The rise of far-right in Europe and women's rights - March 2020 - Departament de la ...

The rise of far-right
          in Europe
and women’s rights

       March 2020

1

INDEX

                                             The rise of far-right in Europe
                                                       and women’s rights

                                                                 March 2020

 1. Introductión

 2. Far-right in Europe and women’s rights
   2.1 Germnay
   2.2 Italy
   2.3 France
   2.4 Greece
   2.5 Poland
   2.6 Hungary
   2.7 Spain
   2.8 Austria
   2.9 Belgium
   2.10 Netherlands
   2.11 Finland
   2.12 Bulgaria
   2.13 Denmark
   2.14 Slovakia
   2.15 Sweden
   2.16 Cyprus
   2.17 Latvia
   2.18 Lithuanian
   2.19 Slovenia
   2.20 Estonian
   2.21 Czech republic

 3. How to deal with far-right?

 4. Recommendations

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1. Introduction

The 28/2018 Decree, June 7, restructuring the Department of the Vice-
Presidency and Economy and Finance created the Civil and Political Rights
Office. October 1 of 2018 Government appointed director of the Civil and Political
Rights Office to Adam Majó Garriga.

Article 104, section g). 43/2019 Decree, February 25, establishes that the Office
must ensure compliance and drive the measures adopted in the Resolution of the
European Parliament 2018/2869 (RSP), October 25, on the rise of neo-fascist
violence in Europe, reason why it becomes necessary inform on the actual
situation, x-ray under the name The rise of far-right in Europe and
women’s rights. March 2020.

The Parliament of Catalonia has urged to the Government that Civil and Political
Rights Office make a report on the rise of far-right in Europe and how
this affect to women’s rights.

Sources for X-ray Reality have taken into account that there is never a single way
to tell the facts, but the facts are as they are. We wanted to be careful with the
words that collect them, and with the objectivity needed to understand the
severity and significance of analyzed phenomenon of rising and its consequences.

Far-right in Europe is a complex phenomenon that encompasses a broad
spectrum of parties located to the right of classic conservative parties, with a
common concern for identity that is expressed in terms of essential, closed
culture. This Report analyzes those who are parliamentarians and have
significant institutional presence in their respective countries. Given the vertigo
of social changes, and the uncertainty with which societies face the future, these
political forces propose an impossible return to a supposedly happy past. Offering
security and protection to a part of the citizenry, rejecting immigration, and
speaking of a welfare state only for the considered nationals (originating from the
same supposed traditions, cultural traits and values) opposing them to
cosmopolitanism and multiculturalism. In all of them, we can see common
factors such as xenophobia and Islamophobia, as well as attitudes contrary to
women's rights.

CASTELLÀ1 indicates that: “nativism and ethnopluralism are two of the main
features of far-right that explain their rise, more focused on culturalist rather
than economic explanations”.

Com assenyala CHRISTOU2, of the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right
(CARR), a benign and descriptive term, “family” has become the first frontier of

1   See L’extrema dreta, un fenomen europeu; Castellà, Helena; Fundació Josep Irla; 2016. Report
2
    See Turning family into a political weapon; Christou, Miranda; CARR; January 13, 2020.

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far-right social wars. In the European Union, the integration of the "natural
family" conflicts with the policies of mainstreaming the gender perspective that
Member States have been implementing for the last 25 years.

As STERKENBURG points up, from RAN CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE3, over the
last 3 decades far-right has undergone a lot of changes: it has moved from offline
activism to online activism, embraced the culture of gaming and social media,
and has increased in activities cross-border and the transnational networks.
Islam has become the main new enemy. The problem is that with this "scapegoat"
there is a call for severe restrictions on civil and political rights, on the freedoms
of specific ethnic and / or religious groups.

As WEISSKIRCHER4 indicates, some possible causes of the rise of far-right in
Europe are “multiple”, mentioning in any case “the rejection of immigration -
particularly the Muslim one -, the economic insecurity and the distrust of the
political elites, both nationally and at EU level”. WODAK, researcher of the
Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right (CARR), adds “the immense insecurity
caused by one fierce globalization”, as well as other causes of long duration,
such as the fact that “old xenophobic, racist and anti-Semitic feelings
now they have fired again”.

For ALONSO MÉNDEZ5, the 2 characteristic factors of European far-right are: 1)
opposition to immigration as the central axis of the rest; and 2) an appeal
for the protection of national culture and identity that is threatened by an
alleged external enemy, immigration.

This Report seeks to analyze the current dynamics to grasp the consequences of
the rise of far-right, in Europe, and how this rise, its discourses and its policies
affect women's rights.

3
  See Far-right extremism. A practical introduction; Sterkenburg, Nikki; Ran Centre of Excellence.
4
  See Far-right that we’ll suffer
5
  See L’auge de l’extrema dreta a la Unió Europea: la immigració en el punt de mira; Alonso Méndez, Carla; UAB;
TFG; May, 2019

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2. Far-right in Europe and women’s rights

At its 2020 World Report, at chapter dedicated to European Union, Human
Rights Watch6 points out that “Racist intolerance, xenophobic, Islamophobic,
and anti-Semitic sentiment and violence were still prevalent across the EU.
Muslims, including women who wear the veil, continue to experience
widespread hostility and intolerance in EU countries”.

