Extreme Right in Europe: A Comparative Study of Recent Trends

[The_Other_Admin]

Excerpt:


Introduction
Right wing extremism has extensively preoccupied the minds of politicians, social scientists, the media and the public, at large. Its has been applied to radical political parties, fringe organisations, clandestine groups and a range of violent racist activities. While the phenomenon has been marginal in the context of mainstream democratic politics, it is endemic in most societies of the advanced world. Its significance varies across time and place, depending on the performance of radical right wing parties in national elections or the frequency of aggressive and violent actions by marginal groups and individuals. During the 1990s, the revival of nationalism in Eastern Europe, the break-up of the Soviet Union and the continuous presence of radical right parties in Western Europe have renewed the academic and journalistic interest on the extreme right. The most well known manifestations of the 1990s radical right include the flare-up of Neo-Nazi violence in Germany, the growing strength of the National Front in France, the electoral success of Zhirinovsky in Russia, the inclusion of Allianza Nazionale in Berlusconi’s government, the participation of the Slovak National Party in the government in Slovakia and the electoral successes of the Freedom Party in Austria, the People’s Party in Switzerland and the Vlaams Bloc in Belgium. Furthermore, nationalist wars, ethnic cleansing and concentration camps in the former Yugoslavia have been viewed as aggressive manifestations of current extremism and ultra-nationalism in 1990s Europe. At the beginning of the new century, the extreme right seems to be acquiring increasing momentum with the participation of the Freedom Party, in the government of Austria. This is a novel experience as it is the first time in the post-war period that an extreme right party is participating as an equal partner in a government of a European country, which has made European citizens realise that the extreme right is not to be
regarded as an exclusively fringe phenomenon but as a force that can penetrate mainstream democratic politics....

Ideological Approach; Xenophobic and Exclusionary Discourse



Link: http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/hellenicObservatory/pdf/AnastasakisDiscussionPaper3.pdf

[MF]

The way I personally feel it is that we always had left and right in our parliament, and then they have to form coalitions.. thats how it works in this country.. we had a kabinet that was called "purple" because it was a mixture of red (rightwing) and blue (leftwing)

Offcource there are also centre parties.. in this case you can focus on the right wing parties, and they are everywhere and winning more territory everytime a terroristic attack takes place.. here in holland we also have Geert Wilders (who wasnt mentioned in your quote) but he says a bit of the same things like Pim Fortuyn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pim_Fortuyn) (also not mentioned strange enough) but he also says another whole bunch of stupid things so nobody will vote him.. unless another terroristic attack will happen.. you will see in the opini peilers (opinion measurers) that his amount of seats will grow.. Ayaan Hirsi Ali (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayaan_Hirsi_Ali) wasnt mentioned in your quote either, while she is having a jihad against islam.

You dont have to believe me but my intuition says the growing support for right wing is in connection with terrorism and islamofobia, and the trend is as recent as terrorism is here.

here's proof:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geert_Wilders


So far, few politicians have joined his cause. Regardless, in polls released following the assassination of Theo van Gogh, it was estimated that Wilders' party could win 29 (out of 150) seats in the Dutch parliament. With the uproar following the killing of Mr. Van Gogh dying down, this number declined. Polls suggest between 5 and 25 seats, out of the 150 in the Tweede Kamer.

[The_Other_Admin]

The way I personally feel it is that we always had left and right in our parliament, and then they have to form coalitions.
The study isn't talking about 'just right wings,' the paper gives a definition of the extreme right wings it is addressing. You can look at the this way, it is like giving Osama Bin Laden a place in national politics if he wasn't running a terrorist organization. The disturbing part is that these people in some countries have gained enough support now that they have a fairly good chance of coming into politics or influence their countries for extremist policies.


You dont have to believe me but my intuition says the growing support for right wing is in connection with terrorism and islamofobia, and the trend is as recent as terrorism is here.
I doubt it, because the study was published in 2000 (before 9/11), and it ignores the problems of muslims in Europe. This study was not focused on the issues of muslims, generally in a way, but its focused on other ethnic and religious minorities in Europe.

Btw, seems like Ayaan Hirsi Ali has changed her opinion about Islam.

[MF]

well the Netherlands have always been known for its tolerancy, this changed after the murder on van gogh.. and I it was Pim Fortuijn that broke the tabo discussing the immigration problems. The growing right wing support definately has to do with these events here.. as the quote proves from wickipedia.

Anyways speaking of poverty, unemployment, discrimination.. I don't know if the news is broadcasting the same news I get here but have you been following the violence in France lately? its like a revolution, they even intoduced the evening clock (like in a war)

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/11/05/france.riots/

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,383067,00.html?partnerid=160

[Ramsey]

Btw, seems like Ayaan Hirsi Ali has changed her opinion about Islam.

How so?

[The_Other_Admin]

How so?
Here.


