The Scandinavian Right

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

So for the first time since 1924 the Social Democratic Party will not be Denmark's largest: it looks likely that a new centre-right coalition will take power on the back of a policy of preventing immigrants from accessing the welfare system for their first seven years in the country, and suggesting a possible ban on family reunification (immigration by marriage) for immigrants from Turkey, Pakistan and Somalia. It will depend on the support of the far-right Danish Peoples' Party (policies include repatriation of all imigrants and privatisation of aid to the developing world) to sustain its parliamentary majority. In the recent Norwegian elections, likewise, the centre-left party lost power and was replaced by a centre-right coalition dependent on the support of the extreme right.

Why has the tradition of liberal social democracy in these countries been interrupted so quickly and violently? Does it suggest - as I have now come to think - that Scandinavians only appeared so universally liberal and tolerant until recently because they hadn't been tested? Now they *are* being tested, a suspicious and quite xenophobic streak is being shown up much as a similar tendency in the British people was exposed by the popularity of the National Front during the 70s: it seems to me that Scandinavian countries are going through the same painful transitional period from monoculture to multiculture as this country was then.

― Robin Carmody, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Anyone remember when half of Ace of Base were outed as ex-Nazis at the height of their "success"?

And I always thought the whole ECM business was a bit questionable (OK they're based in Ludwigsburg but you know what I mean).

Subsidiary thread-mutation: anyone ever been to Ludwigsburg? Does it actually exist?

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Robin, your thesis on Scandinavian liberalism is one I have subscribed to for a very long time. We have a lot of Scandinavians in this college who - on issues of colonialism and race etc have a very holier than though attitude. Nevertheless when confronted with the reality of certain situations their opinions can change quite radically. I have seen the most outrageous xenophobia and Islamophobia from this group when pushed. Let us hope they pass the test too - its not always guarenteed.

― Pete, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The 'Lords of Chaos' bk makes some semi-interesting points abt Scandinavian racism and the possible reasons for it.

― Andrew L, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Certainly seems part of a disturbing trend in smaller, prosperous European countries. Ireland seems to be undergoing some profound culture shock in attracting, rather than producing, immigrants, though without producing a far-right uptil now (unless you think of Sinn Féin as that way inclined).

In Vlanders the odious, neo- fascist, Vlaams Blok now constitute the largest party in Antwerp, and a rising political force in Dutch speaking Belgium in general. A dangerous and capable movement emerging from the Flemish neo-nazis who actally welcomed Hitler's invasion. Having followed this quite closely for the last year or two, in a country where immigration is not a recent phenomenon, what troubles me is the ease in which, by being so outside the political mainstream, they attract protest votes by opportunistic populism against whatever issue is in the news, assylum seekers, the EU, globalisation, Islam, crime etc.

Can't comment on Denmark except to say that the Danes rescue + evacuation of their Jewish population in WW2 remains one of the most glorious chapters in 20th Century European history.

― stevo, Wednesday, 21 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one year passes...

It's been two years wth the Danish right-wing government, and everything's gone Pete Tong:

1) Support for 3rd world countries has been cut drastically
2) Loads of cultural projects and committees have been axed
3) It has become very hard to be an immigrant in this country (latest governmental proposition: If you're an imigrant, you should not be entitled to welfare if you drop out of college!)
4) And unemployment has skyrocketed (but that, of course, has something to do wth the global downset, i guess)
5) The environmental minister is a prick, he thrashes natural havens and lets his friends build large luxury estates there
6) The finance minister is a fraud, he lies and and cheats the state for money
7) The minister of defence has demonstrated his vast incompetence by simply believing that the Danish military in Iraq could get away with killing two local fishermen and calling their friends 'Ali Babas'
8) The prime minister was just about the first to jump aboard Bush's war bandwagon, instead of standing firm wth France and Germany
9) The minister of culture is constantly crying like a baby in the papers, because he feels that the leftists were mean to his kind during the 1970ies
10) None of the other parties in the parliament wants to work wth the government, so they rely on DF, the populist, near-fascist party

... and I could go on. It's a small comfort that the polls show that the next election, in two years, will be very close.

So that's the score, folks.
Let's hope that whoever follows these guys are good at damage control.

― Jay Kid (Jay K), Friday, 31 October 2003 12:20 (twenty-two years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.