The left takes power all over Europe – just yesterday it said the same about nationalists
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Britain’s Labor Party may be in the doldrums as it contemplates a second decade in opposition, but across the Channel its sister parties are doing pretty well.
The latest center-left leader to dominate an election is Jonas Gahr Støere, whose Norwegian Labor Party overthrew the center-right Norwegian government.
He now joins the Social Democratic prime ministers of Sweden, Denmark and Finland to give the Nordic left a clean slate. Further south of Europe, the Socialists rule Spain and Portugal. If the polls are correct, the next German Chancellor will be Social Democrat Olof Scholz.
In Italy, the democratic left has key ministers of defense, health, employment and culture in the government led by the technocrat of technocrats, Mario Draghi, former president of the European Central Bank.
Even within the Swiss cabinet – the Federal Council – the star member is the French-speaking socialist Alain Berset, 49.
It seems that until yesterday, English academics were welcoming the rise of nationalist populist parties in Europe based on hostility to Muslim immigration and the European Union.
They are still there, but the paradox of the last decade starting with the financial crisis and ending with the Covid pandemic is that the European left has come back to life.
Few of the French believe Emmanuel Macron can be beaten by a tired Le Pen Marine. Macron will also not be beaten by any of the six left-wing candidates currently on the parade – but in the National Assembly elections following the French presidential election, voters can let Macron have the Elysee but then elect. a green center-left. majority of deputies to form the next French government.
Three reasons explain this resurgence. First, the pandemic and the need to do âwhatever it takesâ to prevent it from destroying economies has resurrected the Keynesian state as essential to dealing with the crisis.
The bandages of fiscal orthodoxy, cutbacks in public services, wages and pensions in the name of austerity policies, all associated with center-right European politicians, now seem odd in their awkwardness.
Second, the decisions necessary to face the climate crisis are not proposed by the right except in words. Re-electing pro-car, pro-roads, pro-oil industry Christian-Democratic conservatives no longer makes sense.
Third, the election of a big government supporter of trade unions like Joe Biden and the defeat of nationalist Donald Trump have boosted the morale and confidence of the European center-left.
But this political left is pro-business and ready to be very hard on immigration from outside Europe. The new Norwegian Prime Minister, a millionaire, brings Tory Blair closer to Jeremy Corbyn, both his credentials in favor of the free market.
In addition, the Nordic and German unions stay away from politics and support a friendly government rather than dictate to it.
It is not clear that British Labor is ready to learn from Europe – a word banned from today’s Labor lexicon. But the facts are clear. The left can gain power if it chooses to adapt.
Denis MacShane is a former Minister of Europe and Labor MP. His latest book âMust Labor Always Lose? is published by Claret Press
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