ECO7, at the conference Il fascismo eterno, on April 25, 1995, pointed up that:
“Italian fascism was the first to create a military liturgy, a folklore and even a
way of dressing, which was most successful abroad than Armani, Benetton or
Versace. Only in the 1930's fascist movements appeared in England, with
Mosley, and in Latvia, Estonian, Lithuanian, Poland, Hungary, Romania,
Bulgaria, Greece, Yugoslavia, Spain, Portugal, Norwegian and even in South
America, not to mention Germany”.

ECO alerted that eternal fascism “may return even with the most innocent
appearances. It is our duty to unmask it and point the index at each of its new
ways, every day, in every corner of the world”, because “freedom and liberation
are a task that never ends, and our motto should be: Let's not forget”.

URBAN8 considers that “We can say that the classical category of fascism does
not serve to define the authoritarian outbreaks we are currently experiencing,
but we understand that we must start from the analysis of fascist experiences to
understand in part the new phenomenon of radical right”.

MARTÍ i TUBAU9 points up that: “far-right parties have become stronger in
most countries of Europe and far from being a sporadic coincidence over time
it is a trend that has not stopped growing in general over the last decade”.

The rise of far-right at the European Union coincides with times of crisis and
rejection of immigration, which results in a continuous loss of rights, either by
eliminating them with their direct action from some governments, or by
influencing the political agenda of the traditional parties.

PALOP10 indicates that: “far-right exploits the fear of the stranger, to the
different, exalting the natives' primacy over foreign invasion, and presents itself
as the only political option that upholds the interests of the national citizens: és
el vota francès del FN/AN; o els austríacs primer del FPÖ”. So, far-right offer
“the symbolic element that brings it all together: the hope of stability and

6 See World report 2020
7 See Against el fascismo; Eco, Umberto; Barcelona. Lumen. 2018
8 See La emergencia de Vox; Urbán, Miguel; Sylone with viento sur Publishers; Barcelona; 2019, pag. 23.
9 See L’extrema dreta a la Unió Europea: tendències electorals comparades; Martí i Tubadu, Daniel;
10 See Revolución feminista y políticas de lo común frente a la extrema derecha; María Eugenia R. Palop; Icaria;

February 2019; pages 22-23

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security provided by the nation, the state, the tradition or the reaffirmation of a
culture of its own”.

PALOP indicates also that: “primacy national not only applies to labour and
economics, but also expands on cultural ground by defending a community of
language, culture and tradition, always leaving the racial element implicit. If
these extremes right are both racist and xenophobic, and anti-fascist and sexist,
then it is precisely because they attack everything that supposedly divides the
unity of a mythical us national”.

MAYER11 explains that: “for about 20 years the populist right radical has been
experiencing an unprecedented electoral boom, with a xenophobic, authoritarian
and Eurosceptic orientation. In the 2014 European Parliament elections, three of
these movements were at the forefront in their respective countries, United
Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), Danish People's Party (DF) and then
french National Front (FN, now RN). In 2016, Freedom Party of Austria was on
the verge of winning the last presidential election, and after the 2017 legislative
elections, a governing agreement was reached with the Conservatives. In
September of that same year, 92 deputies of Alternative for Germany (AfD)
entered to the Bundestag. In France, Marine Le Pen went to the second round of
the presidential election, where he won more than a third of the votes, which was
almost eleven million votes”.

CLIMENT and MONTANER12 considers that populist far-right “are political
parties which are characterized by exploiting without difficulty the speech of
immigration, racism or social indignation to increase their electoral profile”.
These right-wing populist parties are characterized by authoritarianism,
populism, and xenophobic nativism (the Nation-State by the nationals).

The United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) strengthened
Euroscepticism to validate Brexit 2016, which had not been effective until
January 31, 2020. That is why in this Report we will leave out the United
Kingdom, which after Brexit is no longer part of the European Union, although
also the rise of the right-wing populist parties became apparent when the Brexit
party anti-European Nigel Farage won first place with almost 33% of votes in the
2019 European elections.

Article 1. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women New York (CEDAW), 1979. Is considered discrimination any distinction,
exclusion or restriction. Made on the basis, of sex, which has the effect or purpose
of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women,
irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of

11   See Yearbook CIDOB
12   See Deposit UB

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human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social,
cultural, civil or any other field.

This report aims x-ray how the rise of far-right, in Europe, affect to women’s
rights. That is why we have to state that we understand as women’s rights,
resumed at least in the following:

   -   Right to no discrimination
   -   Right to freedom and to personal security (sexual and reproductive
       independence )
   -   Right to life (eradicate violence, free planning of sexual and reproductive
       health, free choice of contraceptive methods)
   -   Prohibition of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (gender
       violence, rapes)
   -   Prohibition of slavery and forced labor (eradicate trafficking in women
       and girls, or forced prostitution)
   -   Right to satisfactory and equitable working conditions (choose profession,
       vocational training, equal pay, family conciliation, protection against
       pregnancy)
   -   Right of equality in front of law and in civil matters (same legal capacity,
       same treatment as men; circular delivery, live wherever you want)
   -   Right to free choice of marriage and equal rights in front of family
   -   Right to vote in equality of conditions
   -   Right to political and public life (be elected to public office in equality of
       conditions, and right to occupy them).
   -   Right to an education in equality of conditions between women and men

The field of analysis is confined to the 21 states of the European Union where far-
right ascends, and which are described in detail in the following subsections.

