Friday, 29 March 2024 09:46

« The Resistible rise » of populism in Europe

The poorer countries of the world are the ones that host the highest number of refugees. It is a fact reported by Amnesty International on October 6 2016 in a report stating that 10 countries with the lowest GDP (less than 2.5%), host 56% of the world's refugees.

However, it is in rich countries like France, Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, Austria and newcomers in the EU, like Poland, Hungary, and Austria, that the, anti-muslim immigration movements have seen the highest growth.  

Anti-immigration movements have reached an unprecedented scale with the refugee "crisis" from countries devastated by civil wars. The racist speech is liberated, in a European Union, which was created precisely to avoid ever being confronted again with institutionalized racism after World War II.

Democratic conservative parties are gradually giving more room to their « right wings », which have close ties to xenophobic movements. Left-winged political parties aren't left out in this matter. They perceive the Muslim immigration as a "concern", if not "a problem".

A former president of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), who for over a decade professed democracy and freedom of speech for countries in democratic transition was elected mayor in the French town of Béziers. Today he plays on the fear and hatred of Muslim immigrants; creates private militias which were later dismantled by law; announces a referendum in January 2017 (election year in France) in order not to host any migrants, as illustrated by racist posters, whilst this city is only required to create 40 additional places for migrants. The latter largely come from Calais -following its dismantling- in a shelter run by an ecumenical NGO, better known as the "Cimade" ... This can only raise questions. Because this is France, the country of "liberty, equality and fraternity."

When Germany, where the far right seemed to be forever annihilated after the Second World War, is faced with Pegida -which recently celebrated its second anniversary. This movement arose after the refugee 'crisis' and uses the slogan "Muslim migrants are not welcome," it also raises questions. Notably since the awakening of the AFD, the extreme right party, not far from the neo-Nazis, which within a few months managed to defeat the party of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in her own political bastion… This led to a crisis within the CDU (Christian Democratic Party) and the party to require a firmer policy towards refugees from the German Chancellor.

Germany is the European country hosting most refugees in Europe.

France and Germany, the two pillars of the European Union, are currently facing a new phenomenon in of post-war history:  The far right parties have nibbled their way through in such a manner that they eventually mutated into parties which European democracies can no longer ignore, because they are part of the decision-making bodies.

CCME

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