Tag: Greece

What Of Democracy?

These days with an election looming and all the talk about whether or not our democracy is at stake I thought I would take a look at the ‘cradle of democracy’….Greece.

Since it is a Sunday and a good day for me to drop some history and even maybe someone will learn something…..

Remember Socrates?

You know the philosopher that taught Aristotle but what did he think of the idea of ‘democracy’?

Democracy is a form of government in which power is placed in the hands of the people. This can take two main shapes: direct democracy (citizens make decisions themselves) or representative democracy (elected officials make decisions on behalf of the citizens). Most modern democracies operate with some form of representative democracy — such as the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Ancient Greece, however, had a direct democracy; citizens had a direct and active role in the government, but this was easier back then than today because Greek city-states made the population smaller, and the definition of ‘citizen’ was more exclusive.

Socrates was a philosopher from Athens in the fifth century BCE, and he has gone on to be one of the most well-known thinkers of his time. Although he didn’t leave behind any written works of his own, his students kept his legacy alive, and his influence reverberates today. He’s most known for his teaching style — known today as the Socratic Method — wherein a question-and-answer discussion setting is cultivated to stimulate critical thinking. Socrates believed one should be skeptical of everything, and he practiced what he preached regarding democracy. Socrates was an outspoken critic of the Athenian government. Two of his biggest criticisms of democracy concerned the majority rule’s lack of knowledge and the potential for a demagogue. 

(would you like to know more?)

https://www.thecollector.com/how-did-socrates-view-democracy/

Looks like one of Socrates criticisms came true and may come true again….A demagogue is a type of political leader who relies on prejudices, false promises, and charisma to manipulate voters into choosing them. 

Sound familiar?

Was Socrates correct in his criticism?

I think he was pretty spot on and sharp even back then.

Keep Socrates in mind while you search your soul for a vote in November.

Have a good day and hopefully enjoy the rest of your weekend….as always….Be Well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Greco-Turkish Tensions

Looks like the Balkans are being heated up once again….this time it is age old enemies of Greece and Turkey…..

These nations have fought numerous times…..1821, 1897 and 1974……I have tried to keep my readers informed…..

Greco-Turkish Mindset

Greco-Turkic Drama

Why do these two nations tirelessly hate each other?

https://youtu.be/gcw17YC4AtM

Recently it has been a war fought over the island nation of Cyprus…..this time Cyprus is still in the picture but they seem to be focusing on the control of some natural resources…..

U.S. and other Western leaders have long worried about what to do if an armed conflict ever erupted between two NATO members. Rapidly rising tensions between Greece and Turkey, primarily involving a maritime dispute over oil, natural gas, and other resources under the eastern Mediterranean, have brought that nightmare to the surface once again. Germany’s Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, warned both governments in late August against further military escalation. “Fire is being played with and any small spark could lead to catastrophe,” he stressed.

The heart of the North Atlantic Treaty is Article 5, which proclaims that an attack on any member of the Alliance will be considered an attack on all. The underlying assumption is that there would then be a collective response to repel and punish the aggressor. Obviously, that approach would not work if two NATO signatories went to war against each other. Even determining which country was the aggressor and which the victim could be quite challenging.

https://www.cato.org/blog/old-nato-nightmare-returns-possible-war-between-greece-turkey

Greece is buying weapons from France in prep for a confrontation…

conservative Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a purchase of billions of euros in French weaponry and a large increase in the size of the Greek military. This massive increase in military spending, by a country which the European Union (EU) has devastated with billions of euros in draconian cuts to social spending over the last decade, marks a major escalation in Greece’s ongoing military standoff with Turkey.

Mitsotakis indicated that Greece will purchase 18 Rafale fighter jets, four French naval frigates with naval helicopters, and a large supply of anti-tank weapons, torpedoes and missiles. It will also ask French firms to upgrade four Greek frigates that are already in service. Finally, Mitsotakis said that 15,000 more soldiers would be recruited to the Greek armed forces.

