Posted on 04/22/2011 7:46:17 AM PDT by reaganaut1
There is hardly a country on the continent that has been a more steadfast supporter of the European Union than Finland. For more than 20 years, the voters here have returned the same three parties to power in various coalition governments, with few changes in policies.
People joked that watching Finnish politics was about as interesting as watching paint dry.
Until now.
In the general election last weekend, the nationalist and populist True Finn Party emerged from political obscurity after largely campaigning on the evils of the European Union and its bailouts of Greece and Ireland. It claimed 39 seats in Finland’s Parliament — almost eight times the number it won in the 2007 election — and it is likely to become a partner in any coalition government.
The elections drove the governing Center Party from power and left this small and prosperous country reeling. Finns who gather in bars and cafes are dissecting the race, trying to take the measure of what is being called “the protest vote” and what it may mean for their future.
Finland is not alone. Anti-European Union and anti-immigration parties have been on the rise in Sweden, Italy, Hungary and the Netherlands in the past year, and more may follow. It is a worrisome trend for supporters of the union, and for efforts to safeguard the euro by offering emergency loans to the weakest member nations and to better coordinate budget and spending policies in the countries that use it.
Financial bailouts require unanimous approval of all the euro zone members, and there are fears that if Finland balks others may follow.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Is Finland truly turning “right” or does this mean something different than it does here?
While Europe begins to the fallacy of Socialistic government our Obama plunges madly on in his effort to bring Soros Marxism to the greatest nation and people on earth. IMPEACH HIM!
begins to see..
This,’Small prosperous and reeling.’ Yeah now they are reeling since the turn to the right. Oh the slimes. They never quit.
But, but what about the Autistic children? What about the senior eating cat food? The rich are just heartless and greedy - even though they may have earned it (and we didn’t), we want their money and we deserve it! After all, how much money is too much? We need your income slavery to save the socialist collective.
For the most part in European politics, a group in the middle turning right will be approaching the American middle from the left.
“Is Finland truly turning “right” or does this mean something different than it does here?”
No big change there.
Finland is a multi-party country and some centrist parties
are difficult to categorize (e.g. social conservative, but pro high taxes). It has about 10 parties of meaningful size (3-4 small communist parties).
Traditionally, the parlament has had narrow majority for non-socialist parties though the biggest party has often been social democrats.
Now the biggest party is conservative party (think of GOP country club RINOs, mainly pro gay marriage pro-EU). Social dems are second biggest and True Finns the third. The fourth major party is centrist party.
True Finns is largely working class, social conservative but fiscally somewhat leftist party. Its key asset in the campaign was the leader (widely respected and seen as competent), and being anti-establishment (see anti-Washington) and anti-EU.
The leader of True Finns has a good chance of getting elected as President next year (might took a role similar to Havel in Czech Republic).
The crazy immigration policies of Europe were an attempt by the elitist to break down national pride and allow the European Union to gel. They looked at our Country and then tried to force it too quickly on old Europe.
They allowed tons of Muslims and other nationalities to flood in without a smooth assimilation (if that is ever possible with barbaric Muslims who think that their religion and government is one and that human rights are nothing).
Sadly, we too have our own assimilation problems going on with the insane leftist immigration and lack of border security policies.
“there are fears”
Ooooh, fears! oh my, the people are revolting!
why not ‘hopes’ and ‘excitement’?
NYT liberal elites are seconding the fears of the Euro-elites who are shocked when the people actually go thumbs down on their bad governance. They really disdain democracy when the people make the ‘wrong’ decisions.
Yes, people buying burglar alarms and watch dogs to protect their homes is a worrisome trend for burglars.
Because they are protecting the bankers which own them.
The “right” in Europe is quite different from the right here in America. Since their countries all were once monarchies (and many still are, like the UK, constitutional monarchies) there is a distinct authoritarian-bent of the Euro right...as a Bill of Rights is not “conservative” in those countries. They are a bit like the mirror image of the namby pamby PC Left, so long in charge there—people react against it, and, it isn’t pretty.
US Conservatives should be very careful about allying with European right-wing parties—as while they may well be the only ones with the guts to speak up about the (very obvious) immigration demographic deluge, and the real danger of Islam....they also have a nasty history of being as dictatorial and more, as their leftist adversaries.
Finland is especially relevant too—in that they opposed Stalin in the 30s (and actually beat his military, a couple times...amazingly), but in doing so, allied themselves with the Nazis...then after the war they made nice with the Soviets (understandable, given their geography) but always seem to be caught between worlds.
Finnish rifles though, still, are some of the best in the world...
“Right” in Euro circles oftentimes means authoritarian and fascist, which is the stereotype leftists apply to the American right.
The American right represents individual and economic freedom with a strong moral component and is also pro-military.
With the Euro right, authoritarian fascists are pro-military. What little advocacy there is for moral governance and being pro-family tends to be left-center, Christian Democrats or such.
Their liberals come closest to the American right, but not that close. There is really no apples-to-apples comparison.
When things go south in Europe—they head towards the right—expect to see a rise in fascism and new leaders. The New Europe will be less wimpy, more iron. It will be a Europe unfriendly to Islamic Radicals. Remember they do not have our traditions or Constitution to guide them. It will be more like the 1930s. I fear Germany the most-—Not the present “Forth Reich” they have now (its a bit like Wiemar Republic)of a united and prosperous Germany. I fear what will replace it if things go south and the EU bankrupts the Fatherland. No—I fear what will replace it—a Fifth Reich—that will dominate Europe and impose a “New Order”. I fear a whole lot of folks are going to die. What are the signs to watch out for:
1. Anti-Muslim laws go into effect—with deportations.
2. The launching of a German aircraft carrier.
3. A Nuclear Weapons program in Germany.
4. New treaties with Russia.
5. Germany Launching rockets into space.
6. Expanding borders of Germany by treaty.
7. Launching a whole new fleet of U-boats.
Lets hope i am wrong.
I've done graduate work in Germany for 3 summers, and have several German friends both here in the states and in Europe.
While all the Germans I know are all nice people, uniformly, my experience has been they are about the most committed pacifists around...very anti-war, and anti-military. Every German I talked to while I studied there too was the same way.
I don't see ANY risk at all in the foreseeable future of a 4th (or 5th) reich rising, as too many know the terrible suffering WW's I and II caused, and being anti-military now is just engrained into their hearts. German Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y at least--will not become neo-fascists....
This is hardly a short-lived Weimar Republic phase either--as the Bundesrepublik has been well established (and arguably, with a multi-party system, more truly representative than government in the USA) for over 60 years now--they really are freedom loving (small 'd') democrats now (if in their own, European, busy-body, nanny-state way), and, the Germans are MUCH more conservative fiscally than we in the USA. They will surely cut loose from the EU before it sinks them....and they are smart enough to know their prosperity, peace, and power have come from hard work, innovation, and thrift--not military conquest.
I'd see more likelihood of very violent right-led spasms in France, Spain and Italy....than in Germany.
I would be more concerned about Russia's neo-fascism (which is very real) except for the fact of their incredible demographic (population) decline....which also makes me not fear them much at all, even though they are back to their old dictatorial tyrannical ways.
The people starting to take their countries back is the worst nightmare for the NWO internationalists who favor the EU and the UN rather than national sovereignty. The globalists want no borders and unlimited immigration. Europe is being swamped by mohammedans and other third worlders while the US is being flooded by hispanics, and refuse from every other corner of the world.
It’s not to late too turn the tide but it is very late in the game.
Defend the borders, let other countries be liable for their own profligate spending, and kick out the invaders!
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