My Dear Friend of Democracy,
Looking around Europe, one might think that the rise of right-wing populist parties is unstoppable.
It is not.
There are counterexamples.
Denmark, for example.
Ten years ago, the far-right Danish People's Party (DPP) triumphed in the European elections, winning 27 per cent of the vote. No other party received more.
In the European elections this month, DDP got only 6 per cent (which earned them one seat in the parliament).
However, there is a second right-wing populist party in Denmark, the Denmark Democrats, but they only received 7 per cent of the vote in the European elections.
In summary, Denmark's problems on the far right seem under control.
But why? What has Denmark done differently from other countries in recent years?
The ambivalent answer is that Denmark's established political parties have adopted elements of the far right's policy positions, especially on immigration.
Danish journalist Michael Ehrenreich writes at the opinion platform Project Syndicate (that I very like and recommend):
"Whereas Denmark once had among the most liberal immigration regimes in Europe, it has gradually tightened its policy and introduced stricter requirements for those seeking Danish citizenship"
So it seems that fighting far-right parties at the polls is possible, but it comes with a price.
However, Ehrenreich also writes that the established parties do not have to adapt to the extreme right on all issues.
Among other things, the centre parties were successful in not approaching the extreme right on climate protection.
Ehrenreich:
"In addition to challenging the European Union's authority to act against climate change, far-right politicians have even announced their intention to withdraw from key climate agreements at the national level. Yet poll after poll has shown that Danish voters demand aggressive policies to combat climate change."
This is similar to the issue of security. Again, Ehrenreich:
"The far right questioned the EU's legitimacy as a forum for collective action and argued that Danish security policy should be decided solely under the auspices of NATO. Yet in light of Russia's war on Ukraine, Danish voters strongly disagree."
✊ The rise of right-wing populist and extremist parties is not inevitable. Their success or failure depends mainly on the policies of the other parties.
See you in Europe,
Johannes