European far-right, nationalist parties meet in Milan

[pampango]

Source: Washington Post


French far right leader Marine Le Pen, left, and Firebrand Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders attend the press conference of the second day of a 2-day convention of European nationalists, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Jan. 29, 2016. The rally is being billed by organizers as the first congress of the Europe of Nations and Freedom group within the European Parliament, which was formed last year.

Sharing the stage with leaders of other European populist parties, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said Friday that Europe’s nationalist parties are ready to step in and clean up when European structures fail under current immigration and monetary policies.

Le Pen spoke at the end of the first meeting of the Europe of Nations and Freedom group within the European Parliament, which was formed last summer. The 36-member parliamentary group is the smallest in the European Parliament, but includes some parties gaining strength in the polls in their home countries.

At a news conference, Le Pen along with populist leaders from host Italy, the Netherlands and Austria expressed their common view that Europe’s borders must be closed to mass migration from the Middle East and Africa and said that sovereignty over such policies must be restored to nations. They cited both the threat of terrorism and the strain on budgets.

Outside, several hundred students peacefully protested the presence of a gathering they saw as racist.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/european-far-right-nationalist-parties-meet-in-milan/2016/01/29/6fd4737a-c698-11e5-b933-31c93021392a_story.html

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From another article on the far-right convention:

Migrant influx will ‘impoverish European nations,’ Le Pen tells far-right convention

The leader of the French National Front, Marine Le Pen, has headlined a convention of European far-right parties in Milan.

It comes just weeks after her party suffered a defeat in regional elections.

Le Pen told the one thousand-strong audience that the influx of migrants would “impoverish European nations and kill their civility forever.”

She was joined by Matteo Salvini, the leader of Italy’s Northern League, shares the Front’s anti-immigrant and Eurosceptic line.

http://www.euronews.com/2016/01/29/migrant-influx-will-impoverish-european-nations-le-pen-tells-far-right/

It would be interesting to be in Milan this weekend.

[smirkymonkey]

1. It's the extreme political correctness of most European politicians and lawmakers that is

driving the far right. They are idealistic to the point where they are blind to certain realities. This influx is going to drain them financially and try the patience of their citizens.

[uhnope]

2. BS. The Far Right has been on the march for years & is getting Kremlin megabucks to help it lately

Regular people don't just suddenly become far-right when things go bad.

[smirkymonkey]

4. Regular people go far right when they have had enough and their government

is completely deaf to their concerns. They have pleaded with them to listen and they haven't. Therefore, they are taking things into their own hands. I'm not saying that it is right, I am just saying that it is an inevitable outcome of a tone deaf ruling class.

[840high]

3. Yes. The citizens are not happy.

[pampango]

5. No. The far-right is driving itself. Every gain on the far-right is not the fault of the left.

Trump's RW populist appeal that the left's 'political correctness' is the cause of societies' problems is inaccurate.

Europe's RW has been anti-immigrant and Islamophobic for a long time. The left did not make them that way.

And even if the liberal refugee policy of Sweden, Germany and others is providing more fuel for the right's anti-immigrant, Islamophobia what is the alternative? Adopt a more conservative refugee policy that the right would hate less? (Perhaps bottle the refugees up in Greece where most of them land and keep them out of 'rich' Europe?) The right is going to hate accepting ANY refugees.

Is that a 21st century form of 'triangulation' designed to 'moderate' liberal policy in order to weaken conservatives and allow 'more moderate' liberals to win elections?

[smirkymonkey]

6. The far right has always been there, but this is giving them fuel.

It hasn't created them, but it is definitely creating more support for them.

[pampango]

8. True. As I said, "liberal refugee policy ... is providing more fuel for the right's anti-immigrant,

Islamophobia, what is the alternative? Adopt a more conservative refugee policy that the right would hate less? (Perhaps bottle the refugees up in Greece where most of them land and keep them out of 'rich' Europe?) The right is going to hate accepting ANY refugees."

[branford]

7. The rapid influx of hundreds of thousands of mostly young men,

without proper vetting, from cultures different from much of Europe, and many who are economic migrants and not actual refugees, as predicted by most people, is causing serious practical and political difficulties in many countries. To deny this is to deny reality. More importantly, the problems are getting worse.

Claiming that liberal migrant policies were the "right thing to do" or that left leaning governments should be more humanitarian than the right changes nothing. These countries are democracies, and if the voters aren't happy with the choices of their liberal governments, they'll not hesitate to vote them out of office.

It is true that the right has long been critical of multiculturalism, "political correctness," and the permissive immigration policies of those on the left. The recent very serious and continuing problems, including fears of the collapse of the entire Schengen free movement zone, simply proves that the right may been correct all along in at least some of their admonitions. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. If the left cannot adapt, it will die.

The solution is not to double down on migrant polices that clearly are not working and definitely not supported by the pertinent electorates. Such a strategy will only ensure the right continues to make tangible political gains throughout Europe, all with virtually no effort on their part. The ultimate result will be a far more isolationist Europe along with the abolishment of other hard won liberal political achievements.