“The time has come to reinforce our armed forces. … This is an important program that will form a national shield,” Mitsotakis declared in a speech in Thessaloniki.

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/09/14/gree-s14.html

Will be a test for NATO…..an attack on one is an attack on all…..and this time it will be two member nations fighting each other….who will the US support?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Greco-Turkic Drama

Is it possible that we have bitched and moaned about our endless wars that we may have missed another eruption that could very well draw the US into the fray?

I warned about this possibility about one year ago……https://lobotero.com/2018/12/28/greco-turkish-mindset/

And the sad thing is it looks like after some success in the peace talks it has all gone to shit…..armed conflict looms large….

Greece and Turkey have come closer to armed conflict after Turkey’s surprise delineation of an Exclusive Economic Zone with Libya, experts tell Al Jazeera.

The agreement, signed on November 27 and unveiled on Thursday, maps out a corridor of water stretching across the eastern Mediterranean between the coasts of Turkey and Libya, cutting across a swath that is also claimed by EU member Greece.

EEZs allow countries exclusive rights to exploit natural resources including mineral wealth.

Turkish energy minister Fatih Donmez has announced that, once the agreement is ratified by both sides, Turkish drillships will begin to search there for oil and gas.

Although the Hellenic Navy neither confirms nor denies it, two experts tell Al Jazeera that Greece has dispatched naval forces to the disputed area southeast of Crete.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/greece-turkey-closer-armed-conflict-experts-191205214345751.html

This bears watching basically because of the closeness of Erdogan and Trump….they seem to admire and support each other with some minor differences….but nothing major that I can see.

Will the US accept a war between the two nations?

I Read, I Wrote, You Know

“Lego Ergo Scribo”

The Real “300”

Sunday in the park….dog park that is…..we have been banned it seems MoMo is too hyper….she runs circles around other canines and she does not tire…..with the heat too many worry about heat stroke for their “buddies”….lazy dogs and lazier humans…the park has little shade and little water…a poor design.

Some history that is all but forgotten…..yesterday 27July1953…the Korean War ends without a treaty.

Let me wax historical……about 3 years ago my wife wanted to watch “300” and I spoiled it for her with my knowledge of history…..https://lobotero.com/2016/01/10/romance-of-the-300/

My favorite part Spartan king as some hunky dude when in reality he was 60 years old at the time of the fateful battle.

There was so much more to the battle than the movie portrays…..

Taking the above into consideration, it turns out that some “facts” could not be true. 1000 soldiers from Phocis along with their slaves, wives, children, and other relatives suggests a number of about 5,000 people. When Leonidas is added (and probably most of the 6,000 fighters defending Thermopylae) and even the Delphic priests , a total of about 10,000 people might have known the existence of the Anopea path. However, the main question is concerned with the lack of surveying the entire atrapos, since it could have been guarded at various points by a few dozen soldiers from Sparta or elsewhere.

Those soldiers could have warned Leonidas or another of his officers about the new situation to defend this narrow passage too – by transferring troops if needed. This (deliberate or not) oversight probably cost Leonidas his life. Beyond the oath “with it or on it” (ή ταν η επi τας), gossip would have crossed the ancient world that the king did not act wisely from a military point of view. As Xerxes ordered the dead body of Leonidas to be decapitated, a negative view of his actions is still remembered.

On the other hand, the outcome at Thermopylae must have had a devastating impact on one of the two main Greek allies. The Athenians were concerned with their city, temples, and especially the women and children who were transferred in a hurry to Salamis Island . Thus, only Sparta remained in primacy after Thermopylae, while inevitably Athens got the second position – with the difference that the capital of Attica was destroyed but not the capital of Lacedaemon.

https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-important-events/what-went-wrong-real-story-battle-thermopylae-006954

The movie introduced many to the events around the battle with the Persians…..but the facts were skewed in favor of the Greeks over the Persians….keep in mind most of what we know about the Persians was written by Greeks…..can anyone say “fake news”?

