EURACTIV’s poll this week showed that most of our readers believe that a new trend of the EU centre-right (EPP) joining coalitions with far-right parties will ultimately result in the EPP adopting more extreme positions.
The elections in Sweden and Italy are the latest examples. “We are feeding a snake that will ultimately bite us,” an EU diplomat told EURACTIV.
Notably, 65.1% of our readers say these collaborations will lead the centre-right closer to far-right positions, 22% believe it will bring together “halfway”, while just 12.8% say that far-right parties will come closer to the centre.
The end of “Grand Coalitions” between mainstream conservatives and socialists has been a milestone for EU politics. Many suggested that this led to the rise of the extremes of the political spectrum.
To form government majorities, socialists turned to the left, like in Spain and Portugal, while now it seems that conservatives eye the extreme right.
The only difference is that the progressive EU left has never been against Europe. Taking a look at the Spinelli Group board is enough to confirm.
But the snake, which flags its Christian values while raising walls against migrants, has harmed Europe, and the EU centre-right leadership is feeding it.
Who will be happy with this snake in power?
- Primarily Vladimir Putin, as he will see like-minded governments in Europe following his attack against Ukraine.
- Viktor Orbán will also be happy. He will no longer feel isolated in his push for a nation-based Europe.
- EU unanimity advocates will also be happy as hopes for an EU reform will vanish into thin air.
History has shown that extreme-right parties are unable to talk, and if they don’t talk, they bite. And the first to get bitten will be the ones who fed them considering that the snake wants to brand itself as the “new centre-right”.
Source: euractiv.com
