Far-right Europe: From Electoral Success to Neo-Nazi Extremism | Java Documentary

Oct 22, 2024 | The extreme right has won the European elections in France, Italy and Belgium and has gained about a quarter of MEPs in the new parliament. The xenophobia, patriarchy, or authoritarianism that they preach are also present in the programs of parties that are not even considered ultra-right. Issues that were thought to be overcome, such as gender violence, the use of firearms or the death penalty, are being reintroduced into the debate.

The documentary Europe: The Rise of the Extreme Right has investigated the xenophobic parties of Sweden, Italy and Spain and explains the reasons for their growth. They cut freedoms, assume power, and attack the rule of law.

This documentary was produced by Corporacio Catalana De Mitjans Audiovisuals and directed by Albert Elfa, Ricard Belis. It was first released in 2019.

Austria Election: Why Are Young People Voting for the Far-right?

Oct 18, 2024 | There has been a series of far-right victories across Europe - most recently in Austria. The country's far-right Freedom Party won a historic victory in the general election, securing 29% of the votes. Young people, in particular, are voting more for the far-right, but why?

Guests:

Farid Hafez
Senior Fellow at Georgetown’s University Bridge Initiative

Ralph Schoellhammer
Head of the Center for Applied History and International Relations Theory

Maciej Kisilowski
Associate Professor of Law and Strategy

Inside the Far-right Blueprint for Germany’s Eurasian Future | DW Analysis

Sep 6, 2024 | Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is surging, with breakthroughs in regional and EU-wide elections. Party leader Alice Weidel says her goal is national power, eyeing the 2029 federal elections.

Despite its growing support, the AfD’s vision of foreign policy remains little known around the world. So in this new special report, DW takes a forensic microscope to the party’s blueprint for Germany’s future.

What this reveals is the party’s profound skepticism about the key Western alliances — NATO and the EU — and an outspoken openness to a Eurasian outlook, fostering deeper relations with Russia and China and the international institutions they lead, from the Belt and Road Initiative to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union: prime sources of prestige for Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Xi Jinping in Beijing.

In exclusive interviews with Alice Weidel, foreign policy spokesman Matthias Moosdorf and powerful ideologue Björn Höcke, DW’s Richard Walker and Rosalia Romaniec scrutinize the AfD’s views on Germany’s alliances and NATO Article 5 commitments to the Baltic states and Poland, its skepticism of the United States, possible future architectures for European defense, who should have nuclear weapons, future ties with Russia and China, and how Germany should act in a Taiwan conflict scenario.

Includes analysis from leading international experts on Russia, China, the US and Europe: Alexander Gabuev (Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center), Amanda Hsiao (International Crisis Group), Katarzyna Pisarska (Warsaw Security Forum), Peter Rough (Hudson Institute), and Judy Dempsey (Carnegie Europe).

Democracy under Threat? The Rise of the Far-right in Germany | DW Documentary

Oct 8, 2024 | Support for the far-right is growing in Germany, raising fears of a new 1933 - the year Adolf Hitler came to power. Does the recent electoral success of the far-right Alternative for Germany party indicate the country’s democracy is under threat?

In the eastern state of Thuringia, the extreme right has become the strongest force in the state parliament for the first time in post-war history. The development has triggered comparisons to the rise of Hitler - it was in Thuringia that the Nazis first entered a regional government, just three years before Hitler took power nationwide.

Some Germans are concerned that democracy is hanging in the balance. Hundreds of thousands of people are now taking to the streets regularly to voice their support for democracy and take a stand against right-wing extremism. But is the Germany of 2024 really comparable to that of 1933?

This documentary explores parallels between then and now, and also looks at other events that took place in Germany in the 1980s and 1990s. Back then, neo-Nazis wanted to make the small town of Langen in Hesse the first "foreigner-free” town in Germany. After German reunification in 1990, right-wing extremist groups also became increasingly influential in East Germany. Is the AfD's election success a further step in the growth of the far-right in Germany and a threat to democracy?

