Lire la suite à propos de l’article Obscure Episodes of Right-Wing Politics

Obscure Episodes of Right-Wing Politics

Almost every day, new stories emerge about some populist right-wing politician doing something outrageous. Whether it is another racist Trump-tweet, some right-wing party seeking Russian funding, or hate-speech against immigrants. What once used to terminate a political career has become distinguished etiquette for the populist far-right. Media, civil society, and politicians seem helpless in finding an adequate response. None of these scandals seem to threaten the political success of the far-right. How can this development be explained?

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Lire la suite à propos de l’article Putin Proclaims the End of the Liberal Idea

Putin Proclaims the End of the Liberal Idea

Shortly before taking off to Japan for the G20 summit in late June, Russian President Vladimir Putin took the time for an extensive interview with the Financial Times. He was asked about current international hot topics such as the Middle East, North Korea, trade relations, and Venezuela as well as Russian domestic challenges. Putin seized the opportunity to comment on the state of Western democracies and proclaimed the end of the liberal idea. While music to the ears of European populists, his words resonate as cynicism, maybe even a threat, with those who believe in freedom and democracy.

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Lire la suite à propos de l’article Identity and Democracy Group: United on the Outside, Divided on the Inside?

Identity and Democracy Group: United on the Outside, Divided on the Inside?

The newly formed Identity and Democracy (ID) group will draw more attention in the European Parliament (EP). However, internal divisions rooted in different national contexts pose a serious challenge for the group’s coherence and effectiveness. Its member parties will have to live up to the expectations which they created in their home countries through populist rhetoric. The size of the group composed of 9 right-wing parties with 73 Members of the European Parliament (MEP) could be an obstacle to satisfying voters’ expectations while making use of its full potential.

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Lire la suite à propos de l’article Is populism protectionism’s champion ?

Is populism protectionism’s champion ?

The point of this paper is not to determine if the critics toward neo-liberal theories are justified or to measure the optimum degree of protectionism needed in an economy. However, using the example of Matteo Salvini’s discourses toward food safety in Europe, we will demonstrate how national-populism uses protectionism arguments, despite its political action not going in that direction.

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Lire la suite à propos de l’article Western Balkans’ accession by 2025: merely a fantasy?

Western Balkans’ accession by 2025: merely a fantasy?

With the debates over the possibility of future EU membership of the Western Balkans countries, some voices started to rise in the European Commission. This issue does not only bring back questions about the European Union’s values and identity, but it also allows to examine the usage of European ‘Soft Power’ over its own members and potential accession candidates. This case underlines the contradiction between the EU’s objective of maintaining stability in the Balkans’ region and the European willingness to fight against ‘populism’ and nationalism inside its own borders.

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Lire la suite à propos de l’article Compte rendu : Conférence/Débat « L’Europe au défi des populismes » du 22 mai 2019

Compte rendu : Conférence/Débat « L’Europe au défi des populismes » du 22 mai 2019

Accueillie par le Press Club Brussels Europe, organisée par le journal Le Soir en partenariat Fondation Jean Jaurès et avec Jean-Yves Camus et Cass Mudde comme intervenant. Béatrice Delvaux en…

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Lire la suite à propos de l’article #LaRéplique – The European Alliance of People and Nations: a tough construction.
Photo : RN fédération des Hautes Alpes. Affiche électorale.

#LaRéplique – The European Alliance of People and Nations: a tough construction.

Matteo Salvini, leader of the Italian government and of the Lega party, called a second time to build an alliance between the conservatives and far right parties in the European…

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Lire la suite à propos de l’article #LaRéplique. Brexit : un gros mensonge

#LaRéplique. Brexit : un gros mensonge

Une tragédie nationale. Un psychodrame sans fin qui a laissé l’opinion publique britannique stupéfaite, confuse et sans les outils nécessaires pour comprendre ce qui se passe réellement. Ou - particulièrement pour les observateurs continentaux - une délicieuse comédie grotesque, avec ses rebondissements, son scénario de glissement imprévisible, le paysage parfait du parlement de Westminster et une distribution de protagonistes excentriques. Cette description est en quelque sorte emblématique du pays qui a voté le 23 juin 2016 pour quitter l'Union européenne, en imaginant un avenir de gloire, de richesse et de souveraineté retrouvée. Et qui, au contraire, suscite encore aujourd'hui l'incertitude du monde à cause d’une négociation très compliquée.

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