According to the report of Corporate Europe Observatory, Europe’s two-faced
authoritarian right: ‘anti-elite’ parties serving big business
interests, parties of far-right in Europe are not a homogeneous group, but,
among other things, against women’s rights, they strive insofar as they do not
advance the rights to wages or to reduce inequalities at work.

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2.1 Germany

Alternative for Germany (AfD) was created in 2013, and its leader is Jörg
Meuthen. At the national elections of 2017, as third force, obtained 91 seats of
709, with 12.6% of the votes.

At European elections of 2014 obtained 7 seats of 96, with 7.10% of the votes. At
2019 elections, obtained 11 seats with 11% of the votes13. It’s part of the ID group
(Identity and Democracy).

AfD entered in September 2017 at Bundestag by first time. Let them prepare for
everything that awaits them, threatened its leader, Alexander Gauland, after
obtaining 13.5% of the votes.

AfD was born in 2013 in the wake of the euro crisis, to which he reacted with
Europhobic positions. In 2015, it gained momentum with the refugee crisis and
its xenophobic positions. With a populist right ideology, they focuse on Angela
Merkel's discourses on Islam, refugees and open border politics.

                   Protest of far-right at Chemnitz, East of Germany// Unregulated immigration is ruining
                  September 7 2018 (AP Photo / Jens Meyer)14 // future of our children (Alice Weidel, AfD)

AfD has won an average of 25% of votes in the last three regional elections in the
east of the country15. As TERÉS points up, “In the East, football clubs and youth
associations are common options for building bonds, but many of these entities
have a Neo-Nazi or ultra-right character. The GDR did not make a
historical memorial work on Nazism, which was actually done in the RFA, so
in the east of the country certain racist attitudes were normalized.

13
   See 2019 elections result
14 See original article of Far-right in Germany
15 See German far-right

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According to the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, hatred for immigration it is
52% in the former GDR, compared to 44% in the rest of Germany. The GDR was
socially more homogeneous, which explains a greater fear of what is different”.

HOLESCH considers16 that AfD "is the product of two phenomena: the energetic
debate over German national identity and the anti-Euro movement due to
the eurozone crisis and the possible Greek rescue”.

HOLESCH underscores the importance of social media in the rise of the AfD,
considering that “an important key to the success of AfD has been the use of new
technologies, such as social media. The AfD acted in this field as a modern
political actor, often in contrast to the "old parties", especially the CDU / CSU
and the SPD, who relied on more classic methods of broadcasting. Due to
Internet visibility, AfD was able to reach people who were generally unfamiliar
with far-right positions”.

STANLEY17 indicates that: “fascism's opposition to gender studies in particular
stems from his patriarchal ideology. For nationalists, the struggle for
women's emancipation and feminism in general were a key enemy, and they
saw in feminism a Jewish conspiracy to end the fertility of Aryan women”. The
Nazi attitude toward feminist movements sums it up Charu GUPTA remembering
that they denounced pacifism, democracy and materialism because “they
encouraged contraception and abortion, and thus reducing the birth rate, the
emancipation of women was threatening the very existence of the German
people”.

The AFD rallies evoke the terminology of Nazism. Alexander Gauland, one of its
two leaders, said in 2017 that the Immigration Minister, born in Hamburg but of
Turkish descent, had to be "eliminated". The AfD defends the traditional family,
and is not particularly active against LGBT and women's rights. Paradoxically,
the rise of the AfD has occurred in the east, where there are almost no foreigners,
because it is easy to blame foreigners for inequalities, fears, and heads. Turkish
due to its low responsiveness, and less recognition of rights.

Katharina Schulze, leader of the Greens in Bavaria, was subjected to abuse and
social media attacks. The AfD's Facebook page posted a disproportionate amount
of comments about Schulze, mentioning her almost 10 times more than other
German figures or parties, and referring to her as “threatened by white men”
who should be grateful for allowing “young people like her get everything they
want”. Many of the comments in these posts are sexually explicit, and a few
indicate that the authors wish they were raped. An attempt is thus made to attack,
abuse and humiliate political women, thereby threatening the right to political

16   See Irla
17   See How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them; Stanley, Jason; Blackie Books; Barcelona; 2018. Page 47.

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and public life (to be elected to public offices in equality of conditions, and the
right to occupy them).

The AfD's 2017 election program stated that "the reduction in our ancestral
population must be combated with a national population policy," and was
committed to banning abortion in order to promote birth and ensure that it
continuity of the German people. This speech threatens the right to freedom and
personal security and the right to women's lives (sexual and reproductive
independence; eradicating violence; free planning of sexual and reproductive
health; free choice of contraceptive methods).

