April 25, 2016

Divisions the same, but there is hope

editor:	Gurmeet Singh

As the results from the initial round of Austria's presidential election rolled in yesterday, it became clear that the familiar story in the OECD world really is becoming a trend: The far-right is on the rise, and their main challengers are independent politicians.

Despite the Austrian presidency being a purely ceremonial role, like all elected ceremonial positions, it is reflective of wider social trends, and bolsters the party/ person elected. A resurgence in Austrian right-wing extremism is frankly, undignified. Austria hasn't undergone the same level soul-searching and reflection, the same administrative and cultural overhaul that the German state did - and far-right extremism has always simmered under the surface of a polite society which has never truly acknowledged it.

Maybe they'll have time to do that now.

Norbert Hofer of the Freedom Party (freedom from what, exactly?) received more than a third of votes, while independent Alexander Van der Bellen received roughly 20% of the vote. Van der Bellen, who enjoys the support of the Greens, is representative of another trend in OECD politics - the charismatic outsider willing to take on the establishment.

This battle of independents vs. the far-right is playing out all across the OECD world, a world caught up in its conflicts with economic uncertainty, its fear of Islamist terrorism, its fears of migration, its fears of the refugee crisis - no one seems to trust the established powers to do anything (and would you, given the scale of the Panama revelations?)

Distrust in mainstream party politics is rife, for whatever reason, and its causing major political changes across the world. It's worrying to think that soon, the far-right may have legitimate platforms to make real their manifestos. It's slightly less worrying, but worrying nevertheless, to see that the only real resistance being put up to this rise of hatred is through courageous, but no doubt resource-light independent politicians.

Against the rise of far-right extremes, in OECD democracies, the status-quo of accountable (if cushy) mainstream political parties still does seem like the best cure. At least in lieu of a more robust left-wing resistance which is organised, grass-roots and effective. I can dream, can't I?

But there is some hope. Believe it or not, it comes to us this week in the shape of English football. Yesterday, at the PFA Player of the Year Awards, a French-Algerian Muslim, Riyadh Mahrez (playing for Leicester City), was voted by his peers, to be the best footballer playing in England.

Imagine the cultural capital that can be made from that - against the noise of hatred, violence and ignorance. The years of Islamophobia which has become so normalised in our cultures, that it's sometimes hard not to hear the word 'terrorism' as a by-word for an entire religion. No, Riyadh Mahrez was voted, by his peers, to be the most accomplished sportsman this year - and that's the kind of story we should be celebrating, when our neighbours thrill to the 36% won by Norbert Hofer in the first-round Austrian presidential elections.

Image: Riyadh Mahrez with his Player of the Year Award.