Time for me to step back and relax….and watch MoMo wait on her prey…..

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“Lego Ergo Scribo”

Greco-Turkish Mindset

We near the start of a new year and there is an old situation that is about to come to a head…..that would be the animosities between Greece and Turkey.

This “hatred” goes back to the days of Greek dominance of the region….think B.C.

It began back when the Greeks were a power and the Persians had the region of Anatolia (Turkey)….but that is a lesson for your World Civilization class….I would like to write about a more modern “hatred” that centered arounf the island of Cyprus……

This will help set the stage…..

The last “war” was in 1974 and the island was divided along Greek/Turkish lines…..1074 was a major conflict that the world  tried to find peace for the two sides….

Another quick reference to this conflict…..

The reason I brought the fact that Greece and Turkey have come to blows over their disagreements is because there is more news…..this time Cyprus is not the center of the “hatred”….but the island is always part of the disagreements….

This time Greece is pissed that Turkey has “invaded” their airspace without proper clearances….

Greece’s top military brass have fired off a set of unusually stern warnings to Turkey, threatening to crush its troops if they dare to land on any disputed islet in the Aegean Sea – but Ankara didn’t mince its words either.
Reacting to violations of Greek airspace by Turkish jets over the Aegean, Defense Minister Panos Kammenos warned that Ankara would pay a price.
“If they make the slightest move, we will crush them,” Kammenos threatened. Athens wants peace and harmony, he said, but it won’t “concede a single centimeter” of its land.
This may seem a small thing but nothing is too small when these two countries threaten each other…..
And Cyprus braces for the future.

Macedonia-What’s In A Name?

Remember your history?  Macedonia the home of Alexander the Great, that sexual switch hitter, and then Macedonia was part of the old Communist country of Yugoslavia….then with the break up of Tito’s dream Macedonia started fighting for its independence….

Like most international situations I have written a bit on this one also…..

https://lobotero.com/2018/02/06/macedonia/

With all the problems in the world these days I find it fascinating that these two countries are in dispute over a name…..

That is right there has been a battle for the name, Macedonia…..and some 25 years or more they are still protesting and fighting over the name….

Macedonians are hoping that it is time for their country to make a step forward in the EU integration process this June. The past EU progress reports have pointed out some significant improvements in certain areas of the country, but there is more to be accomplished in the implementation of necessary reforms required by the European Union – the rule of law remains a must for Macedonian politics. Prime Minister Zaev is convinced that such reforms should be made not only for progress towards EU integration, but also for the country and the Macedonian people themselves.

But there is another key issue that Macedonia should solve before moving forward – its name issue with Greece. The 9th of June is the deadline for a final response. The disputes continue, as both countries are facing strong opposition of their own. None of the versions presented – Northern Macedonia, Upper Macedonia or New Macedonia – seems to have worked until now. President Ivanov has not accepted a solution that can be universally used. He is calling on Prime Minister Zaev to try to reach a national consensus in overcoming the name dispute and find a solution that will not violate Macedonian dignity

https://tsarizm.com/analysis/2018/06/07/macedonias-name-is-still-an-open-question-orban-supports-opposition-to-agreement/

That is right my friends the protests are over the name….not some domestic policy that has gone horribly wrong….but rather the name Macedonia….

Tens of thousands rallied in northern Greece on Wednesday to protest against a possible compromise solution to a long-running row between Athens and Skopje over the ex-Yugoslav republic’s name.

Protesters staged separate rallies in about 23 northern Greek cities. They held banners reading “Macedonia is Greek”, “Respect our history” and waved Greek flags.

“Macedonia is our soul! There is only one Macedonia and it is in Greece, where King Phillip and Alexander the Great were born,” said one of the rally speakers in Pella city, adding Greeks would never accept another country was called Macedonia.

(reuters.com)

Across the border Macedonians held another opinion of the name….

As Macedonia and Greece approach the final stages of talks over Macedonia’s name change, thousands have taken to the streets. Name tensions have stymied Macedonia’s efforts to join the EU, with Greece holding veto power.