                 “One thing is for sure - borders are not” “The poor pig who will be slaughtered for the euro”
                                                             AfD Propaganda for the 2019 European Elections

In Germany18, AfD is vetoed as a governing partner. The Grand Coalition draws a
cordon sanitaire so as not to "normalize" the Afd. The Secretary-General of the
CDU has said “For people like Höcke, Gauland, Urban or Jongen (AfD leaders)
it can only be German who is ethnically German. The AFD speaks of the
homogeneity of the people. That's how they started in 1933. For all Democrats
and Democrats, the dignity of human beings is inviolable. Whoever questions
this principle stands against our federal Constitution”. This healthcare cord was
broken in Thuringia on February 5, 2020 with the AfD-backed Thomas
Kemmerich (CDU) election, but Merkel forced to step back.

AfD retrieve the term “Volkisch”, a concept that refers to the German family and
people, and was established in the late nineteenth century by the ultra-
conservative populists and adapted during the Nazi period. They bet on a model
that puts women in the background with respect to man, prohibits
abortion and encourages birth policies that guarantee "the survival
of German people”.

18   See German Right

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2.2 Italy

Lega (LN) was created in 1991, and its leader is Matteo Salvini. At the elections
of 2018, as a second force, obtained 123 seats of 630. Forma part of the
Government.

At the European elections of 2014 obtained 5 seats of 73. In 2019 the League of
the ministry of the Interior, Matteo Salvini obtained at European elections 34%
of the votes (28 MEPs). It is part of the ID group (Identity and Democracy).
Salvini is known for holding xenophobic promises and blocking the arrival of
immigrants at the ports of Italy.

On January 21, 2020, On Tuesday, Salvini phoned the doorman at the home of a
Tunisian citizen, in Bologna, in the Pilastro district, to ask if he was a drug
dealer19. He said him: “I have been told that you sell some of the drug that is
distributed in the neighborhood”.

On January 26, 2020, the populist right of Matteo Salvini, the League20, lost the
elections at north, in Emilia Romagna, with an electoral turnout of 67.1%. The
rise of this populist right led to a reaction in against in late 2019, the sardine
movement, which protested against Salvini's racist speech, against
discrimination, exclusion and fascism, and fills the squares of Italy, crowded with
people like sardines, who symbolize far-right cohesion and reject any political
signal or symbol in protests. The sardines sing Bella ciao21 all over Italy. Naples,
Modena, Bologna, Genoa, Verona hear the song of Italian resistance against the
fascism of Benito Mussolini and the Nazi troops during World War II.

GENTILE22 believes that the term "fascism" has been trivialized, and that no
current populism that invokes the principle of popular sovereignty can be fascist.
However, MURGIA23, author of How to Be a Fascist, believes that there are 3 key
elements that make us think of a broth of political and moral cultivation similar
to that which gave rise to the fascist historical period. “First, the relationship
Salvini and his loudspeakers maintain with dissent: whoever expresses the
opposite opinion is attacked on social media, and an avalanche of threats and
insults; if you express your opinion against him, you become his adversary.

19 See El país
20 See Ultra right elections
21 See Sardines movement
22 See Quién es fascista; Gentile, Emilio; Alianza Editorial; Madrid; 2019
23 See El país

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Second, discuss the other powers of the state: Salvini refuses to be tried, and
says that judges are politicized. Third, the state sexism. Salvini wants to
recuperate social models already surpassed: God, mother country and family.
He attacks publicly to the women, and against them he unleashes the strongest
violence”.

                     Santiago Abascal (Vox) amb la líder de Germans d’Italy, Giorgia Meloni

Brothers of Italy (FdI) was created in 2012, and its leader is Giorgia Meloni.
At the elections of 2018, as a cinquena force, obtained 32 seats of 630.

At the european elections of 2014 obtained 2 seats of 73. In 2019, 5 seats with a
6.44% of the votes. It’s part of the ECR (European Conservatives and
Reformists).

Anna COCCHI, president of the National Association Nf Partisans of Italy
(ANPI), alert24 that: “danger is not Salvini, who has no political project, it’s
Giorgia Meloni (leader of the far-right party, Brothers of Italy and partner of
the coalition with Salvini) que sí té a clear programme of far-right”. Meloni
defend the motto “God, motherland and family”.

Giorgia Meloni has defended a naval blockade and that boats with which
immigrants are trying to reach Europe should sink, and gay couples should not
be able to marry, that abortion should be banned, and to say NOT to gender
ideology.

Although referring to the defense of the Christian tradition, it does not seem to
observe the Christian commandments “So, love immigrants, because you too
were immigrants in the land of Egypt” (Dt 1o, 19).

On January 13, 2020, from Roma, Alba SIDERA25 reported that there is one anti-
LGTBI crusade in Italy, where ultra catholic lobbyists support to the League and
they get erase protection measures to homosexual collective,
remembering that Italy has not state law against discrimination by sexual
orientation.

24   See Italy Elections
25
     See Anti LGTBI Crusade

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2.3 France

                                                      S. Abascal (Vox) with Marine Le Pen
                                                                        (Perpignan, 2017)

National Rally (RN) was created under the name of National Front in 1972,
and its leader is Marine Le Pen. At the national elections of 2017, as a novena
force, obtained 6 seats of 577, with a 13.2% of the votes.

At the European elections of 2014 obtained 24 seats of 74, and in 2019 22 seats
of 74 with a 23.34% of the votes. It’s part of the ID group (Identity and
Democracy).

