The European Union: United in right-wing nationalism?

Summary

In a discussion on 'Talking Europe,' the panel explores the rise of right-wing and nationalist parties across the EU, triggered by issues like immigration and dissatisfaction with traditional centrist parties. Key figures from Germany, Spain, Finland, and Austria discuss the close presidential vote in Austria, the influence of immigration policies, and the symbolic meaning of these political shifts. The debate highlights the polarization in Europe, the challenge of integrating refugees, and the public's desire for new leadership amid economic and social concerns.

Takeaways

• 🇦🇹 Norbert Hofer, an anti-EU, anti-immigration nationalist candidate, came very close to winning Austria's presidential election.
• 🌍 Across the EU, right-wing political groups are gaining ground, advocating for national interests over the EU.
• 🇦🇹 In Austria, the presidential vote showed significant support for the nationalist Freedom Party.
• 📊 The narrow election result in Austria reflects a polarized society on issues like immigration.
• 🇩🇪 In Germany, the ruling CDU party faces challenges from the right-wing AfD party, which has gained popularity.
• 🏛️ Austria's presidential election had symbolic meaning due to the limited executive powers of the president.
• 🇪🇸 Spain's traditional bipartisan political system has collapsed, leading to new political dynamics.
• 📉 The rise of right-wing parties in Europe is partly due to public dissatisfaction with traditional centrist parties.
• 🗳️ Nationalist parties often campaign on anti-immigration and anti-EU platforms, appealing to voter fears and frustrations.
• 💬 Discussions on the EU's handling of crises like immigration and economic issues are central to the rise of nationalist parties.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the discussion in the provided video script?

The main topic is the rise of right-wing political groups in Europe and their increasing support, particularly focusing on the recent Austrian presidential election and its implications.

Who are the main guests featured in the discussion?

The main guests are Ingerbord Grassley from Germany's ruling CDU party, Ernest Urtasun from Spain's Green Party, Juho Eerola from Finland's Finns Party, and Evelyn Regner from Austria's Socialist and Democrat party.

What is Ingerbord Grassley's perspective on the rise of right-wing parties in Germany?

Ingerbord Grassley believes that the rise of right-wing parties like the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is partly due to the unclear line within the CDU and its sister party, the CSU in Bavaria. She emphasizes the importance of agreeing on a clear line regarding refugees.

What does Ernest Urtasun attribute to the collapse of the traditional political party system in Spain?

Ernest Urtasun attributes the collapse to the social movement of protests that emerged from the economic crisis, which was progressive and demanded change from a progressive perspective. He also cites the historical reluctance of the Spanish population to back far-right parties due to the late end of far-right dictatorships in the 70s.

What reasons does Juho Eerola give for the increasing support of his party, the Finns Party?

Juho Eerola states that the increasing support for the Finns Party is due to voters' concerns about the social and economic impact of massive immigration and the failure of European societies to integrate immigrants. He emphasizes that people have bad experiences and fears about the future.

How does Evelyn Regner explain the close results of the Austrian presidential election?

Evelyn Regner explains that the close results show that while Austria is not far-right, many people are looking for someone who understands their concerns. She notes that Norbert Hofer, the far-right candidate, presented himself as young, energetic, and modest, which appealed to many voters.

What is a key message that Juho Eerola highlights about the outcome of the Austrian election?

Juho Eerola highlights that the narrow win of the Austrian election indicates a significant polarization in Austria, similar to other Western European countries, particularly around the issue of immigration. He also notes the collapse of traditional mainstream parties in the first round of the election.

How do the guests view the connection between right-wing parties and anti-immigration sentiments?

The guests generally agree that right-wing parties gain support by addressing voters' concerns about immigration. They point out that these parties often capitalize on fears about social and economic issues related to immigration.

What example does Ernest Urtasun give to demonstrate the voting behavior of far-right parties in the European Parliament?

Ernest Urtasun gives the example of France's National Front abstaining from voting on a report tackling energy poverty and abstaining when creating a commission to tackle fiscal fraud. He argues that these actions show that far-right parties do not genuinely fight against the establishment.

What is the significance of the Austrian presidential election result according to the discussion?

The Austrian presidential election result is significant because it highlights the deep polarization in the country and the rise of right-wing populism. It also underscores the broader trend across Europe where traditional centrist parties are losing ground to nationalist and anti-immigration groups.