Thousands of right-wing opposition supporters in Macedonia protested against plans to change the country’s name in the capital, Skopje, on Saturday.

Protesters waving Macedonian and party flags gathered in front of the main government building, with some holding banners reading “Macedonia will win.”

http://www.dw.com/en/macedonia-thousands-protest-countrys-name-change/a-44057516

While I was researching this situation there came word that there was the possibility of a solution to this name quandary…..

Greece and Macedonia are very close to a deal to resolve a decades-old dispute over the ex-Yugoslav republic’s name, government officials in Athens told Reuters.

The row has blocked the tiny Balkan state’s efforts to join the European Union and the NATO military alliance, of which Greece is a member.

Athens and Skopje are aiming to agree the broad outline of a settlement before an EU summit in late June, though any deal would need to clear a referendum in Macedonia and win approval from lawmakers in both countries.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev are expected to discuss the issue over the phone on Tuesday.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-greece-macedonia-dispute/greece-macedonia-close-to-deal-on-name-dispute-greek-government-sources-idUSKBN1J80M5

Could this decades long dispute be close to a solution?

I will watch and write….as I always do…..

Turkey Gets Cocky

I spend my days monitoring world events so much so that I see situations that do not make the nightly news.  I have been keeping an eye on Turkey because this country is doing some interesting things.

Since total breakdown of the caliphate Turkey has been flexing its muscle….first ir was the attack on the Kurds in Syria and Northern Iraq then tanks and men crossed the Syrian border to take the conflict to the Kurds directly.

Since Turkey is a NATO member and the USA needs them as an ally in the region we have stood around with our hands in our pockets letting Turkey run rampant.

But after about a month Turkey is getting cocky and pushing their luck……..they have warned the US not to get involved and now a warning has been sent to Damascus…….

A day after Kurdish officials announced a deal which would see the Syrian Army sending reinforcements into the Afrin District to help them resist a Turkish invasion, Kurdish YPG officials are now denying that any deal was made at all, while Turkey is threatening a “confrontation” if Syria dares to resist the invasion.

Turkish officials say they are fully prepared to fight the Syrian military fight alongside the war against the Kurds, with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warning that nothing can stop Turkish soldiers.

(antiwar.com)

Seriously?  Turkey invades another country and then warns them NOT to come to the aid and protection of its people…..damn let sound let taking lessons from Israel.

Turkey and Israel signed a deal on Tuesday to restore ties after a six-year rift, formalizing an agreement which U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said sent a “hopeful signal” for regional stability.

The accord was a rare rapprochement in the divided Middle East, driven by the prospect of lucrative Mediterranean gas deals as well as mutual fears over growing security risks

(NBC News)

Let’s step back in time for a minute……

In the past Greece and Turkey have fought a couple wars….most notably in 1897 and 1921 and they have been at odds over Cyprus for decades and a couple of wars have been fought there also….

Okay why would I bring this up in this post?

Someone is chest thumping……

In an incident that took place less than two weeks after the Greek Defense Ministry announced that Turkey had violated Greek airspace 138 times in a single day, a Turkish coast guard patrol boat on February 13 rammed a Greek coast guard vessel off the shore of Imia, one of many Greek islands over which Turkey claims sovereignty.

Most of the areas within modern Greece’s current borders were under the occupation of the Ottoman Empire from the mid-15th century until the Greek War of Independence in 1821 and the establishment of the modern Greek state in 1832. The islands, however, like the rest of Greece, are legally and historically Greek, as their names indicate.

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), however, and even much of the opposition seem intent on, if not obsessed with, invading and conquering these Greek islands, on the grounds that they are actually Turkish territory.

