No. 1361 Ultra-rightists Rose in Elections for European Parliament
In the recent elections held for the European Parliament (720 seats) the ultra-right and the rightwing groups have made substantial gains, occupying 146 seats. The AfD=Alternative fur Deutschland, an ultra-rightist party of Germany, has risen, too. Pro-EU liberal factions, center-rightist parties and leftist and greens entities have maintained 450 seats, but the situation is grave.
WAR DESTROYS SOCIETIES
As far as the total number of seats is concerned, however, the rightwing has not made a major advance. In Germany and France, which drive the EU as a leading force, rightist groups have made a big stride, while the government parties and the Greens have been lost considerably. The fact has caused severe shocks across Europe, symbolizing a critical phase in the entire EU.
Direct causes are social gaps and the war
The ruling bloc led by President Macron, suffering significant losses before the ultra-rightist party, has announced dissolvement of the Lower House to hold general elections in France. In Germany, the ruling party of Chancellor Scholz, the Social Democratic Party, and the coalition partner, the Greens, too, have been badly defeated. Either of them was unable to attain the results of the ultra-rightist AfD.
Reasons why the rightists have won in both countries are not only attributed to the issue of immigrants, which has been claimed for long, though. The war in Ukraine as well as the increased social gaps has directly hit the people’s life. Due to the sanctions against Russia, prices, including energy, have risen sharply. In Germany, furthermore, the government has kept a policy to forbid to newly build heating systems based on fossil fuels on the ground of environmental norms. Poorer people living in the former East Germany have opposed it.
The ultra-rightist party appealed loudly to ‘buy cheap Russian gas again’. As for the environmental regulations in the agricultural sector, people have been repelling them across Europe; in France, farmers staged protest actions to block streets, driving their tractors. The dissent was braced by the ultra-rightist party.
Military expenditure curbs national economy
People have been left unaided in the hard economic conditions, while spendings for the war in Ukraine have surged enormously. In major EU member states the expenditure have exceeded the mark of 2% of GDP, and plans have been carried out to enhance military capabilities. Thus, EU has ushered in financial catastrophe.
France’s La France insoumise (FI) and Germany’s new, leftist party, the BSW=Bundnis Sahra Wagenknecht, have claimed ‘to end the war in Ukraine and oppose weapons’ export’ and won certain support, but the result was minor. Leftist groups have gained 36 seats. Much of people’s dissatisfaction was absorbed by the rightwing populists.
The G7 Summit was held just after the elections for European Parliament, in which the political leaders agreed to set up a fund amounting \7.8 trillion to assist Ukraine by using profits coming from the frozen Russian assets as mortgage. The policy will further deteriorate finances of each country as the seven governments will commit in official assurance to be ready for lifting of the sanctions in the future.
EU is fallen to bottomless confusion
In parallel with the G7 event, a defense ministers’ meeting of NATO was held, in which they have reached an agreement that the European nations will shoulder tasks which the United States had been engaged in, such as training of the Ukrainian armed forces and transporting and repairing of military equipment, with an assumption that Mr. Trump may become President, who might weaken supporting Ukraine.
The EU has approved to attack Russia’s territory by employing the weapons sent by the respective nations. No ceasefire can be prospected. The EU is falling into bottomless confusion. Meanwhile, however, in France, a popular front was organized, pivoting on the Confederation Generale du Travail (CGT) and the La France insoumise, contesting the ultra-rightist party and disputing the Macron regime. That is a hope.
