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Rise of Populist Parties Pushes Europe to the Right (US Tea Party imitators kiss of death for €?)
SPIEGEL ^ | 04/25/2011 | MANFRED ERTEL, PETER MÜLLER, MATHIEU VON ROHR, MICHAEL SAUGA

Posted on 04/25/2011 10:20:05 PM PDT by presidio9

Timo Soini, 48, is standing in front of "Hesburger," a fast food restaurant in the western part of Helsinki. It is shortly before 10 a.m., and he is waiting patiently for the restaurant to finally open its doors. Soini, the chairman of the right-wing populist Perussuomalaiset, or "True Finns" party, has been giving interviews for almost three hours. There are more than 250 new text messages on his mobile phone. Now he's hungry.

It is the morning after an election that brought what the papers have called a "revolution" to Finland. Almost one in five voters voted for Soini's party on Sunday, April 17, and now it looks like it is about to become part of the new government. A political earthquake is happening in Helsinki, one that could have reverberations throughout Europe.

Until now, the small country in the far northeastern corner of the continent was seen as a model member of the European Union. It was known for its successful export-oriented companies, liberal social policies and the best-performing school students in the Western industrialized world. It is ironic that it is here in Finland -- a part of Europe that always seemed eminently European -- that a movement is now coming to power that inveighs against immigrants and abortions, considers Brussels to be the "heart of darkness" and rejects all financial assistance for what it calls "wasteful countries," like Greece, Ireland and Portugal. "We were too soft on Europe," says Soini, adding that Finland should not be made to "pay for the mistakes of others."

The election result from Europe's far north has alarmed the political establishment in Brussels. If Soini's party becomes part of the new government, there will be more at stake than Helsinki's traditional pro-European stance. The entire program to rescue the euro could be

(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: finland; finns; teaparty; truefinns
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1 posted on 04/25/2011 10:20:08 PM PDT by presidio9
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Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: presidio9

let’s remember, when they say “ far right” populists... it is a distinction made because of their “nationalism” READ: racist tendencies. This has nothing to do with the politics of governing, or LESS government. From the article: “Le Pen wants a strong social welfare state and fewer immigrants from Islamic countries, and she is adamantly against the European Union.”
They just want to keep all the socialist goodies to themselves, but they’re still socialists.


3 posted on 04/25/2011 10:37:15 PM PDT by Katya (Homo Nosce Te Ipsum)
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To: presidio9

Pretty good article, with a blunt warning the looter’s socialism may be on the wane a bit.

By any other name, looks like the Tea Party is going international and making inroads.


4 posted on 04/25/2011 10:37:54 PM PDT by Sea Parrot (Being an autodidact, I happily escaped the bureaucratization of intellect)
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To: presidio9
If it discomfits the smug, self-important grandees of Bruxelles, it's OK by me, but Euro rightists tend not to be the live-and-let-live sorts we associate with conservatism in the United States. There will be surprises and a dark side to this, from our perspective.
5 posted on 04/25/2011 10:38:43 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: presidio9
It sure would be nice if this election were as significant as Der Spiegel makes it out to be. Maybe it is, I admit to not reading the entire article. But 20% of the popular vote in a multi-party system usually amounts to 10-12% of the representatives and a couple of minor cabinet posts.
Still, it's a start.

From the article: If Soini's party becomes part of the new government, there will be more at stake than Helsinki's traditional pro-European stance. The entire program to rescue the euro could be in jeopardy, because it has to be approved unanimously by the entire European Union.

George Soros is saddened.

6 posted on 04/25/2011 10:43:57 PM PDT by ARepublicanForAllReasons (Borders, laws and language are what define us (USA) as a country. Let's guard them well.)
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To: Katya
They just want to keep all the socialist goodies to themselves, but they’re still socialists.

Ja, Nationale Sozialistisch, denke Ich.

