Long Reads: Europe's New Right-Wing Bloc w/ David Broder

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Jacobin

News, Politics, History

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🗓️ 21 June 2024

⏱️ 57 minutes

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Summary

Elections for the European Union happened two weeks ago. Although turnout was just over 50 percent, the elections have already resulted in some dramatic consequences for European politics. The largest single group in the new parliament will be the European People’s Party, the main bloc of the center right. Ursula von der Leyen, the German president of the European Commission, is a prominent figure in the EPP. She and the EPP leader Manfred Weber have both indicated that they would be open to forming an alliance with sections of the far right.

In France and Italy, far-right parties have already supplanted the traditional conservatives as the dominant right-wing force. The French party of Marine Le Pen came first in the election, prompting Emmanuel Macron to call a snap election for early next month.

Jacobin’s European editor David Broder joins Long Reads for a conversation about European politics after the election. David has written two books about the rise of right-wing nationalism in Italy, First They Took Rome and Mussolini’s Grandchildren. He’s also written many articles about European politics for publications like the New Statesman and the New York Times, as well as Jacobin, of course.

Find David's coverage on the Jacobin site, including his latest, "Europe’s Center Is Holding — by Integrating the Far Right": https://jacobin.com/2024/06/eu-parliament-elections-far-right-center

Also see the William Bouchardon article mentioned by David, "Marine Le Pen Is Seducing France’s Business Elite": https://jacobin.com/2024/06/marine-le-pen-france-business-elite

Long Reads is a Jacobin podcast looking in-depth at political topics and thinkers, both contemporary and historical, with the magazine’s longform writers. Hosted by features editor Daniel Finn. Produced by Conor Gillies, music by Knxwledge.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, you're very welcome to Long Reed's, a Jacobin podcast where we look in depth of political topics and thinkers.
0:08.0	My name is Daniel Finn.
0:10.0	On the features editor, here at Jacobin, and I'll be presenting the show.
0:14.7	Elections for the European Parliament happened two weeks ago. Although turnout
0:19.3	was just over 50%, the elections have already resulted in some dramatic consequences for European politics.
0:26.5	The largest single group in the new parliament, with 21% of the vote, will be the European People's Party, the main block of the centre right.
0:35.8	Ursula von der Leyen, the German president of the European Commission, is a leading figure in the EPP.
0:47.0	The von der Leyion celebrated the outcome as she prepared to seek a second term. This is outstanding.
0:48.0	We had a fantastic campaign.
0:51.0	We were determined, we were united, we made it, and now we won the European elections.
0:56.6	We were convincing and all this paid off...
1:00.0	Wander Lyon and the EPP leader Manfred Weber have both indicated that they would be
1:05.2	open to forming an alliance with sections of the far right. In France and Italy,
1:10.5	far right parties have already supplanted the traditional conservatives as the dominant right-wing force.
1:16.0	The French Party of Marine Le Penh came first in the election, prompting Emmanuel Macron to call a snap election for early next month.
1:25.0	Channel 4 news had this report on the ensuing chaos.
1:29.0	Even for a man with a panchion for the theatrical, he married his drama teacher member, Mac Grant
1:34.9	stole the political limelight this week.
1:37.5	Dissolved parliament, snap elections.
1:41.1	I said so that's on the assembly national.
1:44.0	But will his performance set the stage a light
1:48.0	or just burn the theatre down?
	...

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