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Anyone remember this?
http://www.spiegel.de/international/...757982,00.html
The rise of the ultra right wing parties in nearly every EU nation isn't necessarily the rise of racism, anti-immigration, or any other demogagic hot button per se.
For one thing, these parties in general appear to be the only ones which stand clearly against the ongoing PIIGS bailouts.
In this context, the sturm und drang over the tragedy in Oslo becomes much more interesting.
Having a mass murderer who shares the views of many of these political movements, plus the bonus of having many members squirm in public view as condemning Breivik's acts but endorsing his views, has an extra bonus for the existing political mainstream.
Right on cue we see again on Der Spiegel:
It is ironic that Breivik's actions will, in all likelihood, do far more damage to the political movement he believed in as opposed to catalyze further gains.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/...757982,00.html
Triumph of Right-Wing Populists
How Dangerous Is Finland to the Euro?
An Analysis by Sven Böll and Maria Marquart
Will the election of right-wing populists in Finland derail the euro rescue package? A Helsinki veto would indeed be expensive for the rest of the euro zone, particularly for Germany. Experts are also warning that other European countries may follow suit if Finland decides to pull out of the euro bailout.
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Across the 17-member euro zone, government heads had a hunch April 17 might not be a very good day for the future of Europe. The strong ballot box performance of the euroskeptic True Finns means it is very likely the party will be part of the next government. It appears that a country long seen as an EU anchor may soon become a source of irritation for Brussels and in capitals across the bloc.
During the election campaign, True Finn party head Timo Soini lashed out repeatedly against the European Union and bailout plans for debt-ridden euro-zone members. Bolstered by an election that saw the party more than quadruple its standing, with 19 percent of the vote, an emboldened Soini remained vocal on Monday, saying it was unacceptable that Finland "must pay for the mistakes of others." And that "the content of politics must change. We have been too soft on Europe." Does the party represent a threat to the common European project? Do Finland's right-wing populists truly have the power to bring the euro to its knees? Or does it merely have the capacity to create a threat to the euro's stability and thus protract the current currency crisis?
If the party becomes part of Finland's next government, that answer could come within a matter of weeks. A coalition between the conservatives, who drew the most votes, the opposition Social Democrats and the True Finns is one viable option currently being discussed.
How Dangerous Is Finland to the Euro?
An Analysis by Sven Böll and Maria Marquart
AFP
True Finns party boss Timo Soini: Sunday's election in Finland wasn't a great day for Europe.Will the election of right-wing populists in Finland derail the euro rescue package? A Helsinki veto would indeed be expensive for the rest of the euro zone, particularly for Germany. Experts are also warning that other European countries may follow suit if Finland decides to pull out of the euro bailout.
For reasons of data protection and privacy, your IP address will only be stored if you are a registered user of Facebook and you are currently logged in to the service. For more detailed information, please click on the "i" symbol.
Across the 17-member euro zone, government heads had a hunch April 17 might not be a very good day for the future of Europe. The strong ballot box performance of the euroskeptic True Finns means it is very likely the party will be part of the next government. It appears that a country long seen as an EU anchor may soon become a source of irritation for Brussels and in capitals across the bloc.
During the election campaign, True Finn party head Timo Soini lashed out repeatedly against the European Union and bailout plans for debt-ridden euro-zone members. Bolstered by an election that saw the party more than quadruple its standing, with 19 percent of the vote, an emboldened Soini remained vocal on Monday, saying it was unacceptable that Finland "must pay for the mistakes of others." And that "the content of politics must change. We have been too soft on Europe." Does the party represent a threat to the common European project? Do Finland's right-wing populists truly have the power to bring the euro to its knees? Or does it merely have the capacity to create a threat to the euro's stability and thus protract the current currency crisis?
If the party becomes part of Finland's next government, that answer could come within a matter of weeks. A coalition between the conservatives, who drew the most votes, the opposition Social Democrats and the True Finns is one viable option currently being discussed.
For one thing, these parties in general appear to be the only ones which stand clearly against the ongoing PIIGS bailouts.
In this context, the sturm und drang over the tragedy in Oslo becomes much more interesting.
Having a mass murderer who shares the views of many of these political movements, plus the bonus of having many members squirm in public view as condemning Breivik's acts but endorsing his views, has an extra bonus for the existing political mainstream.
Right on cue we see again on Der Spiegel:
Norwegian Openness
Attacks Reveal the Limits of Freedom
Norwegians have always been proud of their society's openness. But Friday's attacks have raised questions both about police readiness to respond and about the lack of security in the Oslo government district. Norway may now be confronting the limits of freedom. By Anna Reimann in Oslo more...
Blogging Hate
Anders Breivik's Roots in Right-Wing Populism
He was a prolific contributor to extremist blogs and had ties to right-wing populists: The murderer from Norway did not, it would seem, come out of nowhere. Rather, he had found an ideological home among those seeking to cleanse Europe of Islam and multi-culturalism. They are seeking to distance themselves. By Frank Patalong more...
Attacks Reveal the Limits of Freedom
DPA
Norwegians have always been proud of their society's openness. But Friday's attacks have raised questions both about police readiness to respond and about the lack of security in the Oslo government district. Norway may now be confronting the limits of freedom. By Anna Reimann in Oslo more...
- Photo Gallery: Balancing Security and Freedom in Norway
- Norway's Black Friday: A Chronology of the Twin Attacks
- The World from Berlin: 'Open Societies Pay a High Price'
Blogging Hate
Anders Breivik's Roots in Right-Wing Populism
He was a prolific contributor to extremist blogs and had ties to right-wing populists: The murderer from Norway did not, it would seem, come out of nowhere. Rather, he had found an ideological home among those seeking to cleanse Europe of Islam and multi-culturalism. They are seeking to distance themselves. By Frank Patalong more...