It’s been reported that in the German elections, a far right party has made ‘significant gains’.
In the UK (at least before the scandals) Reform UK seems to have had a significant boost and has even surpassed the right-wing Conservative Party in some polls/predictions.
Even France, one or two years ago, was threatened with a far-right government due to the French far right party gaining a lot of support.
It feels like in the last few years, the far-right has exceeded itself and had a surge in popularity. Is this the case? And if so, wtf is fuelling it?
Same thing that happened to the US.
I see a lot of blame on “brainless idiots” or similar labels when discussing this, but I think that’s dismissive of issues many parties seems to be ignoring, or exacerbating, and that the alt-right is pouncing on.
Not everyone who voted Trump is an idiot, and doubling down on that thinking will make the issue worse.
Another is that the far-right parties tend to be “modern” and very social media savvy, whereas establishment centrist parties are out of touch, and campaign in archaic ways. And (from my impression on the outside) the more leftist European parties are prone to disunity and infighting. They don’t benefit from scandal and controversy like the far right does.
You’re right, they’re not all dumb. A lot of them are just plain evil.
This is dismissive.
I know otherwise smart, college or post grad people who voted Trump. I know working professionals, who aren’t religious or anything, who would probably vote for him again over whatever Dem runs. And the left blanket labeling them as evil idiots is exactly what Fox News, WSJ, or their social feeds harp on.
I’m not trying to drag the US into this, I’m just positing that Europe is falling into the same trap. You can dismiss these people, but the far right won’t; they will happily take their vote.
Yeah that’s a good way to win elections.
Yes, not everyone who voted for Trump is an idiot. Some are just evil.
There is not even a good case to be made for rich people voting for Trump. They have just hastened the backlash against unrestrained capitalism.
…This is exactly what I am talking about.
If EU leftists adopt that way of thinking, the far right will happily sweep up all those disparaged “evil or stupid” voters, with zero shame.
It’s not theoretical. It’salready happening.