In December, for instance, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the main Turkish opposition CHP party, stated that when he wins the election in 2019, he will “invade and take over 18 Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, just as former Turkish PM Bulent Ecevit invaded Cyprus in 1974.” He said that there is “no document” proving that those islands belong to Greece.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-02-19/turkey-threatens-invade-greece

Hence the title of this post….”Turkey Gets Cocky”

Turkey may be overplaying their hand….the US is not helping diffuse this situation simply because we have NO one capable of diplomacy in the government anymore.

This situation could get ugly….and who will asked to clean up this mess militarily?

Is This The World Of Tomorrow?

If you are an avid news junkie and depending on the source of your news…..you see a change happening in the world…..to some it is an inevitable change and to others it is the “end of days”….the beginning of “Mad Max”…..again where you get your information will make a difference…..

Me? I see a change coming that some may not appreciate but me I think it is a good idea…..a change in political thinking…..

AQ began this thinking and it has progressed to ISIS and now Greece may be leading the charge again….after about 2000 years……..

A Greek state TV exit poll is projecting that anti-bailout party Syriza has won today’s parliamentary elections—in a historic first for a radical left wing party in Greece. But it’s unclear whether Syriza has won a decisive enough victory over Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’ incumbent conservatives to govern alone. For that, they need a minimum 151 of parliament’s 300 seats. The centrist Potami (River) party is battling for third place with the Nazi-inspired, extreme right-wing Golden Dawn, whose leadership is in prison pending trial for running a criminal organization. Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras has promised to renegotiate the country’s $270 billion international bailout deal. He has pledged to reverse many of the reforms that creditors demanded in exchange for keeping Greece financially afloat since 2010.

Depending on how he forms a coalition to rule…..this could be the first state to exit the EU……and the beginning of a push back to job killing and economic killing austerity.

Could this be a new form of political thinking?  Will it spread?  What will be the outcome?  All opinions welcome.

The Elephant In The Room

First I guess I need to say something about the recall election in Wisconsin……(pause….duration unimportant)…….screw it!  If you got the cash, you got the power……the political golden rule….if you have the gold, you rule…….the best government money can buy……the political template has been cast…..enough!

I spend a lot of time watching the rest of the world and have been interested in the doings within the EU……we all know the problems in Greece….I mean it has been used as a political prop for almost a year…..we have all seen the protests, some violent, some not so much….but do you really know what is causing all the dissension?

Let me help…..first, these troubled countries have made some really bad decisions in the past and the IMF is demanding some concessions from the countries that need a bailout….and by the way these bailouts that are being forced on the countries is coercion to keep the EU together….does not appear that it has anything to do with the quality of life of the people…..

IMF is demanding a list of conditions that must be met to qualify for a bailout…..these demands are as follows……1–guarantee fiscal discipline and curb budget deficits….2–Reduction in public spending….3–Tax reform……4–Financial liberalization….5–Competitive exchange rates…..6–Trade liberalization, eliminating of import licensing and a reduction in tariffs…..7–Promotion of direct foreign investment……8–Privatization of public enterprises…..9–Deregulation of the economy……and 10–Protection of property rights.

There you have it….the demands that must be met before assistance is offered……now take a moment and read over the conditions and then explain where any of that will benefit the population of a country…..it does give business a huge leg up on profits and control…..

One more thing……read the list again……now re-read it!  Does not parts of the list sound a lot like the Ryan budget?  Once again….it will do little to nothing for the average Joe trying to earn a living, instead gives business all the leverage and all the power.

Bill Clinton, a person I do not particularly care for, had a great line in a recent speech……for decades the GOP have been demonizing Europe and now their plans will bring the US into a European state of mind….austerity, unemployment……(I paraphrase)…..now look at what European plans are doing to the population of any given country……is that what you want for your country?

At what point do the American people start worrying about what is ahead of them and stop worrying about which low life wins the next election?

Far Right Comes Of Age

Inkwell Institute

Subject:  Europe

The news coming out of Europe points to the rise in far right politics….extreme politics….

