It is here. It is now. You may recall
that I was one of the very few observers of European politics who predicted
this years ago. I said it would take two election cycles for the nationalists
to come fully to power. We're still in the first one.
- In a recent poll by the Czech Academy of Sciences, the
ANO scored 30.9 percent, more than the two traditional heavyweights in
Czech politics -- the Social Democrat CSSD and the right-wing ODS --
combined, who scored just 13.1 percent and 9.1 percent respectively.
- The takeover of the OeVP in May by "Emperor
Kurz" was as swift as it was radical. First he ended the decade-long
unhappy coalition with the Social Democrats (SPOe). Then he rebranded the
OeVP and its black party colour as a turquoise "movement" tough
on migrants and easy on taxes. The strategy of "putting Austrians
first" propelled the sluggish OeVP to pole position in opinion polls
and Kurz to near-rock star status.
- The People’s Party (OVP) got 31.6 per cent of the vote,
according to exit polls from pollster SORA. Mr Kurz's party is tough on
migration, easy on taxes and widely Eurosceptic after rebranding itself
over the last few months to propel its popularity in the wealthy Alpine
nation. The 31-year-old is expected to form a coalition with the right-wing
populist Freedom Party (FPO), who got 26.9 per cent of the vote, according
to the latest projections.
Of course, as with Brexit, the
nationalists still have to deliver and free their nations from both the migrant
invasions and the chains of the European Union. But be that as it may, it is
clear that they have the democratic mandate of their nations, as well as the
duty, to do so.
