Far Right on the Rise in Europe

[Frodo]

this is the single biggest reason why Europe can never become a rival superpower -its inability to assimilate its immigrants....

Fear of Islamists Drives Growth of Far Right in Belgium
By CRAIG S. SMITH

Published: February 12, 2005

ANTWERP, Belgium - Filip Dewinter, a boyish man in a dark blue suit, bounds up two flights of steep stairs in his political party's 19th-century headquarters building where posters show a Muslim minaret rising menacingly above the Gothic steeple of the city's cathedral.

"The radical Muslims are organizing themselves in Europe," he declared. "Other political parties, they are very worried about the Muslim votes and say let's be tolerant, while we are saying - the new political forces in Europe are saying - no, we should defend our identity."

From the Freedom Party in Austria to the National Front in France to the Republicans in Germany, Europe's far right has made a comeback in recent years, largely on the strength of anti-immigration feelings sharpened to a fear of Islam. That fear is fed by threats of terrorism, rising crime rates among Muslim youth and mounting cultural clashes with the Continent's growing Islamic communities.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/12/international/europe/12belgium.html?pagewanted=all&position=

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Not to downplay the problem, but it's not exactly news

[Middle-aged Europe]

From the Freedom Party in Austria to the National Front in France to the Republicans in Germany, Europe's far right has made a comeback in recent years, largely on the strength of anti-immigration feelings sharpened to a fear of Islam.

Uh, when exactly did the Republicans (not be confused with the U.S. Republicans) make a comeback??? Before or after they got kicked out of the only state parliament they had seats in? Probably this journalist meant the NPD. He should do his homework properly before writing an article. The NPD is indeed a problem, but at least he should try to know what he´s talking about.

[Umengus]

In lots of EU countries, you can observe the same problem: the integration of muslims (or "immigrants") in the society. The problem of muslims is that they have a different culture wich is not easily compatible with the Western culture: look at the consideration of the Woman in muslims countries, separation of powers, sex,...

[AuH2O]

Well, first of all, limiting immigration actually makes Europe stronger and means it could surpass an eventually-overrun US.

Second of all, the "far right" is indeed making some progress, as time tends to overcome misgivings based on history. But are the Germans close to overthrowing their occupation communist regime? No.

The illegal suppression of parties and speech in many European nations is not enough, on it's own, to truly galvanize support. Hitler, after all, only got 2.6% in 1928. When and if an economic crisis hits, however, all bets are off. Certainly you won't see a working-class based movement succeed (as was National Socialism), but in crisis the middle class will flee the status quo parties in favor of the "far right."

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Germany has a communist regime? Lol. More reason to never take you seriously, in addition to believeing Bush would win Vermont.

[AuH2O]

Germany has a communist regime? Lol. More reason to never take you seriously, in addition to believeing Bush would win Vermont.

You made how much $$ off the election? I hope it was over 2 grand, otherwise you probably should not be talking too much about that.

Germany's government is not technically "communist," but they actively intervene in the nation's politics to ensure only certain types of parties are viable. It has most of the characteristics of a communist regime, except there is reasonable economic freedom. But China has a fair amount of economic freedom too, and they are still classified as "communist."

I would describe it in greater depth, however, few posters are knowledgeable in the intellectual underpinnings of political-social thought. For the purposes of simpletons, then, Germany is adequately described as communist.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Germany has a Freedom House rating of 1,1

Going by your logic the Singapore government is communist.

[AuH2O]

Not at all. Singapore has a government that represents the people by way of nationalism. A lack of political freedom does not mean communism-- an internationalist, anti-historical, anti-traditional government means communism.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Goldie... has it occured to you that describing the German Government as "Communist" might, just might, be a pretty offensive thing to say bearing in mind the whole East Germany thing?

[AuH2O]

Goldie... has it occured to you that describing the German Government as "Communist" might, just might, be a pretty offensive thing to say bearing in mind the whole East Germany thing?

Given their voting patterns, former East Germans don't seem overly pleased with the current government themselves.

There is too great an association of "communism" with what was essentially a series of Russian puppet states, albeit a Russia governed via incorrect, anti-Russian theories. The USSR and Warsaw Pact countries were all part of the same power base. That's not what I mean at all... obviously Germany isn't taking orders from the Kremlin.

Present-day Germany is more like former Yugoslavia, just with a more homogenous population, a better economy, and much better cars. The comparison is obviously strained, but the point is that Germany is not politically free and certainly not representative of the interests of the German people.

And the system governing Germany wasn't set up by Germans at all, but by the United States after the War. So in reality, you have a foreign structure populated with politicians that celebrate anniversaries of their own people being slaughtered. That's just incredible, that Germans would celebrate their children being burned alive. I can't think of anything like it elsewhere in the world, perhaps with some Southerners in the US that like Lincoln or something.

[Middle-aged Europe]

What did Gustaf say about AuH2O once?

"He's a racist provocative idiot, whom we needn't pay attention to. "

[skybridge]

From the Freedom Party in Austria to the National Front in France to the Republicans in Germany, Europe's far right has made a comeback in recent years, largely on the strength of anti-immigration feelings sharpened to a fear of Islam.

Uh, when exactly did the Republicans (not be confused with the U.S. Republicans) make a comeback??? Before or after they got kicked out of the only state parliament they had seats in? Probably this journalist meant the NPD. He should do his homework properly before writing an article. The NPD is indeed a problem, but at least he should try to know what he´s talking about.

The NPD is basically a protest vote party. Most people understand at some point that they're nothing but reactionary slogans and wont help angry voters in the long-run. There's no reason to fear any permanent comeback since most the vast majority have learned their lessons from history. It's all just following the American example that the right-wing has had such a good year. The 80s weren't much different.

[Middle-aged Europe]

The NPD is basically a protest vote party. Most people understand at some point that they're nothing but reactionary slogans and wont help angry voters in the long-run. There's no reason to fear any permanent comeback since most the vast majority have learned their lessons from history. It's all just following the American example that the right-wing has had such a good year. The 80s weren't much different.

With "problem" I didn´t mean that the NPD will rise to power soon or something like that. But isn´t the mere existence of neo-Nazis a problem?

[skybridge]

The NPD is basically a protest vote party. Most people understand at some point that they're nothing but reactionary slogans and wont help angry voters in the long-run. There's no reason to fear any permanent comeback since most the vast majority have learned their lessons from history. It's all just following the American example that the right-wing has had such a good year. The 80s weren't much different.

With "problem" I didn´t mean that the NPD will rise to power soon or something like that. But isn´t the mere existence of neo-Nazis a problem?

But isn't that all part of the sacrifice for democracy? That EVERYONE supposedly gets a say?

[Middle-aged Europe]

But isn't that all part of the sacrifice for democracy? That EVERYONE supposedly gets a say?

This wasn´t my point either. I didn´t say that all neo-Nazis should be shot for treason... well, only some... (just kidding).

My point was that neo-Nazism is a problem in itself, like poverty is a problem. You can´t just outlaw poverty, because the poor won´t simly disappear. And you can´t just outlaw Nazism, because the Nazis won´t simply disappear (and I just ruled out mass executions ).

But it´s nevertheless a problem that can´t be simply ignored and that
should be dealt with one way or another. And the NPD is clearly a part of this problem, considering the fact that the party maintians ties to the violent neo-Nazi underground... heck, half of the party´s leaderhsip consists of convicted felons (including such ineresting things like assault and grivous bodily harm). If you ask me how it should be dealt with... well, that´s another question. And don´t expect from me to have a satisfactory answer to this question.

[Governor PiT]

hopefully they can overthrow the EU.