A punch under the belt: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras hand in hand with nationalists like Marie Le Pen, Nigel Farrage, the German AfD. In an article about European Populist parties, the New York Times pushes here and pulls there trying to make the two ends to the political spectrum …meet.
In an article entitled “European Populism in the age of Donald Trump“, the NYT writes:
“A populist groundswell, newly bolstered by voters’ rejection of the Italian government’s referendum on Sunday, has been building across Europe since the global financial crisis, and it has found a voice in parties on both ends of the political spectrum.”
The election of Donald J. Trump in the United States has energized some insurgent European parties as they seek to overturn the established political order.
Throwing in the same bag far-right populists and left-wing movements like SYRIZA in Greece and PODEMOS in Spain, the US-newspaper shakes well, opens the bag and …miracle! miracle! the NYT comes to the conclusion that despite their ideological differences the far-rifht populists and the left-wing Europeans support Donald Trump in a way or another or in the view of being anti-establishment!
Greece
Syriza is against the establishment, globalization and austerity.
Syriza was formed as a coalition of left-leaning and radical-left political parties, unified in their opposition to austerity measures imposed on Greece by its eurozone lenders. Since first forming a government in 2015, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has fought to keep Greece in the European Union and in the monetary union.
Alexis Tsipras on Mr. Trump’s win
“Contrary to some of my colleagues in Europe, I did not rush to repeat some of the criticism that many of us have made during the election period about Donald Trump.”
Spain
Podemos is against the establishment, globalization and austerity.
Podemos, a left-leaning populist group, is the third-largest party in the lower house of the Spanish Parliament, holding 20 percent of the seats.
Pablo Iglesias, the party’s leader, on Mr. Trump’s win
“Those who call Trump a right-wing populist have a good point. Is there a better way to describe fascism than right-wing populism? Populism is not an ideology, it’s not a political platform, it’s a method of constructing a politics from an ‘outside’ — one that expands in moments of crisis.”
Germany
Alternative for Germany is against the establishment, the eurozone, immigration and Islam.
Founded as an anti-eurozone party in 2013, Alternative for Germany had a strong showing in recent state elections and now has a presence in 10 of 16 state Parliaments. The party is expected to win seats in the national Parliament in the general election next fall.
Frauke Petry, the party’s leader, on Mr. Trump’s win
“The election of Donald Trump is a triumph of the American people, a victory of ordinary people over the political establishment. It’s a victory over the politically correct globalist elites who show little interest in the well-being of the people.”
Note: While not officially against the European Union, Alternative for Germany wants to regain some national sovereignty and suggests leaving or dismantling the E.U. if such overhauls are not possible.
Oh dear! The New York Times needs a crash course in European politics which is much more pluralistic than the terrifying flat 2-party governance in the USA.
PS I hear it’s cold in the simplified New York but it doesn’t matter how cold. If I am not wrong the NYT was supporting Hillary.
SYRIZA IS the establishment!
they might be reluctant…they might deny it – but they are the ground troops for austerity – to their eternal shame.
the NYT is always playing some kind of game…they also put beppe grillo is the same bag as il lega nort and other far right figures.