How far will the rise of nationalistic populism go ?

[L00b]

They have, polls had Wilders at 35/36 not long ago. He has been stuffed properly, as usual. I've referred to this fact time and time again with our Eurobashing friends here. What is more significant is that the openly PRO EU party D66, who campaign on more EU have gained significantly, as have other open pro-EU parties such as Groen Links. This relates to the turnout - 81%(last I heard) is huge for a Dutch general election, last time that was the case was the 1980s.

I understand that 'immediate' context, Tim...but Wilders has climbed from his 15 seats in 2012, we're not looking at e.g. UKIP's dead-cat-bouncing-at-the-GE-with-no-MP (the sole part-timer-depending-on-party-ratings exception doesn't count )

 

Still, bygones. Your compatriots have won the 1/4 final with flying (orange) colours, big yay!

 

Now for the semi final in France in May, and the final in Germany later this year

[Guest]

I'm not sure that food grown in the UK is necessarily worse than food grown elsewhere?

 

Every bite of food sourced, grown and produced in Britain will taste like ashes in the mouth's of the globalists in this country.

[tinfoilhat]

Every bite of food sourced, grown and produced in Britain will taste like ashes in the mouth's of the globalists in this country.

 

Why???????????

[Voodoo_Chile]

Why???????????

 

Because someone has paraphrased JFK and Alan has read it and copied it here. Is my guess.

 

But I'm not sure he understands what it means.

[Bob Arctor]

Thank Gawd for the Dutch, they`ve stopped Nationalistic Populism in its tracks.

 

While it is a relief that the PVV didn't win, the fact that a party so right wing has that many seats is no cause for celebration. There is still a lot of work to do.

[Guest sibon]

 

Now for the semi final in France in May, and the final in Germany later this year

 

There is a possibility of a third/fourth place play off in Italy too.

[L00b]

There is a possibility of a third/fourth place play off in Italy too.

A fair comment, but I can't see them turning anti-EU en masse. The Northern League has been at it years and years longer than Wilders, and has nowhere near the voting support and political 'legitimacy' still. Figuratively, with the broad Italian electorate, they're in the same "barely if ever tolerable zone" as Marine's Front National v2.0 is with the broad French electorate (one step up from the BNP/EDL here, give or take).

 

I'd expect the Greeks to exit long before enough Italians ever get near the idea. Too much of an Italian diaspora, and the associated links into/out of Italy, right across the EU as well.

 

France or Germany exiting the EU, then yes I can see the whole edifice seriously in trouble. But neither a Dutch exit nor an Italian exit would imperil it.

[Guest]

Because someone has paraphrased JFK and Alan has read it and copied it here. Is my guess.

 

But I'm not sure he understands what it means.

 

I was paraphrasing Homer Simpson actually.

[Bob Arctor]

I was paraphrasing Homer Simpson actually.

 

Someone paraphrases JFK (Cuban missile crisis, October 1962); world on the brink of nuclear war and facing the extinction of the species, and thinks they're paraphrasing Homer Simpson. Dear God, what have we become?

 

And anyway it was Marge.

[Justin Smith]

I understand that 'immediate' context, Tim...but Wilders has climbed from his 15 seats in 2012, we're not looking at e.g. UKIP's dead-cat-bouncing-at-the-GE-with-no-MP (the sole part-timer-depending-on-party-ratings exception doesn't count )

 

Still, bygones. Your compatriots have won the 1/4 final with flying (orange) colours, big yay!

 

Now for the semi final in France in May, and the final in Germany later this year

 

The French electoral system will, by preventing splits in the anti fascist vote, almost certainly prevent Le Pen from getting any where near the Presidency, thank God.