Let us step into the “Way Back Machine”……..whoosh bang pop!…….As we step out of the machine we find ourselves in post WW1 Europe….the continent has been totally devastated by years of war…..the economy sucks…..and the rise of far right politicians ………first in Italy….the Kingdom of Italy was forced to give up all claims to the territories it had help for 100 years…and then there was labor unrest….then a far right politician steps up and promises calm, good business atmosphere and strength….next stop is Germany……..the country has hit hard by the war and was forced to pay reparations this made the country even more unstable and then came the Depression and things went to Hell in a hurry…….and then a far right politician steps up…….with a program of xenophobia and jobs and a return to glory…..and that is a quick tour of the only two successes that the extreme right has had…….

But wait!  There is a new day dawning!

The is a rising tide of anti-immigrants and anti-EU on the continent……..at least 9 countries have a rise in far right extremism…….

France

Front National (FN)

Central Figure: Marine Le Pen

Ideology: The FN opposes immigration, the welfare state, and the European Union. They previously advocated sending non-European immigrants back to their countries of origin, but now they reserve such treatment for foreign-born criminals.

Netherlands

Netherlands

Party of Freedom (Partij voor de Vrijheid, PVV)

Central Figure: Geert Wilders

Ideology: The Party of Freedom advocates closing the border to Muslim immigrants, banning the Koran, instituting a “head rag tax,” and taking citizenship away from Dutch Muslims. They also want to place restrictions on immigrants from within Europe. Wilders and his party are Eurosceptics, wishing for greater national identity and less involvement from Brussels. They opposed Dutch participation in the Greek bailouts. Wilders staged a publicity stunt at the time, bringing a huge ‘drachma’ note to the Greek embassy in The Hague.

Finland

Finland

AP

True Finns (Perussuomalaiset)

Central Figure: Timo Soini

Ideology: The True Finns have called Brussels “the heart of darkness.” Central to their ideology is that Finns should not participate in bailing out “wasteful countries” such as Greece and Portugal.

Given the name of their party, it is no surprise that they run on a xenophobic platform. They want to make it more difficult to acquire Finnish nationality or claim asylum in Finland. Their solution to declining birthrates is to encourage young women to study less so that they can give birth to more Finnish children. They oppose abortion and homosexuality.

Italy

Italy

“They suffered immigration, now they live on reservations!”/Umberto Bossi

lorenzinhos on Flickr

Northern League (Lega Nord)

Central Figure: Umberto Bossi

Ideology: The Lega Nord seeks greater autonomy for Northern Italy, which it calls “Padania.” They sometimes even call for secession from Italy. Fiscal federalism is in the interest of North, which is richer than the South. Broadly, they support smaller-government and lower taxes.

The League opposes immigration from outside of Europe and from Romany (Gypsy) peoples within. They openly antagonize Muslims. One member once threw a pig’s head into the future site of a mosque, thus making it unclean.

They are generally socially conservative on issues such as abortion.

Switzerland (not an EU Member State)

Switzerland (not an EU Member State)

“To Create Security– My Home, Our Switzerland”

qtea on Flickr

Swiss People’s Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei – SVP)

Central Figure: Christoph Blocher

Ideology: The Swiss People’s Party is thoroughly against Switzerland joining the European Union. They want low taxes, a strong army, and very limited immigration. The party sent a strong message in 2009 when they sponsored a referendum against the construction of new minarets. 57% of Swiss voters approved the referendum. The four existing minarets will not be affected by the law. The SVP’s next initiative would expel foreign-born criminals from the country.

Denmark

Denmark People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti, DF)

Central Figure: Pia Kjaersgaard

Ideology: Their platform does not reject the norms of social democracy, supporting programs such as healthcare. What mainly sets them apart from the Liberals and Social Democrats is their obsession with border security and their feelings towards immigrants.

According to the party program, “Denmark is not an immigrant-country and never has been. Thus we will not accept transformation to a multi-ethnic society. Denmark belongs to the Danes and its citizens must be able to live in a secure community founded on the rule of law, which develops along the lines of Danish culture.”

