European Crisis Fertile Ground for Nationalist Parties.

• Author: Jones, David

EUROPEAN CRISIS FERTILE GROUND FOR NATIONALIST PARTIES

By STRATFOR http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/20111104-european-crisis-fertile-ground-nationalistparties

Reviewed by David Jones

In a recent 1,500 word analysis, the online global intelligence company STRATFOR noted that while experts have assessed the European Union (EU) and European economics and finances to a fare-thee-well, little attention has been paid to underlying factors such as European nationalism.

The article suggests the EU economic and financial crisis is viewed by nationalists as validating their concerns over immigration--particularly Islamic--combined with distaste for specific minorities (Roma) and perceived erosion of national cultural values. There is also increasing nationalist distaste for the EU, which the nationalists believe reduces sovereignty.

Historically, European political hierarchies have been suspicious of nationalist parties and worked to marginalize them (having grim experience with the consequences of unbridled nationalism). They have also erected political barriers, e.g., requirements to win significant percentages of the vote for representation in parliament. The most egregious example is the French National Front, which exceeded 15 percent of the popular vote in 1995 and 2002, but received no parliamentary representation because...