White Power: Inside Europe's Far-Right Movement | ARTE.tv Documentary

Aug 29, 2024 | Across Europe, the far right is embedding itself into the political landscape and daily life. But behind an increasingly smooth and respectable façade lies an ideology that remains fundamentally racist and violent. An in-depth focus into an ecosystem of extreme ideology in France, Germany, and Belgium.

Far-right Rioters in England Deterred by ‘Swift Justice’, Says Policing Minister

THE GUARDIAN: Diana Johnson says ‘we will come for you’ for online activity as much as physical violence on streets

Far-right rioters have been deterred by the administration of “swift justice”, the policing minister has said as she warned there would be further arrests and charges brought against suspects.

Diana Johnson said the de-escalation of violence on Wednesday night was “just the start” and argued that the speedy mobilisation of police officers had had a deterrent effect.

Shops were boarded up across the country in response to the threat of more than 100 planned anti-immigration protests, but in most places these failed to materialise after thousands of peaceful anti-racism demonstrators turned out.

Johnson told BBC Breakfast that the counter-demonstrations showed the UK’s “tradition of peaceful protest”. » | Eleni Courea, Political correspondent | Thursday, August 8, 2024

United against hate: England’s counter-protesters left with little to counter: From Newcastle to London to Bristol, anti-racist demonstrators stood up against threat of further racist riots »

UK PM Starmer: 'Standing Army' Set to Be Deployed Against Far-right Rioters | DW News

Aug 5, 2024 | Police in Britain say they have arrested almost 400 people in connection with days of unrest aimed at migrants and the UK's Muslim community. On July 29th, a 17-year-old male killed three girls at a dance class in the city of Southport. Violence erupted soon after the killings. British police say online disinformation which falsely identified the 17-year-old as an asylum-seeker, played a part in fueling the riots. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised to bring the full force of the law to bear on people who took part in what he called an act of "far right thuggery." According to British media, the 17-year-old's parents are from Rwanda.

'Far-right Thugs' in UK Will Be Swiftly Brought to Justice, Says Keir Starmer

Aug 4, 2024 | The prime minister has promised that targeting others because of their skin colour will be swiftly brought to justice. In a TV broadcast to the nation, he said: 'There is no justification, none, for taking this action and all right-minded people should be condemning this sort of violence.' ‘Far-right thugs’ will be swiftly brought to justice, Keir Starmer vows

How Mar-a-Lago Became the Center of Gravity for the Hard Right

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The ornate ballrooms and manicured lawns of Mar-a-Lago have hosted a variety of affairs for the wealthy and connected in the resort’s nearly 100-year history: philanthropic galas, lavish banquets, society lunches. During the presidency of Donald J. Trump, who has owned the property since 1985, the club drew a paying clientele of establishment Republicans and others currying favor from the president.

But since Mr. Trump left office in 2021, Mar-a-Lago has transformed into a White House in exile and the nerve center for some of the most extreme elements of the party’s MAGA wing. This includes a nearly steady stream of promoters of conspiracy theories that include lies that the 2020 election was stolen and that the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, was a federal setup.

This portrait of the company Mr. Trump keeps was assembled from a New York Times analysis of people and groups that have spent significant time and money at the resort, which has been his primary residence since his presidency ended.

The analysis, built on a review of videos, photos and other evidence of attendance at Mar-a-Lago, found that events hosted by ultra-right organizations and political fundraisers now dominate Mar-a-Lago’s calendar, and even officially non-political events can feel like rallies. In this gilded echo chamber, Mr. Trump enjoys unwavering devotion — and collects the staggering price of admission. » | Karen Yourish, Charlie Smart and David A. Fahrenthold | Tuesday, July 9, 2024

The Far Right Is Close to Power in France. Will the Rest of Europe Follow?

A screenshot taken from theis article. | GETTY IMAGES
BBC: How likely is France to wake up on Monday morning to a new far-right dawn?

That was the garishly painted, hotly debated scenario in media headlines, the EU in Brussels and seats of government across Europe following the first round of France’s parliamentary vote last week.

But despite the spectacular showing by Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) party, the short answer is: an RN majority is possible. Not probable.

French centrist and leftist parties have strategically withdrawn candidates to bolster each other’s contenders ahead of Sunday’s decisive second round.

