just assigning a party as either left or right.

 

[Sglodion]

I have no idea anymore who wrote this or where I read it, so pretty much no chance of finding it again unfortunately, but I remember reading an article by a left-wing pro-Brexit campaigner in the spring of 2016. He was arguing that while the UK Left might currently see the EU as a safeguard putting the brakes on the more extreme Tory policies, the political future of Europe was likely to be a big shift to the right (as we were already beginning to see in Hungary and Poland at the time) - in which case we may well come to regret being tied to the policies of this overarching European institution that we had little control over.

It really stuck in my mind as it was the only pro-Brexit argument I'd heard that made me seriously reconsider my vote, and the only one I'd heard on either side that wasn't based on economics or immigration (ignoring all the rit about bendy bananas etc). I think about it often at the moment as it seems quite prescient now. Although personally I don't think we're ever likely to see the EU itself shift to the right, IMO it's more likely that if this trend continues more countries will choose to leave, perhaps to the point where it'll become increasingly irrelevant.

 

[NeverEnough]

It's like many of the "far right" European politicians she's far right on immigration but more on the left for the economy. It really isn't helpful just assigning a party as either left or right.

The Right, or Far Right to some, are on the rise in Europe generally. And like it or not immigration and national identity is the number one issue which is driving this. In my opinion the “far right” is a symptom of the “far left” and the argument that any discussion on the subject can only be based on racism or xenophobia. Otherness if you like.

To clarify my position is that immigration controls should be tightened as I think it is a good idea to know exactly who is coming into the country and what their intentions are. Will we ever be 100% sure? No. Of course not. I don’t think that is even possible, but it is a simple act of safeguarding and security to do what we can as thoroughly as possible. And removal of those who seek to remain in the UK without formal leave should be pursued with the full force of the law.

This however is not, never has been, and never will be a position of being anti immigrant. On the contrary my position is that if there is a skills shortage and someone from overseas can fill it they should be welcomed and given the opportunity to contribute. I see nothing particularly fascist in this viewpoint at all. In my opinion it is how a healthy system should operate. However the debate seems to have shifted on the far left to one of a no borders solution with complete freedom of movement. And any questioning of this is immediately shut down as being Far Right. But to me the no borders position is the extremist one. And I would point out that that solution has never been used successfully anywhere of consequence. So how it can be argued it is “the future” is beyond me. No one knows what the future is, and if anyone does claim this can you help a bloke out by posting next weeks Eurolottery numbers? Wasn’t the Soviet Union the future once?

The recent trolling of the Democrats by the Republican governors in the border states was undoubtedly a political stunt. But it was a good one. And it’s difficult to argue that Texas, Arizona, and Florida aren’t on the frontline of the border mess created by the Biden administration. So therefore bus the migrants to DC, to outside Kamala Harris’ residence and to Martha’s Vineyard. Spread the problem to other areas, a very socialist solution. Not seeing the issue here? But I note none were offered accommodation in Baracks summer home in the Vineyard….