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The pandemic helped Europe's left parties, but will the surge last?

Anti-Covid measures were hailed by the public, and gave centre-left parties a boost
The pandemic helped Europe's left parties, but will the surge last?
The pandemic helped Europe's left parties, but will the surge last?

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ ITDC NEWS Four years ago, this correspondent travelled across Europe for a story about the continent’s gradual, yet visible shift to the right side of the political spectrum. Many Europeans, especially the young and the middle aged, seemed excited to indulge in a new political experiment. In the working-class neighbourhoods of Paris, the support for far-right leader Marine Le Pen was growing; there were throngs of young, enthusiastic workers at her party headquarters in Nanterre, just outside the French capital.

In leafy German suburbs, especially of former East German cities such as Leipzig and Dresden, pro-right demonstrations were regular fixtures, and quite a few people spoke openly about their admiration for the far right Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party. Similar populist sentiments were echoed by several young people in Austria, Hungary and Belgium. Many of them spoke approvingly of then US president Donald Trump. Europe, it appeared, was ready for a populist wave.

Four years later, however, the far right and even the centre right are finding it difficult to adjust to the changing political landscape. Left and centre-left parties have made an impressive return in Germany in the September Bundestag elections after 16 years of conservative-led governments under Chancellor Angela Merkel. The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats are engaged in serious negotiations to form the next government under the SPD’s chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz.

In Norway, the Labour Party finished first in the polls in the general elections held in September. “It’s the ordinary people’s turn now,” was the party’s slogan. Its promise to enhance employment rights and union memberships and to tax unearned wealth earned widespread public support. With Social Democrats in power also in Sweden, Denmark and Finland, the entire Scandinavian region is governed by centre-left parties for the first time in 20 years. Down south, Spain and Portugal have centre-left coalition governments, while in Italy, the centre-left is a key supporter of Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

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