1.With a few exceptions (f.e. Netherlands) the far right has made GENERALLY big gains in the elections for the European Parliament. The negative highlights are France, Great Britain, Danmark, Austria, Hungary. We will see now if the right wing populists and extremists can surpass their – nationalistic – differences and build a common faction.
It is NOT „only“ the parlamentarian level where this growing in happening: there exists since years a strong rise of antisemitism, islamophobie etc. and physical attacs and murderings by open fascists.
2. This enormous rise of the far right is the expression of the combined crises of capitalism, the erosion of some traditional parties of the bourgeoisie (even Merkel in Germany has now with the AfD a stabilized concurrent right of her), the capitulation of the socialdemocracy before neoliberalism, the class collaboration position of the leadership of many trade unions. We are confronted with widespread fear and vague „uncertaintinity“ in the society. And the extreme burocratic „Brusseles“ was/is a good focus to express this vague dissatisfaction (plus abstention in the elections – for above all in Eastern Europe).
3. As members of movements, tradeunions, left organisations and parties we have to put the finger on the disastrous policies of the socialdemocarts and the unions controlled by them. This gives the far right with its demagogy the chance to present itself as „alternative“, as „voice for the common people“ etc (see f.e. Jobbik in Hungary).
4. In Greece „Golden Dawn“ and LAOS could grow. But in this country the dissatisfaction went mainly to the left. Syriza became number 1 in the EU-elections.
5. Conservatives, the leaders of the Socialdemocrats, Liberals, the majority of the Greens will go on with their neoliberal course. Daniel Cohn-Bendit (!) wants to vote for Juncker as EU president. It is obvious: thats the base for an even stronger rise of the far right in future!
6. The mainstream of the big bourgeosie in Europe will go on with neoliberalism and further reduction of bourgeois democracy. Fascism is at the present moment NOT on the agenda! Though there are certain similarities- today we don´t live in the 1930ies.
7. But in some countries for above all in Greece – where existed a military dictatorship from 1967-74) extreme authoritarian models even a coup d`etat CANNOT be excluded.
8. The danger of the far right can only be confronted when there are credible PRACTICAL and POLITICAL alternatives. It is the common duty of the movements and the left to work for them step by step.
9. The fight against the far right has to be part of the general fights against the crises of capitalism: against the social and economic desaster, the ecological catastrophes, the patriachalic suppression of women etc.
10. Some first steps in that direction:
– broad international cooperation of the networks (exchange of infos, common conferences,…)
– concrete solidarity actions – not only verbal !
– We should look that -parts- of the traditional workers parties / trade unions participate in such actions.
– a well prepared day of action all over Europe against the far right (the range goes from discussions to demos- in relation to the concrete conditions in the different countries)
– common elaboration of alternatives to the crises
Hermann Dworczak (0043 / 676 / 972 31 10)