Right Wing Europe? :: Wessex Scene Online

Right Wing Europe?

14th May 2002
Nigel Massen

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Jun 06 - Local elections result in dismay
May 03 - Southampton Rejects BNP
Dec 09 - Beyond Question: Britain’s Far Right
Dec 05 - A new middle party for a new Middle East
Mar 08 - Shorthand Politics

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From the highest to the lowest levels of democracy, the voice of the far right has once again been resounding across Europe in recent weeks,

with neo-fascists making their greatest political gains since the destruction of the Third Reich. In France, Socialist Lionel Jospin was ousted from the first round of the presidential contest, leaving only the scandal ridden Conservative, Jacques Chirac, as an alternative to the shock success of the far-right’s Jean-Marie Le Pen. Following two weeks of mass demonstrations across France, Le Pen was unceremoniously defeated at the polls; he did however, secure 18% of the votes cast, a shocking 10 million French voters seeking to elect a neo-fascist candidate as their head of state. Achieving 16.86% in the first round, Le Pen improved his share of the vote in the second round, despite up to 1.3 million protestors taking to the streets on May Day. Fears now focus on France’s parliamentary elections next month as right-wing parties hope to capitalise on their presidential publicity.

Following local elections in the UK, three members of the British National Party prepare to take their seats in the 91,000 strong borough of Burnley, scene of last years ‘race riots’ between white and Asian youths. With ‘voluntary repatriation’ policies to achieve the promise of an all-white Britain, the BNP parasitise poverty stricken communities, gaining 18% of all votes for the 19 seats they contested. Focusing on areas of high unemployment and poor housing, the BNP offer a particular brand of scapegoating that has always been popular with the far-right. Popular support for such extremism arises amid disenchantment with the mainstream political parties. Echoing the successful BNP election strategy of Derek Beackon in 1993 (Tower Hamlets), the party attack specific local issues offering race-based solutions to the white community. Of course, none of these racist policies in any way address the long term problems of unemployment, crime and substance abuse which are so prevalent in Burnley.

Whilst it is easy to dismiss fascist European groups as isolated, minority supported parties, the problem is perhaps deeper than many imagine. Neo-fascist parties enjoy minority support in many European countries. Notable successes include Austrian far-right freedom party Joerg Haider serving in government and the National Alliance’s Gianfranco Fini of Italy’s coalition government. It is in deprived areas and at times of political homogenisation that the far-right successfully publicise a ‘minority’ issue to captivate a majority audience. It is the responsibility of mainstream political parties to address such issues wherever they arise, highlighting the real causes of poverty and proposing fast, visible solutions. The plans to tackle such problems must be brave new initiatives that embrace radical ideas.

At all costs, people must not be driven to the point where they choose to vote fascist to make a point, this only serves to fuel the flames of race based policies.