....I did notice she [Ayaan Hirsi Ali] perhaps is moving a bit to the center in order to slowly gain the Muslim ears vital for her to achieve her goals. A very political strategy.... Hirsi Ali seemed to suggest the problem is not necessarily with the Islam itself, but rather with cultural (not religious) influences (she apologized for possibly linking Islam and genital mutilation) and with the selective choosing of weak hadith that might express approval or ambivalence toward female circumcision. Hirsi Ali built herself up by attacking Islam from the outside. Now she might be trying to soften her speech in order to gain some credibility within the Muslim community.

http://www.thepolemicist.com/2005/10/ayaan-hirsi-ali-does-shuffle.html



Anyways speaking of poverty, unemployment, discrimination.. I don't know if the news is broadcasting the same news I get here but have you been following the violence in France lately? its like a revolution, they even intoduced the evening clock (like in a war)
Yea. It can be termed as civil war.


well the Netherlands have always been known for its tolerancy, this changed after the murder on van gogh.. and I it was Pim Fortuijn that broke the tabo discussing the immigration problems. The growing right wing support definately has to do with these events here.. as the quote proves from wickipedia.
Wiki article is specific issues surrounding Ayaan Hirsi Ali. You should read a presentation made in 1998 by Drs. Carmelita Serkei from STOA, Utrecht, Netherlands ( http://www.lzz-nrw.de/docs/serkei.pdf ).

I'll quote some of the passages here.

At the end of the seventies the racist party The Volksunie (People´s Union) emerged, calling for the establishment of a „white nation“. In a number of working-class areas in Den Haag (The Hague) and Amsterdam the Volksunie managed to obtain 3 percent of the vote. The Volksunie was banned but the racist Centrum Partij (Centre Party) soon made its appearance. In 1982 this party won a seat in parliament. Their following at subsequent elections grew.
Although the (white) Dutch people did at that point have proof of the existence of racism in the Netherlands, they did not relate this to society as a whole....

4.5 Cultural racism in the Netherlands
Racism is a cultural fact, both socially and historically. In their books Memmi (8) and Essed (3) indicate how even in colonial times racism was used to justify exploitation.
This means that racism has been a demonstrable part of the fabric of Dutch culture since the colonial era. Views on the inherent inequality, and inferiority of ethnic minorities as well as closely related ideas concerning the nature of people of colour, form the basis for the depiction of these people in books, newspapers, travel-reports, language, religion and art. A systematic trend can be observed in the discourse on ethnic minorities. It is taken for granted that white Dutch people are more expert, even in matters concerning the personal lives and outlooks of ethnic minorities, than the ethnic minorities themselves.

4.6 Racism in the media of the Netherlands
The image of the unemancipated, criminal, exotic, athletic ethnic minority is systematically portrayed in media reports and in advertising.
In recent years an unwritten code has been established by the daily press agreeing not to mention nationality or country of origin when reporting crimes, unless it is relevant to the nature of the crime committed. The establishment of this code was the result of protests by ethnic minorities and their indigenous allies against the practice of only mentioning this information in reports of a negative nature. If, for example, a member of an ethnic minority achieves a great sporting feat, it was customary to mention the fact that a „Dutch“ person was involved.
Nevertheless, it is still the rule rather than the exception that reports on ethnic minorities are written in a way that negatively influences their image.
Common trends in the media with regard to ethnic minorities:
- generalization: in the media distinctions between ethnic minorities are often ignored.
- ethnic minorities are almost invariably presented by the media as a problem. Reports on their positive influence on Dutch society are rare.
- where ethnic minorities are concerned, the principle of hearing both sides is seldom applied; indigenous experts may present their case, but experts from the communities of ethnic minorities may not.
- ethnic minorities are seldom allowed access to the media when acting on their own initiative; the presence of ethnic minorities in the Netherlands is, except in reports of a negative nature, hardly perceptible. The media do not reflect the multi-ethnic nature of present–day Dutch society.

4.7 Institutional racism in the Netherlands
A growing pool of data about the poor social status of ethnic minorities in the crucial fields of education, employment and housing, as well as results from recent scientific studies undeniably point out the existence of racism.
Dutch people have always attempted to deny the existence of racism in their society but in view of the wealth of compelling evidence they are now forced to admit its presence. The poor social position of ethnic minorities tends to be explained by the short-comings of the ethnic minorities themselves. They are ill-educated or trained in the wrong professions, they have insufficient command of the language, they lack motivation etc.

....The employment situation of ethnic minorities is not only characterized by a low occupational level but also by exclusion. Unemployment among the various ethnic minority groups averages between 17 % (Surinamese) and 30 % (Moroccans)
(10). In a survey among Turkish and Moroccan heads of family, the Central Bureau voor de Statistiek (Central Statistical Office) has shown that nationality clearly affects the chances of being unemployed. The survey also shows unemployment to be far more common with second-generation ethnic minorities than with Dutch nationals, even when the comparison is narrowed down to Dutch people with a low level of education. Discrimination is finally starting to be recognized as a serious impediment, even when deficits in training have been overcome.
In a 1992 survey, personnel managers openly admitted to preferring not to hire ethnic minorities in their companies (in particular when the job involves dealing with the public).
In addition, methods of recruiting and selecting based on tradition, irrelevant job-requirements and the fear of unrest in the organization are detrimental to the chances of ethnic minorities.

