European Voice debate

European Voice is running an on-line debate on the subject of the far right parties, something that seems to excite the europhiliacs to a far greater extent than is warranted by any real threat. However, anyone can register and take part. Here is the link.

For once, I decided to do just that. This was my first contribution: In the first place, we need to define what is "far right". At present there is a tendency for any party that is opposed to political integration in Europe and greater power passing on to the European Commission and European Parliament, neither of which are accountable to the various peoples of Europe, to be labelled as far right and extremist. That is not so, obviously. So, first a definition.

Next we need to know why the "far right" are more of a danger to anyone than the "far left", whose democratic credentials are just as doubtful. This is the old argument about why Nazism should excoriated but Communism accepted. So if we have a problem with the "far right" do we have a problem with the "far left" or is that the "far left" has no popular support.

And thirdly, we do need to ask ourselves why is it that after all these years of European political integration and endless framework directives, directives, regulations against racism and xenophobia there is a growth in the "far right" parties. Could this be a reaction by the people to the situation in which they feel that so many powers have passed from their own more or less accountable politicians and civil servants to the ones in Brussels, who are completely unaccountable?

We can also have a discussion on the blog.