Far-right populists top polls in Germany, France and Britain for the first time
Alternative for Germany has joined France's National Rally and Reform U.K. in becoming the most popular party in its country, according to polls.
cross-posted from: https://piefed.ca/post/145931
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I'm a member of the German left-wing party and I promise we're fighting tooth and nail against this.
Since you're immersed in this, what's behind the rise of far right populism in DE, and Europe more broadly?
Oh boy, that topic has so many layers that interconnect with each other that I could talk about it all day.
Massively simplified I would say it mainly boils down that basic needs aren't fulfilled anymore. Increasing costs of groceries, rent, public transport, healthcare and taxes to name a few meet decreasing investments (monetary and political will in general) in infrastructure, social housing, healthcare, pensions etc.
People see they pay a lot but get little in return and the right-wing parties like the AfD used that to perfection by offering simple solutions against the weakest of our society for little resistance and the use of propaganda social media.
Meanwhile we fight against the powerful, the big companies, the rich and deeply encrusted structures without being able to offer simple solutions.
But don't forget, we, as in "Die Linke", had and still have a massive influx of new members, many of whom are politically active. The left is on the rise too although not as much.
Massively simplified I would say it mainly boils down that basic needs aren’t fulfilled anymore. Increasing costs of groceries, rent, public transport, healthcare and taxes to name a few meet decreasing investments (monetary and political will in general) in infrastructure, social housing, healthcare, pensions etc.
So neoliberalism, basically.
And the bloody Austerity narrative, which has been strong in Germany at least since 1990 (Wiedervereinigung).
But it's not just the three countries mentioned in the headline, and it's not a new phenomenon.
You also, and i mean it in the best way possible, have a disgusting big pro russia standing. Pardon my french
The pro russian people left the party and founded the BSW. Since then Die Linke is stronger then ever. They still try to end the war with talking instead of cutting Putins head of which I would prefer differrently, but everything else works out great.
Yes but many in DieLinke is still pro russia.
They repeat russian propaganda. Saying that the joining of the former east block country in NATO is one of the causes for the annexation of Crimea and this attack. They dont want to send weapons to ukraine so ukraine can defent itself. Put it as if NATO forced the nations to join and that it was against a (none existing) treaty to allow the former east block country to join NATO.
To stand against helping a democratic nation defend itself, be it because of naiv pacifism or active helping the aggressor, is unacceptable. One can not negotiate with a lion if it constantly attacks you and you got your head in its mouth.
Read it yourself my friend if you dont belief my word
Ukraine - Fraktion Die Linke im Bundestag https://share.google/brGd5Jmi3808MY3yB
I haven't seen russian propaganda repeated by them yet. Even in your linked page they clearly state that they don't support them.
The joining of former east block countries into NATO is one of the reasons for Putins aggression. He said it himself. That doesn't make it right, but it's a fact. And there was no treaty about it but it was agreed upon that it won't happen. Still I don't think it's valid when it's not written down and signed. Just stating the facts. Also these nations should be able to decide for themselves if they want to join NATO or not.
I'm with you that not sending weapons and hoping for a diplomatic end of the war clearly doesn't work. DieLinke should definitly rethink their stance on this.
Like I said earlier it's my main complaint about the party.
No, we don't. That's just plain wrong.
Then why should we not send weapons to ukraine so they can defend themself and us? Why should we disolve/leave NATO? Why should ukraine give up their lands? Why should Ukraine not be allowed to join NATO?
DieLinke puts it as the former east block countrys didnt join NATO on their own behalf and that this "expansion" was part of the fault of this war. Repeating russias propaganda and revisionism.
All positions and demands by DieLinke
If you dont belief it maybe you should read it yourself
Ukraine - Fraktion Die Linke im Bundestag https://share.google/brGd5Jmi3808MY3yB
Call me a coward or anything you want but I'm not going to start an online argument with someone who argues in bad faith to begin with.
On the human logical side think about this: your country (east germany) finally is free. You think things will finally go up! Then the west neglects you, trests you as second class citicen, buys up all the industry there and closed them down. Now you and all your friends are out of a job. Oh and look at that also all your state leaders are from the west too, that you have been taught to hate. Woow 2000s! A guy promises to fix stuff...he doesnt, everything gets more expensive and OH NO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER JUST GOT IT! "Back then this would have never made it to the news!" You start to think back at how easy it seemed. Hey a leader from your are rules german! Merkel surely will fix it. Scandal scandal scandal scandal. Now its 2008 and the market crashes! OH NO! Economy is even worse! Now you are told your money goes to greece because they are in debt? What gives? The Imigrants get a job but you dont? Wtf?
Then come people that say are from your area and tell you exactly what you want to hear. That everything has been going to shit and all other parties arent doing shit! They grow more and more populare and with you also more and more radical. You start to hate and despise this thing called democracy, harder romantication. Then...lock down...everything is getting even worse it seems to you. You fall into a rabbit hole of conspiricy theory. "Yes" you tell yourself. "We need a strong leader again! This is all getting out of hand! Back then it was still orderly and safe!"
And here we are today. Ofc this doesnt justify their voting. But if you look at it from their perspective...you kinda can understand. They are right that things have gone to shit for the last 30 years.
People want a way out they want better lifes. Perfering easy solutions. And if only one party seems like they arent like the others or evil leftwings surely they are a good choice right? These people clearly are desperate. Ofc some of them are just full nazis and fascists, we cant denie that. The AfD is full of fascists.
Watch what we do on the left in the US and then go ahead and DON'T FUCKING DO THAT. It's been utterly failing.
The US has a Left?
Yeah I think it's important to point out that for a European the US has two parties to the right on the economic scale.
I'd also argue that US style "leftism" (divisive identity politics on top of neoliberalism) has ruined the European left that was all too eager to import and copy that horseshit.
Could you give any examples of that in Europe? Because I don't feel like I've seen that
For the adoption of neoliberalism, in nominally "left" political organisations, look at "Social" Deomocrats in pretty much any European country, and some of them are trying to conceal that by putting on a veneer of identity politics.
One very prominent example of a formerly leftist party turning full neoliberal while hiding behind a facade of identity politics are the German Greens.
Overall, classic working class issues have been largely abandoned by most self proclaimed left parties and movements, while they are busying themselves with identity politics based infighting. Not all of them have embraced full neoliberalism, but pretty much all of them subscribe to the extreme individualism that is central to the neoliberal ideology.
Sorry I should've specified, I don't understand what the identity politics is that they've been doing?
To be honest the US would be the last place next to other autocracies I'd look for in guidance for left-wing politics.
You better