[pampango]

10. "... the right may been correct all along ...". "If the left cannot adapt, it will die."

And by "adapt" you mean adopt the policies of the right in this case?

Claiming that liberal migrant policies were the "right thing to do" or that left leaning governments should be more humanitarian than the right changes nothing. These countries are democracies, and if the voters aren't happy with the choices of their liberal governments, they'll not hesitate to vote them out of office.

Quite true. Liberal governments get voted out when the are 'too liberal' (and conservative governments when they are "too conservative&quot all the time. As you say, that is how democracy works. Is that an argument for 'moderating' liberal policies in order to stay in office? Liberal governments certainly need to constantly evaluate the results of their policies and modify or change them based on 'reality'.

The solution is not to double down on migrant polices that clearly are not working and definitely not supported by the pertinent electorates.

I agree that refugee policies need to be adapted. Germany, Sweden and other liberal countries seem to be doing this.

What policy should liberals support with regard to the 1,500 refugees/migrants who land every day in the Greek islands? International law does not allow countries to send genuine refugees back though, of course, it does allow that for economic migrants. Should they all be kept in Greece until a determination on each is made? What happens then to the ones found to be genuine refugees?

[branford]

11. The migrant problem is not a binary choice between policies like Merkel's open invitation

and Orbán's wall building.

If "adapt" means stricter, far less generous and humanitarian and much harsher migrant polices that are widely demanded by the democratic populace, and even of the right believes they would be a "good start," you damn well think I believe such policies should be adopted.

Many of the liberal European governments instituted migrant and immigration policies with their hearts and not brains, they were loudly warned of the practical and political consequences, the policies have already undoubtedly failed, and such failures now jeopardize the entire EU project and beyong. There are no good options, and I would rather see unforgiving migrant policies than the disintegration of the left in Europe and accompanying rise of the right-wing which would dismantle far more liberal achievements that some unpopular multicultural wish lists. The problems in Europe are bad and getting worse, and the focus should be on political triage, and if its not, the voters will excise what they believe to be the source of the problem, liberal governance.

Sadly, and particularly with the migrant problem predicted to become much worse as Spring approaches, the EU might need to create a firewall in Greece. I admit this is distasteful, but the alternatives might be much worse, including European-wide instability.

[pampango]

12. "... the EU might need to create a firewall in Greece." To keep people from reaching Greece or

to keep them in Greece or both?

Some of the Greek islands are just a few miles from the coast of Turkey. About 1,500 people a day are attempting the crossing even in harsh seas during their winter. I am not sure what "distasteful" measures will prevent many of them from reaching Greece especially when, as you say, Spring approaches and the seas are calmer.

The idea of keeping most of the genuine refugees in camps in Greece (obviously with lots of financial and other help from the rest of the EU, the UN, the US and others) may be the best solution. These camps would grow quite large which may become an issue in time. Some of these refugees could be resettled in other European countries, the US, Canada, etc. in a regulated and, hopefully, expeditious manner but large numbers would be in Greece for a long time.

[branford]

13. I was referring to both,

keeping migrants both from and in Greece. I realistically foresee Greece being cut-off from Shengen, regardless of whether Greeks are truly liable for or even capable of dealing with much of the current mess.

I would note that no country is willing to take a significant enough number of the migrants to make much of a difference for Greece or the EU as a whole. The USA, Canada and others have only agreed to take a slow paced, highly vetted, tiny trickle of people, and there's absolutely no political support for anything more, particularly in light of the problems in Europe and domestic security, financial and cultural concerns. Similarly, refugee sharing and resettlement policies among the EU members is VERY unpopular in much of Europe, championed by the same leaders that originally encouraged the migrants to come, have already theoretically been instituted and have, like every other relevant migrant policy, failed miserably.

[pampango]

14. We largely agree. Cutting Greece off from Schengen may save Schengen for everyone else.

A tough choice but perhaps a necessary one. I do hope that the EU and others realize that they will have to provide Greece with huge financial aid to serve as host to very large numbers of refugees and migrants while they are being processed, housed in Greece long term if determined to be genuine refugees or deported if not.

Whether the world will help Greece sufficiently or let this turn into a disaster of under-funded, over-populated refugee camps is an open question. The experience of the world's woeful help with the camps in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey does not inspire confidence.

Conservative European governments (and the US if a republican wins the presidency) look like they will never accept any refugees. Liberal countries look like they will tighten up their refugee policies at least for a while. One can hope that they will accept refugees again in the future unless right-wing parties win elections there.

[roamer65]

9. The problem is American and British neo-conservative policies.

Most of this migrant issue for Europe would not exist had we not sought regime change in Iraq, Syria and Libya. All 3 are now basically failed states.
The rise of the far right in Europe is basically blowback to the neo-con failures.