In 2019 Marine Le Pen, leader of National Rally prevailed at the European
elections in France with 24.8% of the votes.

In 2002 when Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of National Front, arrived to the second
round of the presidential elections the cordon sanitaire was invoked, and the rest
of the parties, including the Socialists of the defeated Prime Minister Lionel
Jospin, called for a mass vote for the center-right candidate, Jacques Chirac.

In 2015, the documentary The Army of Marine Le Pen (Ravis par Marine Le Pen)
of Frédéric Biamonti discover the keys of success of the French National Front,
exploring the structure of regional parties and its rapid rise.

On March 13, 2017, TOMÀS26 was pointing: “the far-right electorate goes far
beyond the nostalgic ones of French Algeria and the Vichy regime. Only by
penetrating the layer of the popular classes can one explain their success. These
voters see globalization and immigration as an economic, political and cultural
threat”.

TOMÀS collects the opinion of the sociologist Nonna Mayer, researcher of
SciencesPo and far-right specialist, who indicates two constants of the frontist
electorate. The first has to do with the level of studies. The data say that the
lower the level of education, the more likely you are to vote for the National
Front. Among young people without a baccalaureate, Marine Le Pen achieved
45% of the votes in 2012. The other feature is the genre: it is usually a male vote.

26
     See Votar front nacional

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In Europe, as well as in France, women have always been more reluctant to vote
for these parties, due to their violent, extremist and often sexist image.

In Rise of far-right in Europe: case of National Front in France, MAYER consider
a number of factors in the rise of French far-right, such as the economic and
cultural globalization, which accelerates from the 1990's, and from which
European integration becomes a symbol. The crisis of representative
democracy. The economic recession that caused increasing unemployment
and inequalities, and widened the gap between rulers and governed. As well as
the strategy of conquering power not demonizing the FN, diversifying the
electorate and capitalizing on the unprecedented weakness of its
opponents.

Marine Le Pen lost parliamentary immunity by comparing Muslims' use of public
prayer spaces (banned by France's secularism) with France's occupation by Nazi
Germans. Le Pen in 2014 asserted that he would repeal the law of gay marriage.
She said “I believe that marriage is reserved for a woman and a man, which has
preserved the balance of our civilization”. Le Pen continues to maintain the
"national priority", which aims to favor the French over foreigners in the
distribution of work, housing and social services. Le Pen says she fears the
migratory crisis will signal the beginning of women's rights, and she leverages to
present Islam as a threat to Western values and women's rights and LGBTI
people. Therefore, it uses feminism to point to Muslim sexism while at the same
time masking RN xenophobia. Le Pen attacks wild capitalism, ultraliberal
Europe, the ravages of globalization, and the Yankee economic empire. She says
that there is no point in limiting access to abortion in France. He says he wants
to defend French women, but "RN" voted against bills such as professional
equality, and in RN his niece, Marion Maréchal Le Pen, opposes gay marriage and
abortion, with the air cleared of traditionalism, based on the rejection of all non-
reproductive sexuality, and the restoration of the woman in her vocation, and in
her mother’s role.

Recall that in France the law of February 15, 1942 stipulated that help a woman
to abort is a crime against the State and race and that, example given, Marie-
Louise Giraud was slaughtered July 30, 1943 to help women abort.

Rémy-Leleu27, Osez Le Féminisme’s spokeswoman consider that: “the difference
between before and now lies exclusively in the discourse, not in the policies it
pursues or promotes. This is a cosmetic change: “RN” will never be a party
defender of women’s rights or from the LGBT community because it is a
xenophobic, homophobic and reactionary formation”.

27
     See Marie Le Pen Feminists

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2.4 Greece

Golden Dawn (XA) Χρυσή Αυγή was created in 1985, and its leader is
Nikolaos Michaloliakos. At the elections of 2015, as fourth force, obtained 16 seats
of 300 with 7% of votes.

XA is openly neo-Nazi. It was at the height of the European elections in 2014,
where it won with 9.4% of the vote, but a series of scandals brought almost the
entire dome to prison. In the European elections of 2014, it won 3 seats of 21,
which in 2019 were reduced to 2 of 21, with 4.87% of the vote. It’s part of the
group of Non-registered members. Its ideology is strongly opposed to
immigration, which it considers to be the cause of the increase in crime and the
dissolution of the virtues of the Greek nation. It proposes to seal the borders with
anti-personnel mines, electrified fences and guards, and to deport all immigrants
already inside the country.

XA obtained the 7% of the votes in the elections of 2015, thanks to the
dissatisfaction with the Troika's imposition. It became the third force in the Greek
parliament, without hiding fascist ideals and Nazi symbolism, as the use of Nordic
runes has been used in the past by Nazism.

                              Golden Dawn members in Greece

Blood, honour, Golden Dawn. Hundreds of people shouting in anger show, with
gravity and arrogance, the arm raised28. The Nazi salute. Get your hair
straightened. Greece belongs to the Greeks. They are shouts of Golden Dawn at a
rally, in one of the first images of Golden Dawn Girls, film of the expert Norwegian
documentary filmmaker, Håvard Bustnes that reveals its retrograde and perverse
ideology.

