The European continent is experiencing a shift to the right. Journalists and pundits alike have been charting this trend with trepidation, not just in the wake of this week’s European Parliament election, but for several years.
Already causing political waves last year, parties such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD), Poland’s Confederation, and Geert Wilder’s Dutch Party for Freedom were on the rise, locally and nationally. In Portugal, the Chega party witnessed a tremendous climb too, winning 18% of the county’s vote several months ago.
The so-called far Right has won elections in Italy, Austria, and the Netherlands (although the Dutch far Right fell slightly short in the European elections), not to mention Macron’s snap elections in France, after facing significant defeat from Le Pen’s far-right National Rally. Belgium’s far-right Vlaams Belang and the nationalist N-VA (New Flemish Alliance), also received a good proportion of votes.
What has caused all this?
First, even before an answer can be provided, the complexity of Europe and the politics within it must be recognized. While populism and nationalism might be fueling a core group of Poland’s hard-right followers, for example, in other countries, the causes are less clear.
The increased use of social media, specifically targeting older teens has been used to tap into an entirely new generation of voters in France. According to Politico, “TikTok, has become a key battleground for the next generation of voters.”
Today, the electorate wants neither leadership nor inspiration. Instead, they arguably desire nothing more than to be entertained. We have become a generation not of voters but of viewers. The TV debates now feature superficial ad hominem accusations, rather than data and discussions of the issues at hand. Other right-wing voters may be propelled by a sense of economic disgruntlement. “Chega” in Portuguese means “enough.”
Alternatively, perhaps, a fear of the “other” or unknown may be animating such a shift, as historically has been linked to the rise of the political Right. Europe, it is often hoped, should not become siloed, with each distinct group sealed from one another. Instead, a balance of cultural identity and contribution to wider society needs to be struck. This trend to the right, in short, cannot all be painted with one brush, tempting though it may be.
There has been a growing attitude of hostility toward differences, of intolerance toward others that is deeply troubling. Those far-right parties throughout the continent have, in one way or another, taken up issues such as security and immigration, using it to capture swathes of voters. Several of these parties also bear a dark past, with ties to the Holocaust or a lingering antisemitic sentiment, and an uncertain future.
HOWEVER, WE should not advocate a wide, blind embrace of all to fight this shift, or a crass denunciation of all who are fearful of the future or of groups that do genuinely desire to harm the West. There are countries and people bent on destruction and harm; that a part of the Right’s message is true.
Division over the Gaza war
The political spectrum, from Italy to Poland, Germany to Denmark, is divided over the Israel-Gaza war, and so any analysis or forecast about the future of European politics remains with these divisions.
It is deeply deplorable that such ambiguity and outright opposition to Israel persists, a campaign in the media and politics of skewed hatred pumped toward the only democracy in the Middle East and the only Jewish state in the world trying to dismantle a terror state on its borders.
This criticism is fueled by an insidious mix of mistruths and vitriolic ideologies, from both the Right, Left, religious, and secular. As Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, has recently reflected in an opinion piece in Politico, “For Jews voting in Europe, there are no good choices... Europe’s Right has moved more toward the far Right and also disturbing to Jews is the fact that too many of today’s left-leaning parties and politicians in Europe are silent about antisemitism and growing Islamic extremism, and seek to weaken and isolate Israel.”
Europe must develop a politics of complexity, one of balancing these security concerns, wisely vetting who is granted asylum and where funds are channeled, together with an appreciation that we need to build a new world, not using TikTok video clips or hard-lined manifesto, but one built on a respect for humankind and an innate respect for each other.
Along with this complexity, however, we must learn when we are staring evil in the face, be they Hamas and its terror state, or any other edifice that seeks to threaten all that the West stands for. If we watch carefully, we can remain standing and afloat, despite these frightening winds and rising waves, from the Right and other directions, weathering the continent this coming week and beyond.
The writer is a UK-based senior communications consultant, advising a wide range of multinational organizations in both the public and private sectors.