Outlines

00:00

🇪🇺 Close Call in Austrian Presidential Election

The nationalist candidate Norbert Hofer narrowly lost the Austrian presidential election, reflecting significant support for the Freedom Party. The discussion focuses on the rising popularity of right-wing parties across the EU, with representatives from various countries offering their perspectives.

05:00

🌍 Green Victory in Austria

The Green Party's success in the Austrian presidential election is highlighted, emphasizing the importance of defending fundamental values against the far-right. The conversation addresses the migration crisis and the political shift in Austria.

10:02

🗳️ Rising Right-Wing Support in Europe

This paragraph explores the growing influence of right-wing parties in Europe, driven by issues such as immigration, terrorism, and economic concerns. Specific examples include France's National Front and Germany's Alternative for Germany.

15:03

💼 Political Shifts and Social Concerns

The discussion delves into the underlying social and economic issues fueling the rise of nationalist parties. The focus is on fears related to immigration and the need for political parties to address these concerns effectively.

Keywords

💡anti-EU sentiment

Anti-EU sentiment refers to the growing discontent and opposition towards the European Union among various political groups and the public. In the video, it is highlighted through the rise of nationalist and right-wing parties across Europe who are advocating for national interests over EU policies. Examples from the script include references to parties in Austria, Finland, and other countries gaining support by criticizing the EU.

💡nationalist parties

Nationalist parties focus on prioritizing national sovereignty, identity, and interests over those of international bodies like the EU. The video discusses the increasing popularity of these parties in Austria, Germany, France, and other European countries, driven by issues like immigration and economic dissatisfaction. Notable mentions include Austria's Freedom Party and Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD).

💡immigration crisis

The immigration crisis refers to the large influx of refugees and migrants into Europe, which has significantly impacted political landscapes. The video mentions Austria's initial open-door policy, which later changed, leading to significant political shifts and support for anti-immigration parties. This issue is central to the discussions, with various guests attributing political changes to public reactions to immigration policies.

💡Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ)

The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is a right-wing populist and nationalist political party. In the video, Norbert Hofer's near-victory in the presidential election is highlighted as a significant moment, showing substantial support for the party's anti-immigration and Eurosceptic stance. The party's success is attributed to its appeal to voters' concerns over immigration and national identity.

💡political polarization

Political polarization refers to the increasing division and ideological extremes within a society's political landscape. The video discusses how countries like Austria are experiencing deep divides, particularly on issues such as immigration. The near-equal split in the Austrian presidential vote exemplifies this polarization, with significant support for both far-right and centrist candidates.

💡CDU (Christian Democratic Union)

The CDU is Germany's leading conservative political party, traditionally centrist but facing internal debates over immigration policies. The video features Ingeborg Gräßle from the CDU discussing the party's challenges in maintaining a clear stance on refugees, which has affected its popularity and voter trust, contributing to the rise of alternative parties like the AfD.

💡Green Party

The Green Party is a political group focused on environmental issues, social justice, and progressive policies. In the video, representatives from Spain's and Austria's Green Parties celebrate the election of Austria's first green head of state, emphasizing a pro-European and humanitarian approach to immigration as a counter to right-wing populism.

💡economic dissatisfaction

Economic dissatisfaction encompasses public discontent with economic conditions such as unemployment, inequality, and financial instability. The video highlights how economic issues fuel support for nationalist and populist parties, with voters feeling traditional parties have failed to address their economic concerns. This is linked to the rise of far-right parties in economically stable yet politically dissatisfied countries like Austria.

💡pro-European values

Pro-European values support the European Union's principles of integration, cooperation, and shared governance. The video contrasts these values with the nationalist rhetoric, featuring discussions on how pro-European campaigns, like those by Austria's Green Party, focus on solidarity, human rights, and tackling xenophobia, aiming to counteract the rise of anti-EU sentiments.

💡symbolic meaning

Symbolic meaning refers to the broader significance or representation of an event beyond its immediate practical implications. In the video, the Austrian presidential election result is described as having symbolic importance, reflecting public sentiment on broader issues like immigration, EU membership, and trust in traditional parties, despite the limited executive power of the Austrian president.

Highlights

Norbert Hofer, the anti-EU and anti-immigration nationalist candidate, narrowly lost the Austrian presidential election by just 0.3%.

Despite the loss, the Freedom Party in Austria showed significant support, reflecting a high level of backing for nationalist sentiments.

Right-wing political groups across the EU, including in Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, and France, are gaining ground by advocating for national interests.

Austria's presidential election highlighted the deep polarization in Europe regarding immigration policies.

The Freedom Party's Norbert Hofer presented himself as a young, energetic, and modest candidate, which appealed to many voters.