先の欧州議会選挙（定数７２０）で、極右・右派両会派が増え１４６議席。ドイツの極右ＡｆＤも増えた。親ＥＵのリベラル派、中道右派、左派、緑は４５０議席超を確保したが、事態は深刻だ。
総計では右翼が躍進したわけではない。しかし、ＥＵを牽引する独仏で右翼が大躍進し、政権与党と緑の党の大敗で激震が走り、ＥＵ全体の危機を象徴する。
格差と戦争が直撃
フランスのマクロン大統領与党は極右に大敗し、下院解散・総選挙実施を表明した。ドイツのショルツ首相の与党・社民党と緑も大敗し、極右政党（ＡｆＤ）にも及ばなかった。
独仏の右翼伸長の要因はかねてからの難民問題だけではない。格差拡大の上にウクライナ戦争が生活を直撃しているのである。ロシアへの経済制裁でエネルギー価格をはじめ諸物価が高騰。加えて環境保護政策でドイツでは化石燃料を使う暖房の新設禁止を掲げ、旧東独などの貧困層が反発した。
極右は「安価なロシアのガスをまた買おう」と訴えた。欧州では農業にたいするＥＵの環境規制への反発が強く、フランスなどでは道路をトラクターで封鎖する抗議運動が広がり極右が支援した。
軍費が経済を圧迫
庶民が苦境にあるなかで、ウクライナ戦争で軍事費を増やし続け、ＥＵの主要国の軍事費はＧＤＰの２％を超え、さらにＥＵは軍備強化計画を立て財政を圧迫している。
フランスの「不服従のフランス」やドイツの新興左翼ＢＳＷなどは、ウクライナ戦争終結・武器援助反対を訴え一定の支持を得たが、少数で（左翼は36議席）、不満の多くは右翼ポピュリストが吸収している。
ＥＵ議会選直後Ｇ７サミットはウクライナ支援で凍結ロシア資産の利益を担保に各国が貸付け、７兆８千億円の基金設置を決めた。将来の凍結解除に備え各国は政府保証を検討するので一層財政を圧迫する。
ＥＵは底なし混迷
あわせて開催されたＮＡＴＯ国防相会議は、トランプ再登場でウクライナ支援が弱まることを想定し、米国が担ってきたウクライナ軍の訓練、軍事物資の移送と修理などを欧州各国が肩代わりすることを決めた。
すでに欧州各国提供の武器によるロシア国内攻撃を認めたが、これでは停戦はおぼつかない。ＥＵの混迷は底なしだ。一方、フランスで労働総同盟と「不服従のフランス」を軸に反極右・非マクロンの「人民戦線」が発足したのは光明だ。
英訳版↓
No. 1361 Ultra-rightists Rose in Elections for European Parliament
In the recent elections held for the European Parliament (720 seats) the ultra-right and the rightwing groups have made substantial gains, occupying 146 seats. The AfD=Alternative fur Deutschland, an ultra-rightist party of Germany, has risen, too. Pro-EU liberal factions, center-rightist parties and leftist and greens entities have maintained 450 seats, but the situation is grave.
WAR DESTROYS SOCIETIES
As far as the total number of seats is concerned, however, the rightwing has not made a major advance. In Germany and France, which drive the EU as a leading force, rightist groups have made a big stride, while the government parties and the Greens have been lost considerably. The fact has caused severe shocks across Europe, symbolizing a critical phase in the entire EU.
Direct causes are social gaps and the war
The ruling bloc led by President Macron, suffering significant losses before the ultra-rightist party, has announced dissolvement of the Lower House to hold general elections in France. In Germany, the ruling party of Chancellor Scholz, the Social Democratic Party, and the coalition partner, the Greens, too, have been badly defeated. Either of them was unable to attain the results of the ultra-rightist AfD.
Reasons why the rightists have won in both countries are not only attributed to the issue of immigrants, which has been claimed for long, though. The war in Ukraine as well as the increased social gaps has directly hit the people’s life. Due to the sanctions against Russia, prices, including energy, have risen sharply. In Germany, furthermore, the government has kept a policy to forbid to newly build heating systems based on fossil fuels on the ground of environmental norms. Poorer people living in the former East Germany have opposed it.
The ultra-rightist party appealed loudly to ‘buy cheap Russian gas again’. As for the environmental regulations in the agricultural sector, people have been repelling them across Europe; in France, farmers staged protest actions to block streets, driving their tractors. The dissent was braced by the ultra-rightist party.
Military expenditure curbs national economy
People have been left unaided in the hard economic conditions, while spendings for the war in Ukraine have surged enormously. In major EU member states the expenditure have exceeded the mark of 2% of GDP, and plans have been carried out to enhance military capabilities. Thus, EU has ushered in financial catastrophe.
France’s La France insoumise (FI) and Germany’s new, leftist party, the BSW=Bundnis Sahra Wagenknecht, have claimed ‘to end the war in Ukraine and oppose weapons’ export’ and won certain support, but the result was minor. Leftist groups have gained 36 seats. Much of people’s dissatisfaction was absorbed by the rightwing populists.
The G7 Summit was held just after the elections for European Parliament, in which the political leaders agreed to set up a fund amounting \7.8 trillion to assist Ukraine by using profits coming from the frozen Russian assets as mortgage. The policy will further deteriorate finances of each country as the seven governments will commit in official assurance to be ready for lifting of the sanctions in the future.
EU is fallen to bottomless confusion
In parallel with the G7 event, a defense ministers’ meeting of NATO was held, in which they have reached an agreement that the European nations will shoulder tasks which the United States had been engaged in, such as training of the Ukrainian armed forces and transporting and repairing of military equipment, with an assumption that Mr. Trump may become President, who might weaken supporting Ukraine.
The EU has approved to attack Russia’s territory by employing the weapons sent by the respective nations. No ceasefire can be prospected. The EU is falling into bottomless confusion. Meanwhile, however, in France, a popular front was organized, pivoting on the Confederation Generale du Travail (CGT) and the La France insoumise, contesting the ultra-rightist party and disputing the Macron regime. That is a hope.
July 3, 2024