Tagged with Jobbik

Why is the extreme right on the rise in Europe?

Far right logosThe European Parliament is preparing to welcome the most powerful extreme right that the Old Continent has seen since the 1930s. Ignacio Ramonet discusses the factors behind this disturbing political development in a translation by Tom Gill from the French original.

One thing is certain: the European elections in late May will result in an overall rise of the far-right vote. And the arrival in the European Parliament of a wave of new ultra-right members. Currently they are gathered in two groups: the European Alliance for Freedom (EAF) and the Alliance of European National Movements (AENM). In all 47 MEPs, barely 6% of 766 euroseats. And after May 25? Double? Sufficient to block the decisions of the European Parliament and therefore the functioning of the European Union? Continue reading →

Anti-Roma attacks show need to resist rise of the far-right throughout European Union

Romani_flagLast Monday saw the wonderful sight of Roma flags raised outside Downing Street, representing a small proportion of the 12 million Roma people who live within the European Union. The Roma suffer huge discrimination and abuse on differing levels in every country across Europe.

They were the first victims of the nazis, who shipped them off to concentration camps where they were subsequently joined by millions of others – Jews, communists, intellectuals, most of whom finally met their end in the gas chambers. Continue reading →

Hungary swings right

Viktor OrbanTranslated by Tom Gill, from the original by Marco Santopadre

The parliamentary elections in Hungary on Sunday confirmed a trend already evident in recent years – a right wing government that maintains its position of dominance and a growing neo-Nazi opposition. The election also saw an increase in voter turnout, by four percentage points, reaching 61% participation.

The former Liberal party Fidesz, led by outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and positioning itself as openly reactionary, populist, xenophobic, won 44.5% of the vote, a percentage that gave it an ample majority in the parliament in Budapest. Continue reading →