The Austrian presidential election result is seen as a symbolic victory for the greens and the left, despite the narrow win.

The close result is a wake-up call for Austria's traditional political parties, emphasizing the need for real changes and actions.

Austria's initial open-door policy during the migrant crisis, followed by a policy reversal, played a significant role in the election's outcome.

Finnish politics also show a rise in support for nationalist parties, reflecting concerns over immigration and economic impacts.

Spain's political landscape remains unique with no significant far-right party presence, attributed to its progressive social movements and historical context.

Nationalist parties across Europe, like France's National Front and Germany's AfD, are capitalizing on public fears related to immigration and economic insecurity.

Right-wing parties are increasingly entering government positions, shifting from being opposition voices to having executive influence.

Austria's experience with the Freedom Party in government left lasting impacts, including economic challenges due to corruption.

The success of nationalist parties is partly driven by voters' fears and desires for change in policies on jobs, housing, and education.

The discussion on how to address rising nationalism emphasizes the need to tackle inequality and economic insecurity rather than focusing solely on immigration issues.

Transcripts

hello in a very warm welcome to talking

Europe he lost by 0.3 present the

anti-eu anti-immigration nationalist

candidate norbert offer is not Austria's

new president but he did come incredibly

close support for the Freedom Party

there is clearly high and Austria is not

alone in Finland Denmark the Netherlands

Germany France basically across the EU

right-wing political groups calling for

their national interests to be put first

are gaining ground so if the idea of a

European Union debt or our votes for

these parties more or less a protest

against traditional centrist groups well

with us in studio to talk about that we

have from Germany this ingerbord

Grassley you're from the ruling CDU

party on the other side of the table we

have from Spain a mr. earnest birthday

soon member of the country's Green Party

and across from you from Finland and the

Finns of party and Nationalist Party day

that is in government we have mr. juicy

hala ow

thanks for your time and again finally

but last but not least we have from

Austria

mr. Evelyn Ragnar you're from the

socialist and Democrat a party let me

start perhaps miss Wren you with your

good self that presidential vote it came

so close you clearly a lot of support

there for that very nationalist and EU

party of course what first of all we all

relief absolutely relief Democratic

Austria is relieved that the result is

finally the one that mr. Van de belem

one but almost fifty percent fifty

almost fifty percent that's really far

more than simply a mistake there's

really a big big thing and it was the

point

most that is one of the green and when

it really has to say mr. Hofer far-right

right-wing populist he was appearing

during the election campaign as somebody

who is young far younger than the others

energetic nice modest so somehow his

whole presentation and this has to be

taken into consideration was really not

not a far right-wing presentation of

himself but it was really different of

course of course of course but it was

the one somehow trying to

there's sympathy at the majority of the

population and ever it's important to

say the majority of the population

austra is not far right-wing it's not

they are simply seeking for somebody who

understands their concerns and this was

something he really did in a holla do

you think it's as simple as that down to

a good pure campaign overall well to the

best of my knowledge the federal

president of Austria does not have very

white executive powers and in that sense

the outcome of the elections had largely

a symbolic meaning and I don't doubt it

had a very large symbolic meaning for

the greens and for the left and for the

pro-immigration camp on the other hand

the win was extremely narrow which means

that either one of the candidates could

have easily won the election in my

opinion the most important message a

signal of the outcome of the elections

was the complete collapse of the

traditional mainstream parties in the

first round of the elections and the

result also shows that Austria like

almost all Western European countries is

becoming increasingly polarized by the

question of immigration and as mentioned

almost 50% of Austrians were prepared at

this time to vote for the candidate of

the FPAA and according to opinion polls

the party is already the largest party

in Austria and they have the

parliamentary elections next year indeed

all eyes will be on those a

parliamentary elections but let's look

at the issue of immigration that was one

definitely this freedom party campaigned

on Austria did have an open-door policy

at the start of this migrant crisis as

were calling it here in ndu they let

some 90,000 people in then they changed

the rules put limits on that Minister

asla are you are you shocked for the

results from Austria do you think that

immigration campaign was a large element

of it I think it was a part of a part of

the campaign but for me the result shows

that never change your line the Austrian

government changed its line during the

refugee crisis and it's a real crisis

for us all nobody invited them but we

have a crisis around Europe and this

change of politics and of the policy

means that it was false and all parties

who said from the beginning that this

line was false they got a lot of support

by the own government and this this was

the big error let's write never change

never change your line mr. Ortiz you

know how do you see it when you look at

the the results from those presidential

votes do you think it was maybe

Austrians beings wanting to narrow