But the impact of this election will be seismic, whether or not the RN wins an outright majority - or whether Jordan Bardella, its social media-savvy young president, becomes France’s new prime minister.

Polls predict RN is all but guaranteed to win more seats than any other political grouping.>br />
That means a decades-old taboo will have been shattered in France, a core EU nation. » | Katya Adler, Europe editor | Sunday, July 7, 2024

Right-wing Revolt: Why Europe's Young Are Turning against 'Progressive' Politics | SpectatorTV

Jul 3, 2024 | Young people in Europe are increasingly turning to the right. In Germany this year, more young voters supported the AfD than the Greens. In France, youth support for Marine Le Pen's National Rally has increased by similar margins. What's behind the ideological shift, and is it here to stay? Deputy broadcast editor Natasha Feroze is joined by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, writer and activist, and Yascha Mounk, political scientist and author.

France Votes as the Far-right Seeks Power | REUTERS

Jul 7, 2024 | Polls open in France's run-off election, with the far-right forecast to win the most votes but fall short of a parliamentary majority.

France Is in Danger

OPINION : GUEST ESSAY
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Whatever happens next, it’ll go down as one of the wildest gambles in modern French history. President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly and hold snap legislative elections on June 30 and July 7 has given the far right its best shot at governing France for the first time since the Vichy regime of World War II.

The move stunned the country’s political class, including high-ranking Macronists from whom the president’s plans were reportedly heavily guarded. And for much of France, the decision remains perplexing. For those with the most to lose from the far right in power — above all, immigrants and the descendants of recent immigrants — the news is downright terrifying. Mr. Macron, who has a habit of disregarding conventional wisdom, will surely hope the move redounds to his benefit. But make no mistake: France is in danger. » | Cole Stangler | Mr. Stangler is a journalist based in France who writes about its politics and culture. | Thursday, June 13, 2024

Liz Webster: Brexit Is So Bad Even Le Pen Daren’t Mention It

Jun 11, 2024 | We have Starmer ignoring Brexit and many of us hoping he will DEAL with it once in power.

France has Marine Le Pen now ignoring Frexit, hoping to win power no doubt to rip France out of the EU. Macron has rolled the dice and within the next month, things could look very much more consolidated or unstable.

Europe's March to the Far-right

Jun 11, 2024 | In the EU elections, voters in France, Germany and Italy have shown an increasing appetite for populist anti-immigrant parties. The French president Emmanuelle Macron has reacted by calling a snap parliamentary election after his party was beaten into second place in the EU poll by Marine le Pen’s National Rally.

In Germany, the Social Democrats, the party of Chancellor Olaf Scholz were pushed into third place by the nationalist AfD. The result still leaves the EU parliament dominated by traditional centre right and centre left parties but for how long will that remain the case? And what do these results tells us more broadly about the appeal of the far right in Europe.

Adrian Goldberg talks to Seema Syeda is a Marseille-based researcher working on European politics for UK-based campaign group Another Europe Is Possible; and Linda Kalcher, the Executive Director of a pan-European think tank Strategic Perspectives who is based in Belgium.

How Germany Is Responding to the Far-right | DW News

Feb 11, 2024 | Hundreds of thousands have come out across Germany in recent days to protest the Alternative for Germany (AfD). The far-right populist party with a strong anti-immigration focus is enjoying record highs in opinion polls. Nationwide surveys show that about one in five Germans would vote for it, and the AfD is projected to come first in elections in three eastern states later this year. So how did Germany get here? And how is society responding?

Defiance in Germany: Can Mass Protests Stop the Far Right? | To The Point

Feb 1, 2024 | Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Germany. It’s the largest social movement in the country in decades. In cities and towns large and small, protestors have been demonstrating against the far right, to advocate for an open society and to protect their democracy. And yet, supporters of Germany’s biggest far-right party seem undaunted, with more people than ever joining the organization. How dangerous is the AfD? What is causing such anger within mainstream society? And how resilient is Germany’s democracy? On To the Point we ask: Defiance in Germany: Can mass protests stop the far right?

