MillenniumPost
Editorial

The Far Right strikes Europe!

With the results of the elections in Sweden out, the electorate has chosen to try all options before them. So, in a welfare state, the Social Democrats may have come first but just about. True, they can cobble enough seats from "Others" to form a government, but what is a matter of real concern is the emergence of the Far Right. This is a relatively new phenomenon but it is slow and steady spread across several European countries has taken even seasoned observers a little by surprise. What is worrying is that the Far Right, which has different names in different countries, has roots in the Neo-Nazi movement. And, it sprung the moment refugees, who could have died at sea, were given shelter in the respective countries. When refugees earned the status of immigrants, they were branded as "unwelcome foreigners" and treated accordingly. That the United Nations views the status of the refugees differently makes no difference to those inclined to oppose them. Even the appeals and explanations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees have been in vain. The Far Right, who are known to be anti-Refugee and anti-Immigration in their hardline stand have even resorted to violence as was seen in Germany the other day. Interestingly, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had taken a long, very long time to form a government a few months ago. That was largely because a large chunk of members from her party did not approve of her pro-Refugee stand, formed a Far Right faction and got 19 per cent of the votes. Naturally, she had to make plenty of compromises to take charge and, arguably, for the last time. In Austria and Italy, the populists, the other name associated with the Far Right, are already in power. Now, Sweden, which last took in refugees back in 2015 has felt the impact of the Far Right. Going by the UN Charter and common sense, this certainly is not happy news. The fact that it is borne of the Neo-Nazi movement makes it even worse. Are some of them taking lessons from President Donald Trump's hardline stand against refugees and immigrants? Trump is still dreaming of the long and expensive wall to separate the US from Mexico. Ironically, even as "frictions" take a heavy toll of the civilians in the war affected zones, the survivors pray, and often die, for shelter. Is it human or rational to let them perish? The likes of French President Emanuelle Macron do not think so. Nor do all sensible leaders. But the Far Right has different priorities and they are slowly but steadily making inroads in all bastions of Europe. Ironically, some of the very nations who effectively spoke and ensured the prevalence of sense and peace at both the United Nations and the European Nations, now seem helpless. Rather sad, that.

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