Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomes the Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Costa, to Berlin, 2016. Bernd von Jutrczenka/Press Association. All rights reserved.We take a look here at the manifest failings of social democracy over recent decades, failings, that is, until the emergence of a political alternative convening different forces around a progressive agenda, as embodied by the configuration of the current Portuguese government.
Let us begin by considering the results of the latest legislative elections in the Netherlands. While the defeat of the far right may have ultimately allowed for some general relief, concerns over the long run continue to rise across the political spectrum.
For one, it appears that the non-victory of Geert Wilders can be attributed to the radicalisation of the nationalistic, anti-immigration rightwing party, led by the current prime minister. This means that part of the extremist agenda is beginning to permeate the traditional parties and to be normalised in political discourse and action. While such a strategy may momentarily stall the rise of the far right, it will eventually institutionalise and legitimise the latter’s agenda.