themselves in and close those borders or

do you think it was simply against the

traditional parties well well first of

all I have to say that we are you're

being greens very happy that we have the

first green head of state was elected I

think it won the very very good campaign

and I have to say also that he was very

good confronting the extreme right with

defending very fundamental values and I

want to make the linguist of who was

mentioned before refugees the best way

to tackle the extreme right is to defend

very strongly your fundamental values

and I think that he was very good at

that

it was a pro-european campaign it was

himself being himself the son of a

refugee with an open minded policy

regarding of the regarding refugees and

I think that's the good way of

approaching the the extreme de because

when you change your line as it was

mentioned and you start doing a kind of

a public speech that is more and more

like the extreme right what you do is

you offer them votes and that is exactly

what should be done to tackle the

extreme at the same time when you look

at that migration question mister Allah

who I know you'd also like Finland to

have a very close door policy on that

it's your party has gained in popularity

or since this migrant crisis began you

now part of government the foreign

minister is from your party how do you

how are Finn's how important is that to

Finn's do finns want to cut that

closed-door policy you mean the first

party or the phase as a nation

yes party well Finn's as a nation as

well how do you see public opinion I

mean your party is gaining in popularity

yes well our party in terms of its

membership and the candidates and MPs is

a very heterogenic populist traditional

populist party but I would say that for

a large majority of our voters this was

one of the key issues in the elections

and they don't necessarily agree with

everything we say about all some other

issues especially issues related to

taxation or or economics

but I would say that most of our voters

expect from our government more tough

approach towards immigration very few

migrants are crossing into Finland and

how would that work out do is then is it

acceptable that trains were allowed to

travel per capita Finland freeze was the

fourth largest recipient of asylum

seekers last year in the European Union

so we you know we've seen from the land

it has had more refugees arrived but

that's just one element another thing

you're wondering is is the vote in

Austria and anti-eu vote because a lot

of these national parties that's what

they put point the finger blame to

Brussels for everything that goes wrong

in their countries is that what I would

I know it was really a vote first of all

against the existing systems to people

against it was really it was really a

vote against the government as it was

because the people realize there is a

standstill there is really a deep wish

more or less that decisions are taken

and implemented and this is more or less

a wake up call not only to talk about

changes but to do them and this message

we've been getting really across the

board in in the EU I mean a Portugal

election Irish elections Spain's

elections no real winner coming out you

know the voting is being divided across

the block majorities and you know how do

you see Spain addressing that well I

think in Spain the the political party

system has also collapsed the

traditional political party system we

had a purely almost perfect bipartisan

system that are totally collapse of

course this is new and then of course

for the formation of government it

creates a new dynamic and the country

needs to adapt to that but I think that

we there is one extremely good element

about the change of the party system in

Spain which is that we don't have any

far-right party and that is extremely

positive I think that there are two main

reasons for that

the first one is that the crisis ended

with a social movement of protests that

was progressive that wanted change but

from the progressive from a progressive

perspective that was very important and

second thing most important in Spain the

the far-right dictatorships ended very

late they weren't up until the 70s and I

think there's an historical

of the populations not to back far-right

parties we have far-right parties for

sure but they are always defeated in

elections and I think these are those

are two reasons why in Portugal and

Spain we don't have far right Spain

might be the exception on that issue but

as you're saying far-right national

parties they have they seen their

support base increase across Europe RM

sub reports Germany's Franco Petri

Hungary's Victor Orbin Francis mine

lepen or Austria's no but at hoofer

across Europe far-right leaders are

increasingly winning over voters

sympathies Francis for National Party

has existed for decades

last year mine Lupin dominated regional

elections she's now a contender to reach

the second round of presidential

elections next year Fraga Petra's

alternative for Germany party on the

other hand is only three years old yet

in March she too made significant gains

in parliamentary elections from the

migrant crisis to terror attacks on

European soil to domestic issues like

unemployment nationalist parties are

using xenophobic rhetoric to appeal to

voters and play on the feeling that

mainstream parties are growing more and

more impotent Europe's handling of the

Greek bailout also gave impetus to the

rise of the far right as Europeans

stepped up calls for Athens to leave the

European Union there's also the

well-oiled PR machine mine lepen has

suffered her image in a bid to distance

herself from her hardline father earlier

this year she launched a blog called

notebooks of hope where among other

things she poses with kittens she also

expelled her father from the party over

anti-semitic comments he made in Austria

Norbit who first seen as a friendly face