[MF]

Wiki article is specific issues surrounding Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

I was referring to:
in polls released following the assassination of Theo van Gogh, it was estimated that Wilders' party could win 29 (out of 150) seats in the Dutch parliament. With the uproar following the killing of Mr. Van Gogh dying down, this number declined.
not Ayaans article. The number of seats growing and declining for right wing parties.


You should read a presentation made in 1998 by Drs. Carmelita Serkei from STOA, Utrecht, Netherlands ( http://www.lzz-nrw.de/docs/serkei.pdf ).

That document starts with: Anti-discrimination as a necessary condition for the integration and participation of ethnic minorities.

Well that intergration has failed has not been a recent trend.. but that the taboo on talking about immigration has been broke is as recent as 2003.

I think I remember the centre party (http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrum_Partij_'86) and there was also a nutcase who was just like Hitler.. his name was Hans JanMaat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_Democrats_%28Netherlands%29), lol nobody took him serious.. We can't compare his 0.1 seats with the 29 seats that Geert Wilders had in the polls...

Anyways here you can read something about the political changes on immigration matters Dutch politics breaks taboo on talking about immigration (http://www.iht.com/articles/2003/01/20/dutch_ed3_.php)

I dont know of Ayaans tone down, but its good if she gets some credability from muslims, she still stands for the same values though, here's a debate from november http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/currentaffairs/region/netherlands/ned051103?view=Standard
Paul Scheffer is one of the most reasonable and moderate voices among Dutch critics of Islam. More radical ones, such as Arabist Hans Jansen and Somali-born liberal-conservative MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali, are less hopeful about the prospects for reform. They both argue that what they call 'pure Islam' cannot be reconciled with the principles of democracy.

[The_Other_Admin]

not Ayaans article. The number of seats growing and declining for right wing parties.
Not Ayaans article, but the issue is related (Theo van Gogh, Islam, etc...). Study in OP is not particularly about Islam and neither it is specifically about Netherlands (1 or 2 countries in Europe).


That document starts with: Anti-discrimination as a necessary condition for the integration and participation of ethnic minorities.

<snip>

Integration is another topic, I was referring to the evidences of discrimination and bias given by Drs. Carmelita supporting the study referred in OP. I know govt. have made rules and regulations to control discrimination and bias, but whether they are working for the public is another thing.


here's a debate from november http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/currentaffairs/region/netherlands/ned051103?view=Standard
The article doesn't show whether she participated in the debate or the author of article based her views of her former speeches.

Anyway, if you compare the two articles then she is double talking - at one place she is saying this is not Islam but culture, in another she is saying this is Islam.

[MF]

Not Ayaans article, but the issue is related (Theo van Gogh, Islam, etc...). Study in OP is not particularly about Islam and neither it is specifically about Netherlands (1 or 2 countries in Europe).

Ok right but I was only speaking about my own country, I cant speak for whole Europe cause I just don't know what its like in the UK, France or Germany.. it must be close but on the other hand not because if I look at whats happening now in France then I think intergration failed there ten times worse then here.


Integration is another topic, I was referring to the evidences of discrimination and bias given by Drs. Carmelita supporting the study referred in OP.

Its indeed another topic, and I agree thats not something of the latest trend.. however the support for extreme right (as the topic of this thread says) is something that has in my opinion only recently been getting more support.. the past few years.. and I'm not talking about Janmaat nutcases but I'm talking about Pim Fortuyn and Geert Wilders.. offcource I didnt realize the text in your OP was from 2000 because the topic says "recent trend" and things have changed since then, the things I'm talking about happened after.

In my opinion the example about the Centrum Partij of Janmaat you quoted from the immigration study is not something you can take serious if you know what happened with the CP here.. if you want I'll translate http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrum_Partij_'86. But just to know.. in 1997 the party was convicted as criminal organisation and the only reason they got one seat in 1982 is because people were protest voting.. other then that Janmaat never got any seat or support.


I know govt. have made rules and regulations to control discrimination and bias, but whether they are working for the public is another thing.

yes but thats not what I ment though, I was talking about how some right wing parties want to solve the immigration problems.. how Geert Wilders wants to deal with immigration and intergration, religion or Islam in specific because he is kind of focussed on Islam and its tolerance. So was Pim Fortuyn.


The article doesn't show whether she participated in the debate or the author of article based her views of her former speeches.

yep true, I dont know that for sure.

[The_Other_Admin]

offcource I didnt realize the text in your OP was from 2000 because the topic says "recent trend" and things have changed since then, the things I'm talking about happened after.
Date is written right below the title in the report.


In my opinion the example about the Centrum Partij of Janmaat you quoted from the immigration study is not something you can take serious if you know what happened with the CP here.
Centrum Partij is not the only thing Dr. Carmelita states.


yes but thats not what I ment though, I was talking about how some right wing parties want to solve the immigration problems.. how Geert Wilders wants to deal with immigration and intergration, religion or Islam in specific because he is kind of focussed on Islam and its tolerance. So was Pim Fortuyn.
Well, I wish him good luck if his methods work.