The Danish People’s Party helped make Denmark’s immigration laws the toughest in Europe. The party opposed Denmark’s entry in to the European Union to begin with, and won a crucial victory this month when Denmark (controversially) reinstated border controls. This, of course, flies in the face of the Schengen Agreement that allows for easy inter-European border-crossing.

Austria

Austria

Heinz-Christian Strache on the campaign trail.

commons.wikimedia.org

Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) and Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ)

Central Figures: Heinz-Christian Strache and Josef Bucher

Ideology: Both the FPÖ and BZÖ have been led by Jörg Haider, an extreme rightist widely known as a neo-Nazi and anti-Semite. Both parties campaign chiefly on an anti-immigration platform, but their party programs appeal to populists and libertarians was well. They both support low taxes, limited business regulation, and direct-democracy in the form of referenda. The FPÖ was once a pan-Germanist pro-European party. They are now increasingly nationalist and Eurosceptic. They oppose Turkish membership to the EU. Neither party endorsed the Lisbon Treaty.

The BZÖ was formed in 2005 when Haider left the Freedom Party. Their platform is similar to that of the FPÖ.

Barbara Rosencranz, the FPÖ’s candidate for president in 2010 made waves when she suggested that Austria’s banning of pro-Nazi speech should be repealed.

Norway (not a member of the EU)

Norway (not a member of the EU)

Siv Jensen at a Progress Party Rally

upload.wikimedia.org

Progress Party (Framstegspartiet, FrP)

Central Figure: Siv Jensen

Ideology: The Progress party was founded as an anti-tax libertarian party, but today they are a mainstream populist anti-immigration party. They argue that immigration is the root cause of crime and strain on the very welfare state that they want to pare down. The Progress Party wants to tighten immigration policy down to only accepting a limited number of refugees.

They do not explicitly oppose EU membership for Norway. They would prefer to join the EU if a referendum on membership succeeds. The ruling Norwegian Labor Party favors joining the EU with or without a referendum.

Sweden Democrats

(Sverigedemokraterna, SD)

Central Figure: Jimmie Åkesson, Björn Söder

Ideology: The Sweden Democrats’ slogan is “Keep Sweden Swedish” and their platform does not disappoint. Like most of the right-wing populist parties in Europe, the Sweden Democrats are mostly known for anti-immigrant nationalism. They call for a 90% reduction in immigration into Sweden. Unlike other right-wing parties such as the Progress Party in Norway, the Sweden Democrats are not interested in dismantling Sweden’s generous welfare state. But like the Danish People’s Party, they wish to roll back the Schengen agreement and re-introduce border controls.

Now that there is a growing far right ideology….I look for an organization to pop up so that they will have a common goal and a common plan…..it depends on the people of each country….but this is a movement that is growing…..will it get hijacked and morph into the days of the 1920’s and 30’s?

Thoughts?

News Update:  Since I pout this draft together there has been a few developments in this situation…….First, In his attempt to hold office, French Prez Sarkozy moved Right and in doing so gave the right extreme party National Front and in road into the Parliament…..second Greece with all its problems has just voted and the outcome was a bit of a surprise…..

THE Greek neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party will enter parliament for the first time in nearly 40 years, exit polls showed as ballots closed in an early election that could derail the country’s reforms.

The party is calculated to win between six and eight percent of the vote on rising immigration and crime concerns, comfortably above the three-percent threshold required for to enter parliament.

The group reacted jubilantly and claimed the result would translate into more than 25 deputies in the 300-seat parliament, a stunning blow to mainstream parties.

Greece was plunged into fresh political chaos today after no party emerged with enough votes to form a government following yesterday’s election.

If a government committed to continuing the austerity measures cannot be formed, then the future of Greece’s euro membership, and the fate of the currency itself, could once again be at stake.

The country faces days of political uncertainty as the two current coalition partners – conservative New Democracy party and Socialist Pasok – scramble to form a coalition.

The Greek election process is in chaos just like the rest of the country.  The far right is making in-roads into politics….but how will it play out?