of the party using his charm charisma

and youth to seduce the country's voters

obviously we heard there in that report

they alternative for Deutschland a it's

a new party but it's yet gaining

popularity we saw those elections local

elections three different areas it took

between 14 and 24 percent of the vote

miss Grassley what is your ruling party

the CDU doing wrong and what are you

going to do about it

it is a

protesters party but it's also a party

who profits from a certain unclear line

within that CD when the see is this is

our our sister part in Bavaria has an

another line much more close to aft and

in our view in my view they help aft to

get this to it to make these arguments

really choosable by a larger broader

public that's why we need to agree on

the line on refugees this is of utmost

importance and a lot of in the past a

lot of these more extreme or very

right-wing parties were seen as being

able to tout a certain line because they

were in the opposition they weren't in

power increasingly were seeing them in

government we're seeing are we not a

very less hard-line position from these

parties I mean we already had our

experience in Austria we already had FP

in the government and we're still

suffering we're really paying as

taxpayers because you're Qaeda when his

party was in the government more or less

did decisions that are a catastrophe

Carinthia the province of Corinth is

bankrupt because of corruption because

of deals with people I paid earlier and

we're paying as correct as taxpayers

right now billions and billions every

year you think voters just want somebody

new or because they don't believe in the

they weren't a lot I mean what they want

these jobs affordable housing and good

education and we are doing a mistake

when we always serve surfing on this

vague of of fear of fear of refugees of

fear something we we don't know we

should focus on our real topics mr.

artisan I agree on that I think there's

a there's in general a collapse of the

party system every word they are not

stable anymore

and of course because we have a big

social crisis in the whole year at the

thing is that we need to lead a

political battle in order that this

change in the party political system

doesn't lead to this did to the

destruction of democracy which would

mean that those parties have a majority

and there's one important point that the

needs to be mentioned those far-right

parties haven't been government got

governing in Europe for now but they

vote here in the European Parliament

they have members of parliament and they

vote and we have their voting record and

for instance

French for national refuses to vote in

favor of a report that us tackling

energetic poverty for instance they

abstain when they when we create a

commission to tackle fiscal fraud so we

know what they do so at the end they are

when sometimes when they when they are

asked how they knew or there really a

fighting as they claim against the

establishment that is not right if you

see the voting record here mister Allah

I mean your party is one of these new

parties there's something new to offer

the public how do you see what what's

the thing appealing to voters most how

are you so different well I think we

should worry less about the so-called

extreme right parties and perhaps talk

more about the reasons why people vote

for these parties I think your

explanation is too simple people are not

just they just they don't want just to

express a protest against the

traditional party system the growing

number of people are very worried about

the social and economic price tag that

comes with the massive immigration and

the complete failure of the European

societies to integrate those people

people have bad experiences and it's

logical to assume that as the numbers

grow the situation will grow even worse

because because of course when one one

cannot say and this is exactly what the

far-right parties say that the problems

of unemployment and the social crisis I

do too the refugees this is totally so

many that some rich people voted in

favor of identity view photos in terms

the voters for them are more rich than

other people in the well indeed and when

you look at one extreme divide but the

very poor is about because they are

afraid that social security issues that

there might be a conference I think that

mean this is what what what parties need

to tackle to take away the fear and

immigration if the refugees do not meet

that's not meaning integration it is it

is a huge humanitarian act for Syrian

refugees for the war and the idea is

that the Syrians go back but nobody

talks about that

what Behind is look I mean Austria is

one of the best economies in the U and

employment is only at 5% and yet you had

this massive up spur yes because it's

not only about an answer a trying answer

on the economic situation it's a people

want you taking what they howlings

exactly it has to do with the with the

fears of the future so people who are

really having a job having a nice house

living in the countryside where they

have never seen a refugee before they're

voting for the far right because they

are afraid and we have to the RT we're

getting more and more afraid are we are

we're a cowardly bunch here in Europe no

I think of course there's a social

crisis I think there's territory

measures and in a way have broken the

sort of the European social contract in

the last years I think this is this is

fair to recognize and of course when

when this big social crisis happens then

you have all the DS demagogic demagogic

all parties that try to grow creating

fear when what we have and we have to

tackle is a big problem of inequality

not a problem related to migration or

related refugees I'm sorry thanks to my

guests for having joined us thanks also

to you at home for having tuned in join

us after the news we'll be speaking with

Ukraine's of Foreign Minister pavlo

klimkin see you then

you