The Neo-Napoleonists continue
to ignore cause and effect:
A surge
of populist political parties threatens democracy in Europe, Tony Blair's think
tank warns today. A survey by the Institute for Global Change found the share
of the vote taken by populist parties from both right and left has almost
trebled since 2000. The surge has seen the parties support rising from 8.5 per
cent to 24.1 per cent.
Over the same period, it said the number of European countries with populist parties participating in government has doubled from seven to 14 - creating an unprecedented 'populist belt' from the Baltic to the Aegean.
They are strongest in Eastern Europe and current hold power in seven countries - Bosnia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Serbia and Slovakia. Populists are the junior coalition partners in two other countries and the main opposition in three more.
The report said: 'Parties like Poland's Law and Justice party and Hungary's Fidesz tend to emphasise a nationalism based on soil, blood or culture; take a hard line against immigration; and have, especially in Poland and Hungary, quickly started to dismantle key democratic institutions like the free media and an independent judiciary.
'Working largely within the letter of the law, and drawing on widespread popular support, they have destroyed many of the institutions that are needed to safeguard democratic institutions over the long-run.'
In contrast to Eastern Europe, where most populist parties are on the right, those in Southern Europe are predominantly on the left, such as Syriza in Greece and Podemos in Spain. However, the report said left-wing parties from other parts of the continent - including Labour in Britain - had embraced elements of populism, underlining the impact populist politics was having on the mainstream.
The report's co-author, Yascha Mounk, said: '2016 was the year that populism went prime time, but as our data makes clear: this rise started well before 2016.
'The huge transformation we are seeing in European politics is long term, driven by issues such as economic insecurity; a rebellion against immigration and the notion of a multi-ethnic society; and the ease with which extreme voices can make themselves heard in an age of social media.
'This populist wave has not crested and unless politicians managed to identify and counteract the structural drivers, populism will keep garnering strength in the years to come.'
Over the same period, it said the number of European countries with populist parties participating in government has doubled from seven to 14 - creating an unprecedented 'populist belt' from the Baltic to the Aegean.
They are strongest in Eastern Europe and current hold power in seven countries - Bosnia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Serbia and Slovakia. Populists are the junior coalition partners in two other countries and the main opposition in three more.
The report said: 'Parties like Poland's Law and Justice party and Hungary's Fidesz tend to emphasise a nationalism based on soil, blood or culture; take a hard line against immigration; and have, especially in Poland and Hungary, quickly started to dismantle key democratic institutions like the free media and an independent judiciary.
'Working largely within the letter of the law, and drawing on widespread popular support, they have destroyed many of the institutions that are needed to safeguard democratic institutions over the long-run.'
In contrast to Eastern Europe, where most populist parties are on the right, those in Southern Europe are predominantly on the left, such as Syriza in Greece and Podemos in Spain. However, the report said left-wing parties from other parts of the continent - including Labour in Britain - had embraced elements of populism, underlining the impact populist politics was having on the mainstream.
The report's co-author, Yascha Mounk, said: '2016 was the year that populism went prime time, but as our data makes clear: this rise started well before 2016.
'The huge transformation we are seeing in European politics is long term, driven by issues such as economic insecurity; a rebellion against immigration and the notion of a multi-ethnic society; and the ease with which extreme voices can make themselves heard in an age of social media.
'This populist wave has not crested and unless politicians managed to identify and counteract the structural drivers, populism will keep garnering strength in the years to come.'
There is nothing -
literally nothing - democratic about the European Union. The entire structure
is designed to limit and thwart the national will of the European peoples.
Notice that the Neo-Napoleonists defend "democratic institutions" and
don't work within the letter of the law as they oppose the actual will of the
genuine people who do work within the law.
As for the "structural drivers", external immigration and internal free movement are the two primary ones. Both need to be not only stopped, but reversed.
As for the "structural drivers", external immigration and internal free movement are the two primary ones. Both need to be not only stopped, but reversed.