According to OLALLA29, “Golden Dawn has been dismantled after a trial in
Greece against the leader of Golden Dawn and also on street pressure against
fascism. Also, the media lately has not given far-right a try”.

28
     See Público
29
     See Golden Dawn Greece

15

2.5 Poland

Law and Justice (PIS) was created in 2001, and its leader is Jaroslaw
Kaczynski. At the elections of 2015 obtained 216 seats of 460. Government of PiS
propelled in 2018 a law that forbids public speaking on any aspect of Second
World War linking the country to the Holocaust30. The Law is not expressly
limited to Third Reich-related verbal manifestations. It sanctions those which
affect the good image of Poland.

PiS obtained 26 seats in Europe of 51 with 45.38% of the votes, and it seeks to
uphold Christian values together with Vox31. It has been declared against
abortion, homosexuality and has established the Catholic religion as a reference
for society. They accused the refugees of illnesses such as cholera, and they
control the judiciary and various media. They used the 2019 Independence Day
to load against the LGTB rights32. Tens of thousands of Poles gathered in Warsaw,
symbolizing a fist clutching a rosary, in a march to defend traditional Catholic
values.

In 2018, the Electoral Law was modified, endangering the independence of the
National Electoral Commission (PKW). The Catholic Church is of great
importance to Polish society and maintains a strong institutional influence.

The public media is under the influence of the governing party. Independent
media is suffering risk of self-censorship.

The activist Elżbieta Podleśna was arrested in May 2019 for uploading a poster
with the image of the Virgin Mary which was considered offensive. The image
showed the Virgin with a halo imitating the LGBTI flag.

The annual march is organized by Polish far-right groups Radical National camp,
and All the Polish Youth, from 2010. Leader of All the Polish Youth, Ziemowit
Przebitkowski, believes33 that: “they have to leave the European union (...) there
is a provision of more than 40 billion euros for the organization of the law of
LGBT people. They don't think it's anything good”. These protests show racist

30 See Drama de Polònia
31 See Valors cristians
32 See Contrainformación
33 See Extrema dreta a Polònia

16

and xenophobic slogans and symbols, often, between the red and white Polish
flag.

Amnesty International has reported a growing climate of verbal and physical
harassment, as well as police arrests and fines for participating in a protest. In
recent years, there has been an increase in surveillance, intimidation and use of
force by police. Reforms and attacks on the judiciary have polarized society. In
2017, the European Commission launched an infringement proceeding against
Poland in the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) for threatening the
State of Right.

As Beata Wojna writes at chapter “Poland: radicalization in the shadow of the rule
of Law and Justice”, in Epidemia Ultra, authorities usually react tepidly to acts of
violence or vandalism caused by far-right radical movements. They defend the
idea of the Catholic State of the Polish nation, they defend the traditional values
of the family and fight abortion, sexual minorities, egalitarian marriages and the
euthanasia. They have a strong anti-immigration speech, though only 1.1% of the
Polish population was born abroad.

The strong PIS speech against immigration, it has also targeted homosexuals and
has diminished women's rights. PIS's electoral success stems from its social
policies, populist rhetoric, economic rise, and the absence of solid opposition,
which could counterbalance its power.

PIS threatens civil and political rights in Poland, as demonstrated by its attempts
to end judicial independence, annul the woman's right to abortion, demonize
LGBT collectives (Kaczynski attacks them by calling them "poisonous LGBT
ideology”) or its solidarity with Europe.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski has argued that PIS is the only one that can defend Poland
from what they call the dangerous ideologies emanating from the West, such as
LGTB rights, or women’s rights.

                                      Vox meet with the prime minister of Poland (March 2019)

17

2.6 Hungary

Fidesz-Aliança Cívica Hongaresa (MPSz) was created in 1988, and its
leader is Viktor Orbán. At the national elections of 2019, as a first force, obtained
117 of 199 seats. It is governing, and Viktor Orbán is the prime minister.

At the European elections of 2019 won with a 52.56% of the votes, with 13 seats
of 21. Forma part of the EPP group (European People’s Party).

                                Viktor Orbán during a rally

In 2016, Government posters read "Did you know that since the migratory crisis,
the harassment of women in Europe has increased dramatically?34”. Thus was
constructed an imaginary of the immigrant, as a threat. GARCIA
MORANTE35 explains that: “Orbán uses ferocious repression to disassociate
spaces, movements and struggles. At 2010 elections obtained 52.73% of the
votes, he was the prime minister and he modified the Constitution, that now
prohibits marriages between LGBT couples. In 2014 revalidated the victory, and
in 2018 (48.9% of the votes) it was the first political force of Hungary”.

ROMAGUERA36 indicated in the summer of 2013 that: “on the basis of
exacerbating the sense of humiliation that the country suffered when the major
powers divided the Austro-Hungarian empire, Orbán posed as the guarantor of
the country's patriotic pride. Since joining the post in mid-2010, Orbán has
promoted a Magna Carta that it professes adherence to "the Crown,
Christianity and the traditional family”. Under the rhetoric of identity
and the fight against the crisis, Orbán imposed an ultraconservative "public
morals" supported by the church hierarchy and the Jobbik formation, which
through its militias persecutes the Turkish and Gypsy population to leave the
country”. Human rights appear in the new Constitution vague and broadly
defined.