7 posted on 04/25/2011 10:51:38 PM PDT by ARepublicanForAllReasons (Borders, laws and language are what define us (USA) as a country. Let's guard them well.)
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To: Katya

Not the best or ideal, but it’s a start.


8 posted on 04/25/2011 10:52:05 PM PDT by wastedyears (It has nothing to do with safety, and everything to do with control.)
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To: presidio9

its only a kiss of death to the euro, if they pull their country out of the euro. If they’re simply against inflation and printing more euro to bail out countries, then the euro will strengthen


9 posted on 04/25/2011 10:55:28 PM PDT by 4rcane
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To: nutmeg

bookmark


10 posted on 04/25/2011 10:56:21 PM PDT by nutmeg
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To: presidio9

The shift to the right is primarily due to immigration and the threat posed to the preservation of their national cultures and traditions.


11 posted on 04/25/2011 11:02:32 PM PDT by kabar
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To: kabar

Bad economy and an uncertain future. Not that islamists waving Al Qaida flags helped but in times of stress people become ‘nationalistic.’

If the EURO and EU goes, we might even see a war, unless US scares them. A lot of loans, property, deposits and business interests will need to be solved and that’s when the army is handy.


12 posted on 04/26/2011 12:19:31 AM PDT by mewykwistmas (“An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought.”)
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To: Katya

“let’s remember, when they say “ far right” populists... it is a distinction made because of their “nationalism” READ: racist tendencies.”

Liberals to US Tea Party: RACISTS!!111

US Tea Party to Euronationalists: RACISTS!1!11!

Hilarious.

And yes, European nationalists have different values than American nationalists, but both groups are united in their opposition to Liberalism. Needless to say, Liberals hate both American and European nationalists.

After all, the ultimate goal of Liberalism is the abolition of all historical nations and peoples. Anyone who stands in their way will be a target, regardless of their stance on taxation*.

*The Euro-right is generally far more anti-tax than the Euroleft.


13 posted on 04/26/2011 12:40:42 AM PDT by globelamp
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To: presidio9

Kiss od death for Euro? It is at a 50-month high vs $


14 posted on 04/26/2011 3:38:53 AM PDT by montag813 (http://www.facebook,com/StandWithArizona)
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To: montag813

Thats just an indication of how further down the pan the dollar is.


15 posted on 04/26/2011 3:52:20 AM PDT by Vanders9
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To: kabar

Finns are probably more into individual rights and gun ownership than any other people in Europe, including the Swiss.

Declaring independence from the EU and the euro is natural for them, IMO.


16 posted on 04/26/2011 4:23:24 AM PDT by elcid1970 (Deport all Muslims. Nuke Mecca. Death to Islam.)
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To: mewykwistmas
I have lived a total of 16 years in Europe in six different countries. And my wife is European. I go back regularly with my last trip just three months ago. The immigration issue is paramount and the reason why many countries are moving to the right.

There is a reason why there are so many countries in Europe that have survived wars and occupation and still retained their identities. The people will fight to retain their culture, history, and heritage even with extra-national organizations like the EU. Unlike the US and the UK, they will go to extreme measures to protect their patrimony. The UK and the US will lose their countries thru the ballot box and adherence to the Rule of Law even if it means committing national suicide thru their immigration policies.

There will be no war between Ruropean countries. There will be domestic, internal strife as the nationalists attempt to preserve their heritage.

17 posted on 04/26/2011 7:12:18 AM PDT by kabar
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To: elcid1970

Agree. I lived two years in Helsinki. The Finns are independent people. However, they are also socialists.


18 posted on 04/26/2011 7:14:33 AM PDT by kabar
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To: kabar

Borders, language, culture.

Who’d a thunk it was an international and universal concern?

Oh the irony.


19 posted on 04/26/2011 8:08:19 AM PDT by WOSG
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To: WOSG

Yep, these socialist liberal utopians believe they can transform human nature and behavior. Reality is a bitch.


20 posted on 04/26/2011 8:25:00 AM PDT by kabar
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