March 05, 2018

Another setback for Europe, another megaphone for populism

located:	Italy
editor:	Gurmeet Singh

It seems like the democratic world in its entirety is currently going through convulsions of populism, with every new country saying 'Me Too'. In Italy's national election yesterday, March 4th, preliminary results show massive support for the populist parties, with the Northern League and the Five Star Movement taking the lead. Experts are divided as to how this will translate into concrete parliamentary and governing plans, but the likely outcome is that a right-wing coalition will lead the new Italian government.

The centre-left parties also did badly, with the governing PD party dumped out of government unceremoniously. It's surprising however, as the PD oversaw a period of growth and prosperity in the country. They were also fairly stable, and suffered from very few confrontations with the EU, and also had very few political scandals.

They also oversaw a reduction in the number of migrants taken into the country – a factor that should have, in theory, pleased the populists.

However, the air of populism is heady and comprised of various and complex currents. The Northern League capitalise on a far-right tendency, drawing on fascist ideas and history, while embodying extremely hostile political views towards immigrants. The Five Star Movement equally draw on Italian identity and history, but temper their politics short of far-right ideas. Indeed, both parties are anti-EU, anti-Euro, pro-Kremlin and anti-mass-migration; although the Northern League is racist outright, and the Five Star Movement is largely motivated by leftist ideas.

Nevertheless, two conclusions can be clearly drawn from the outcome of the election: firstly, the precarious situation of immigrants and people of colour in Italy has become even more dangerous, and secondly, Italy is set to cause further complications for the flagging European project.

What is the issue, if this is what people want? Indeed. The EU can be a highly undemocratic project that needs to be continuously challenged – hence its attack from multiple kinds of politics. However, when popular currents and feelings override the stability of nation states in a globalised system, the people at the bottom are guaranteed to suffer. You only need to look to Brexit and Trump to see the results of populist votes – in a flurry of hate no progressive politics is birthed; inside the cloud of anti-humanistic ideals only chaos is yielded.

Arrivederci Italy, your participation in a forward-thinking global politics was fun, while it lasted.

IMAGE: Matteo Salvani, leader of the Northern League