Amendments to the new Constitution gradually phased out the Executive's
control and verification systems, as well as weakening the independence of the
Judiciary, including the Constitutional Court. Amnesty International has
criticized that this new system blurs the separation of powers. Civil society is
being investigated and stigmatized as it attempts to criticize the Government. A

34
   See Hungary Viktor Orban
35
   See Rostres de resistència
36
   See SOS racisme

18

package of measures, known as STOP SOROS, was approved in June 2018 to stop
massive and illegal immigration. The public media is at the service of the
Government, and the regulation and supervision of the media has been
concentrated in a single administrative authority, the National Media and
Telecommunications Authority. The Government finances the Media, which is
favorable to it, hindering the market and plurality.

Article 9 of the new Constitution limits freedom of expression, by stating that
freedom of expression shouldn’t be exercised with intent to violate the dignity of
the Hungarian nation.

The Law on Higher Education has been criticized, after the 2017 reform, by
introducing disproportionate restrictions on the operation of foreign universities,
and has been criticized for limiting the freedom of thought, expression and
association, as well as academic freedom.

The right of peaceful assembly and demonstration is threatened, because there is
a wide margin of police discretion to ban demonstrations, and those who
participate in a protest that is considered illegal can be sentenced to 60 days in
prison, if this is the third offense committed in 6 months.

As Alfonso Lombana Sanchez writes at chapter “Hungary: anticommunism,
nationalism and orbanism”, in Epidemia Ultra, Fidesz defend conservative and
nationalist values, with anti-communist will and an estimation of traditional
Christian values. Orban’s Hungary it represents the vision of a conservative and
Christian Europe. Managing the 2015 humanitarian crisis has been denounced
by many international voices, by considering it contrary to humanitarian values.
Orban's tenure has paternalistic characteristics, and the state media are repeating
color of government, his related companies are more important and relevant, and
the opposing voices become dissenting and especially annoying.

On January 11, 2020, government of Hungary announced that it will promote free
fertility treatments to prevent immigration37. On December 2019, the
government has already placed six fertility clinics under state control, and from
February 1 it has provided free in vitro fertilization treatment, although without
clarifying the profile of candidates who can access it.

In Budapest, on February 23 , 2020, more than 2.000 Hungarians march on
Parliament to protest government refusal to pay compensation to Roma children
who were illegally segregated at an school in eastern Hungary. These marches
against the Orban’s politics contrary to the Roma people, they carried slogans as
“No one is above the law”, and “Future cannot be built on hatred”.

37   See Fertility treatments

19

2.7 Spain

Vox was created in 2013, and its leader is Santiago Abascal. At the European
elections of 2014 have not seat but in 2019 obtained 3 seats of 54. The case of
Spain had already been analysed, in the reports of this Office “Far-right in
Catalunya and Spain”, and “Women’s rights threatened in Spain”.

                      Santiago Abascal with a helmet of the Reconquista   Rocío Monasterio

CLIMENT and MONTANER38 conclude that: “rise of the Catalan territorial
conflict, which culminated in the declaration of independence of the Parliament
of Catalonia in October 2019, is an important factor to take into account,
together with the high corruption of the PP, to explain the electoral emergency
of far-right in Spain. Vox's nationalist, xenophobic and anti-feminist discourse
opens the way when corruption devours the electoral expectations of the PP and
the more polarized Spanish society is in relation to the territorial conflict with
Catalonia and its possible solutions”.

Vox's sexist speech implies a shameful desire to curtail already established
women's rights. E.g. they propose repeal of the comprehensive law against gender
violence, cut abortion law, deny gender as an element of structural inequality,
recognize only heterosexual marriage, and to censor children's education.

They use, with Machiavellian cynicism, equality policies as a shield against
immigration, which is to blame for sexist violence that isn’t based on culture or
society, but on the system itself that proposes to curtail women's rights, and wants
to make inequalities invisible, with the executioner of foreigners.

Vox attacks feminism, which propose a different type of society, where the social
bond doesn’t have to be based on hierarchical relations, or traditional views of
the family or religious fact. Vox wants no social link with "human waste",
immigrants, excluded, foreigners, and so they revive old fears, old ghosts of
fascism. Francoist unity of the motherland, One, Great and Free, that was
mirrored in a glorious past, the Empire, whose sexist and undemocratic mindset
is trying to rebuild against women’s rights, even outside Constitution, and
founding principles and values of the European union. Despite referring to
advocate the Christian tradition, Vox does not observe the Christian
commandments, “Don't lie” (Lev 19, 11).

38
     See UB Deposit

20

2.8 Austria

Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) was created in 1956, was led in the 90's by
Jörg Haider and its leader in functions is Norbert Hofer. At the elections of 2019,
as third force, obtained 51 seats de 183.

The corruption scandal of the leader of FPÖ and Deputy Chancellor of the
Austrian Government, Heinz-Christian Strache, led to the blockade of his
ministers from the Sebastian Kurz’s Conservative government.

