Right-Wing Parties' Victories in EU Tell Trump May Be Back in White House - EU Lawmaker
© AP Photo / Morry Gash
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The rise of right-wing parties in Europe has been gaining momentum over the past year, with the Freedom Party in Austria winning the parliamentary elections in September and the Party for Freedom in the Netherlands last November.
Moreover, the Alternative for Germany for the first time won elections in the state of Thuringia and came second in Saxony in September.
The recent surge in support for right-wing parties across Europe, where people are grappling with similar to the United States' problems such as economic challenges, demographic shifts and cultural changes due to immigration, suggest a strong possibility of former US President Donald Trump's victory in the upcoming US election, EU lawmaker from France Thierry Mariani told Sputnik.
Trump and Democrat candidate Kamala Harris are running neck and neck, with 49% support each, ahead of the Tuesday vote, a fresh Leger poll released by the New York Post on Monday showed.
"The concerns and aspirations that drive Trump's base in America are not so different from those driving the right-wing wave in Europe. Economic security, national pride, resistance to cultural decay, and the fight for independence — these are universal values, and they are the foundation of our shared vision for the future. That's why I believe the political wave rising in Europe is a clear sign of what's possible in America. If we succeed here, then the Republicans have every reason to be hopeful across the Atlantic," Mariani said.
Different aspects of the same common problems such as economic discontent, disillusionment with the ruling elite, and a growing unease about the impact of immigration on our societies affect policy in both the United States and Europe, the lawmaker added.
"Across both continents, voters are feeling the difficulties of rising living costs, stagnant wages, and the loss of jobs due to globalized trade. These issues are not new, but they are intensifying, and they demand real answers. People are tired of the empty promises of an establishment that has proven itself deaf to their struggles," he said.
Mariani, who is the former member of France's The Republicans (LR) party, raised a concern regarding the issue of uncontrolled immigration, citing it as one of the main reasons, along with economic stagnation, for the growing support for conservative and patriotic movements across Europe and the United States.
"European nations, like the US, are feeling the cultural and societal shifts caused by mass immigration. It’s not xenophobia to say that uncontrolled immigration poses risks to our cultural identity and our way of life. It’s common sense. The people want security, sovereignty, and stability, and this is why, like Trump’s supporters, voters in Europe are looking to conservative and patriots movements for answers — and finding them," the lawmaker said.
New Conservative Voters
As the legislator drew comparisons between the United States and the EU nations, where right-wing parties had gained significant traction, he highlighted striking similarities, particularly in their support base. First of all, he pointed that the conservative parties' support base on both continents had undergone substantial transformations.
"In Europe, as in the United States, the base of the right-wing has changed. No longer is it just the affluent or the traditional conservatives; it’s the hardworking middle and working classes, the ones who built our countries, who are rallying to our side. Like Trump’s supporters in the US, these are people who feel betrayed by globalization, abandoned by the establishment, and taken for granted by politicians who think they know better," he said.
Mariani, a prominent French politician who previously served as the French minister in charge of transport from 2010 to 2012, stressed that people in the West these days were expecting to have leaders who prioritize their well-being and national interests, including sovereignty, economic security, and national pride.
"We see it everywhere — in France, in Italy, in Sweden. From factory workers to farmers, from small business owners to young people watching their future opportunities slip away, people are standing up. They're saying, 'Enough' ... And they see that the right-wing movements across Europe are the ones willing to offer this vision. This is the heart of our movement, and it’s why I believe Trump’s success isn’t just an American phenomenon — it’s part of a global wave in the West," he said.
Against Relativism and Wokeism
Mariani also drew parallels between Trump's suppporters and the European conservatives' stance on the so called "woke" and "relativism" agenda, which is seen by both as a threat to cultural heritage, history, and values.
He expressed belief that resisting this ideology was essential to preserving the foundations of the societies.
"This so-called 'woke' agenda is eroding our cultural heritage, rewriting our history, and mocking our values. When we resist this ideology, we’re not being reactionary — we’re protecting the very foundations of our societies ... Similar to the movement led by President Trump in the United States, we reject the notion that our history should be a source of shame," Mariani stressed.
Mariani raised a concern regarding what he saw as the gradual erosion of moral values and traditions in Europe. He said that the political ideology of relativism posed a significant threat, adding that it undermined the concept of moral rightness in societies.
"We’re proud of who we are, of our traditions, and of the values that have held our nations together for centuries. If we don’t defend them, no one else will. And so, our stance against relativism and wokism isn’t just a political position; it’s a fight for the survival of our national identities," he said.
Rejecting Decline
He also said that Trump in his electoral speeches envisioned a future of ambition, growth, and prosperity, rejecting the narrative of decline imposed by the Democrats in the name of climate or sustainability. The lawmaker pointed that the European right-wing parties also rejected the myth of inevitable economic decline and refused to be weakened by pessimism.
"And then there's this idea of 'degrowth' — this new religion of decline that tells us to accept less, to aim lower, to be content with scarcity. I say no. We were not made to shrink and fade. Like Trump’s movement, we believe in a future of ambition, growth, and prosperity," Mariani said.
The European lawmaker stressed that his electoral base supported the idea of balancing economic growth with respect for the planet, prioritizing strong economies, job opportunities, and hope for our countries.
"We can have growth and respect our planet, but we will not sacrifice our people’s prosperity to satisfy some ideological crusade. If Europe and America are to remain strong in the world, we cannot afford to buy into the myth of inevitable decline," he said.
Economic Sovereignty
Mariani said that patriotic movements in Europe also share Trump's views when it comes to fighting for economic sovereignty by bringing industries back home, securing supply chains, and protecting resources from foreign takeover.
"Across Europe, patriotic movements like ours share this belief with Trump’s supporters in the US — if we cannot control our industries, our energy, our resources, then we cannot call ourselves free ... We saw it with Trump's policies in the US — bringing jobs back, fighting for American workers, refusing other countries or central banks to let dictate the terms of trade," he said.
Mariani concluded by calling on the European governments to aim for economic independence to safeguard its freedoms, cultures, and way of life.
