EU: Elections with the imprint of the right
In the new composition of the European Parliament, the most retrograde organizations gained weight. What are the factors that fuel the rise of the right and the extreme right?? Political and social polarization requires socialist and revolutionary responses. The anti-capitalist left was represented with the NPA-Révolutionnaires (France) and the MOST (Portugal). (Note from the International Socialist League – LIS -)
New composition of the European Parliament
The 10th Legislature of the European Parliament will be formed based on the following results: the European People's Party (EPP) he obtained 186 MEPs with which the traditional right grew in seats (+10). The Socialists & Democrats (S&D), they got 135 MPs, which implies a setback (-4) but in general terms it keeps them afloat. The liberals of Renew Europe (Rene), suffered a significant decline to 79 MPs (-23). The ECR Group obtained 73 (+4). The Identity and Democracy Party (ID), 58 (+9). The Greens/ALE, they collapsed to 53 seats (-18) mainly due to poor performances in Germany and France. And The Left-GUE-NGL (The Left) stayed with 36 MPs (-1) and maintained the space of the reformist center-left.
Right turn
Although the “Europeanists” remained standing, It is evident that they did not receive the support they need to overcome the project crisis that the EU is going through.. Anyway, The most relevant fact of the results was the rise of reactionary expressions. The extreme right won in France, Italy, Belgium, Hungary, Austria and grew in other countries. The shock was felt in two of the pillars of the EU: Germany, where the AfD was positioned as the second force, and in France, where Marine Le Pen's National Rally doubled Emmanuel Macron's liberals in votes, who, due to the lack of support, called for early elections.
Supported reactionaries
The results did not cause surprise since they were within the projections. But they did cause concern since support for retrograde formations is indicative of the weakening of the “health fence” that once marginalized hate speech against the social and democratic rights of workers., the immigrants, environmental movements, feminists and LGBTIQ+.
Alliances to be defined
The next step in the Euro chamber will be the vote for the new president of the European Commission, for which possible alliances began to be considered. One of the applicants, in this case to re-election, is Úrsula von der Leyen (EPP), who expressed openness to agreeing with extreme right groups, especially with Fratelli d'Italia by Giorgia Meloni. The Greens are willing to negotiate and the social democrats proposed as a condition for reissuing the agreement with the EPP and the liberals that there be no“coalition with the extreme right”.
The alarms were reactivated
Whatever the negotiations for the presidency and other important positions turn out, It is a fact that the weight of the right and the extreme right increased, which has nothing positive. Yes in the previous legislature, with less influence they imposed points on their agenda, It is likely that with the new composition they will try to give a twist to the cuts in social and democratic rights. Although the right spectrum presentsdivisions and disputes that until now prevented it from forming a homogeneous block, the reactivation of the alarms is largely justified.
Who are responsible?
There are several elements that come together for the emergence of the right and the ultra as a global phenomenon.. Some of them are: the crisis of the capitalist economy, the discredit of bourgeois regimes and parties, the appearance of “messianic” characters who propagandize simple solutions to complex problems and the coverage given to them by the mass media and social networks. Nevertheless, The determining factor is the role that the reformist parties play when they come to power. When governments, social democrats or center-leftists, they are corrupt, They do not solve the most pressing needs of working people and benefit the privileged; they disappoint those who trusted them as a tool of change. That is why it is a falsehood that they present themselves as a “lesser evil” or “containment dam” to the right when in reality they are the stewards who open the doors of the institutions and normalize their presence.. The antidote to the extreme right was, It is and will be mainly mobilization and confrontation in the streets.
Growing political and social polarization
The rise of the right in the Old Continent is part of a phenomenon that is evident in the State of Israel, U.S, India, Russia, Brazil, Argentina and other countries, in which the reaction acquired political representations. This is just one of the existing poles, there is another pole that opposes it, made up of workers and people who fight around the world, It is stronger in the streets but lacks political representation and revolutionary leadership. Just to take some examples, In France and the United Kingdom there were large mobilizations and strikes in defense of the rights of the working class. In Germany the population marched massively against the right. And throughout Europe there are continuous demonstrations against the genocide in Palestine, despite the repression and persecution of governments. The most notable characteristic of the world situation is a growing political and social polarization that requires socialist and revolutionary responses..
Expressions of the anti-capitalist left
In the elections of some countries there were expressions of the radical left that, although modest, are worth highlighting. This is the case of the first presentation in France of the NPA-Révolutionnaires, with the slogan“For a world without borders or patterns, urgent revolution!”.further, announced thewillingness to participate in early elections called by Macron and made a post-electoral call: A social response from workers and young people is urgently needed!!
We also highlight the presentation of the Socialist Alternative Movement (BUT) from Portugal, which had among its main postulates: “End of the privileges of European deputies” Y“European minimum wage of 1.300 euros for everyone”. In the first conclusions published, the MAS highlighted the merit of having presented, of having carried out a correct campaign and of not having fallen into the almost generalized debacle of the Portuguese left. It is necessary to mention that he also faced the campaign of a group that responds to the ITU that, instead of focusing on the right, He dedicated himself to attacking the only socialist list consistent in supporting the struggle of the workers and the Palestinian people..
From the International Socialist League (LIS) we welcome the presentation of the lists of the NPA-R and the MAS, to the comrades who made them up and the dispute they carried out.
The dilemma is socialism or barbarism
Away from the “Europeanist” and “Eurosceptic” projects that hover within the frameworks of decadent capitalism and its increasingly authoritarian regimes., it is necessary to build a socialist project, radical and consistent left. That supports the struggles of the workers and the people. That drives the mobilizations, strikes and democratic self-organization. Let him face the plans of “Fortress Europe”, imperialist and unequal, to replace it with a Europe of workers and peoples and the free Federation of European Socialist States. Along the way of these strategic tasks it will be defined whether the future of humanity leads to barbarism or towards the emergence of new revolutionary directions and organizations that are needed to advance towards socialism..