Olaf Scholz Condemns Far-Right Plan to Deport Millions of Immigrants

THE TELERAPH: German chancellor says proposal, which would also expel German citizens, was drawn up by ‘fanatics with assimilation fantasies’

Mr Scholz warned German security services would investigate anyone 'who opposes our free democratic order' CREDIT: CLEMENS BILAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Olaf Scholz has strongly condemned a secret meeting at a mansion outside Berlin where far-Right groups drew up plans for deporting millions of immigrants, including German citizens.

The plan, revealed by the German investigative group Correctiv, has sent shockwaves across Germany given its echoes of Nazi ideology, notably the expulsion of those of non-German ethnic origin.

Mr Scholz, the German chancellor, said in response to the plan: “We protect everyone – regardless of origin, skin colour or how uncomfortable someone is for fanatics with assimilation fantasies.”

He also warned that the German security services would investigate anyone “who opposes our free democratic order,” adding that “the fact we learn from our history is not just lip service”. » | James Rothwell, Berlin Correspondent | Thursday, January 11, 2024

Geert Wilders: The Dutch Far-right Figurehead Sending a Chill across Europe

GUARDIAN EUROPE: After 20 years as a political outlier, the leader of the anti-immigration Freedom party is closer to power than ever before

Known for his distinctive platinum-blond hairstyle and his aggressive anti-Islam and anti-immigration rhetoric, Geert Wilders has been catapulted by the Dutch elections to the place he loves most to be: at the centre of attention.

In a political earthquake, Wilders’ Freedom party was on course late on Wednesday to win the most votes in the country’s parliamentary elections, opening the way for the politician to play a key role in the formation of the next government after an election dominated by debate over immigration.

From describing Islam as “an ideology of a retarded culture” and calling Moroccans “scum”, Wilders, who is often compared to former US president Donald Trump for his inflammatory rhetoric and use of social media, has long been a prominent fixture in the European far-right landscape. » | Pjotr Sauer in Amsterdam | Thursday, November 23, 2023

How Europe’s far right is marching steadily into the mainstream: Whether in Italy, Spain, France or Finland, parties that were once outcasts are fast gaining respectability – and power »

EN FRANÇAIS :

Pays-Bas : l’extrême droite de Geert Wilders remporte les législatives, selon les sondages sortie des urnes : Le PVV (Parti de la Liberté) a obtenu autour de 35 sièges et une victoire électorale confortable, selon l’institut Ipsos, contre 26 pour l’alliance de gauche. Le VVD de centre droit a remporté 23 sièges. Une coalition a besoin de 76 sièges pour gouverner. »

The Guardian View on Argentina’s New President: A Dark Day for Democracy

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: The election of the far-right candidate Javier Milei reflects the seriousness of the country’s problems – and threatens to deepen them

Javier Milei and his sister, Karina Milei, react to the election results in Buenos Aires on 19 November. Photograph: Reuters
Javier Milei’s landslide election victory, with 55.7% of the vote to his rival’s 44.3%, is not only terrible news for Argentina but terrifying for many. In a country celebrating 40 years of hard-won democracy, the far-right economist threatens to turn the clock back.

It would be easy to mock the former TV celebrity and tantric sex coach, who wielded a chainsaw at rallies and promised that he would take it to the state. But his election as president is no joke. Among the 53-year-old libertarian’s ideas are a referendum to overturn the legalisation of abortion, reducing gun ownership restrictions, making the trade in organs lawful, slashing social spending and abolishing the central bank. He has called the Argentina-born Pope Francis “the representative of the evil one on Earth”, smeared the victims of the military dictatorship as “terrorists” and claimed that their death toll was far smaller than the accepted 30,000 figure.

His win is bad news globally too, and not only because he dismisses climate change as a “socialist lie”. It is a filip for the far right around the world, and was welcomed as far away as Europe. Donald Trump, to whom Mr Milei has often been compared, and the former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, were swift to congratulate him. » | Editorial | Monday, November 20, 2023

Another clown joins the circus! – © Mark Alexander

And if you’re wondering what ‘tantric sex’ is, I’ve googled it so you don’t have to! Here’s a link.