The far-right are winning in Europe. Not the most pleasant of concepts to contemplate, but, a quick glance at recent trends does indeed seem to back-up that assessment; far-right and extremist parties have been gaining ground around Europe, in places like Austria, Denmark, France and Sweden. In Greece and Hungary, it is sometimes as if the 1930s have returned.
The presence of the Golden Dawn party in Greece has upset the political establishment so much that a clampdown has been put in place; but banning parties and arresting political leaders is never a good idea; but with the European Parliament elections in May 2014 looming, desperation is at play. Many governments fear a backlash.
In the UK, the far-right might be shrinking, but the populist, Eurosceptic Ukip are predicted to come out on top. In Italy, Bepe Grilllo’s jocular Five Star Movement haven’t gone away.
With all this activity, it is perhaps surprising that someone has nakedly said that the political game is being lost. But that admission has come, and it was made by the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz.
Speaking in the presence of Greek prime Minister, Antonis Samaras, on 15 October, Schulz said that “those who want to destroy the European Union are winning elections in Europe.” He didn’t mane manes, but it was quite obvious who he was talking about. He said that, if the predictions for next year’s election come true, the institutional framework of Europe will be gridlocked. The ability of Europe to be a political force for good “will be constrained by people who win elections” (although, presumably, not by every single party that wins an election). He added that these constraints are also been facilitated “even by people wit seats in the European parliament.”
The reason for the upswing in support for extremist and populist, ant-politics parties, said Schulz, is largely down to the “not very good distribution of wealth” in the EU. Economics is at the heart of the problem. Samaras even offered “more competitiveness” as a way of of not just the economic, but also the social crisis, although his determined call for more solidarity between people and nations may not have the power to change things.
It is sadly, a late call by Martin Schulz, but at least a top politician has acknowledged the situation. The damage would, at least for 2014, seem to be irreparable. That political gridlock may well happen, with increased seats for those currently-marginalised parties. Increased funding and visibility are within reach.
Governments won’t be uprooted so easily (although next May’s domestic elections in Belgium could lead once again to a lengthy political stalemate there), so the council can do business; but without a workable relationship with the parliament, things could get difficult; especially if that institution becomes weakened through a vast change in membership. The last thing Europe needs is less democracy.
Schulz stands a strong chance of heading-up the European Commission from next year. If the gloomy predictions come true, then the European Union he will preside over will be a very different place, as he has tacitly suggested. A lot of people will be praying for delivery of that cleansing economic miracle between now and May.
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