                                FPÖ’s ex leader, Heinz Christian Strache   Ursula Stenzel

At the European elections of 2014 obtained 4 seats of 18, that it were reduced to
3 at the elections of 2019, with 17.20% of the votes. It’s part of the ID group
(Identity and Democracy).

FPÖ is successor of the Independent Federation (VdU), party founded in March
25 of 1949 by ex-members of the Nazi Party. Austria has the dubious honor of
being the country where, for the first time in a long time, the populist right-wing
government came in government in October 2017, with 26% of the vote.

After the 1999 election, the Christian Democrat Wolfgang Schüssel, of the
Austrian Popular Party, became the first chancellor to turn to the radical right to
form a governing majority. The coalition was reissued in 2017 without the
European Union showing any of the political discomfort it sought to externalize
in the early 2000's. So, FPÖ in 2017 he became a coalition partner with the
Conservative government of Sebastian Kurz. The migratory crisis was the key to
its success.

On September 2019, in the heat of the electoral campaign, far-right (FPÖ) called
for the abolition of egalitarian marriage in the Austrian Parliament39.

In Austria, on November 2017, the Grandmothers against right (Omas gegen
Rechts) appeared, becoming a symbol of opposition to government anti-
immigration policies40. They defend democracy, the social state and the state of
right, which are three things that the government wants to scrap.

39
     See Far-right in Austria
40
     See El país

21

The FPÖ's campaign followed the doctrines of the early Austrians and the
rejection of immigration. The government has pushed for measures such as the
extension of the Islamic veil ban for kindergartens and colleges, as well as a prison
for asylum seekers considered dangerous even though they have not committed
a crime.

The Muslim Worship Community of Austria (IGGÖ) denounced in January 2020
the Constitutional Court a law banning the use of the Islamic veil in elementary
schools in Austria. In September 2019 was launched the measure. IGGÖ’s
president, Ümit Vural, said: “Islamic veil is a religious practice. Belongs to
Muslim women; which was banned, for reasons such as harmonization, the
secularism of educational institutions and gender equality, but they did not
forbid symbols or dress of any kind from other religions in elementary schools,
and this stance does not correspond to the principle of equality, taking the
Islamic veil as its target”.

FPÖ suggested that must be abolished laws against Nazism. FPÖ pronounced
against the regulations declaring illegal to deny the existence of the Holocaust.

STANLEY41 notes that “the fascist leader corresponds to the father or
patriarch; is the CEO of the traditional family. The father's role in the
patriarchal family is to protect the mother and children”. For that, parties of far-
right try to situate “the very idea of virility at the core of political debate, so
that the fascist ideals of hierarchy and domination through physical force are
gradually introduced into the public sphere”.

Women’s rights are been presented as a threat to traditional male gender roles,
generating apprehension, panic and sexual distress that weaken equality.
STANLEY notes: “when a political leader resorts to measures that they
implement sexual distress, what they are raising -even if indirectly- is
that freedom and equality are a threat. Expressing one's gender identity
or sexual preferences is an exercise in freedom. By presenting homosexuals or
transgender women as a danger to women and children - and, by extension,
men's ability to protect them - fascist politics challenges the liberal ideal of
freedom. Women’s right to abortion is also an exercise in freedom. When it
presents abortion as a threat to children - and for men's control over them -
fascist politics is challenging the liberal ideal of freedom. The right of people to
marry whom they want is an exercise of freedom; point out as threatening
members of a particular religious community, or a particular race, for fear of
mixed marriages, is a challenge to the liberal ideal of freedom”.

41
  See How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them; Stanley, Jason; Blackie Books; Barcelona; 2018,
p. 127-129.

22

2.9 Belgium

Flemish Interest (Vlaams Belang, VB)

Vlaams Belang was created in 2004, and its leader is Tom Van Grieken. At the
national elections of 2019, as ninth force, obtained 3 seats of 150.

Belgium used the cordon sanitaire in 1991, when isolated far-right of Vlaams
Blok (today Vlaams Belang), which had burst strongly in a federal election that
went into the country's political history as "Black Sunday".

At the European elections of 2014 VB obtained one seat of 21, which increased to
3 seats in 2019 with a 11.68% of the votes, with very remarkable results, drawing
in the first place in seats with the Flemish nationalists. Both parties won 3 MPs,
although by nationality they passed by far-right 14 to 11%. Its catchphrase was
“our people first”. VB is part of the ID group (Identity and Democracy).

Vlaams Belang has added to its racist ideology the hardening of speech against
women’s rights.

Tom Van Grieken, its leader, stated publicly on Radio 1 that 50% of women in
politics are too many. From 1992 to 2003 (then called Vlaams Blok) presented 4
law projects to criminalize abortion, and under the name Vlaams Belang insisted
3 times more, from 2007 to 2011. In May 2019, they pretended to be false gender
parity42, dealing with "fictitious" candidate lists to encourage the arrival of men
in Parliament. Once any of these women obtained their seats, they replaced them
by men below the party lists.

Some party sectors have declared in favor of South African Apartheid, and the
traditional values of family and Catholicism as a religion superior to the rest
(especially Islam).

42   See False gender parity

23

2.10 Netherlands

At the European elections of 2019, far-right of Geert Wilders collapsed from
13.32% of the votes in 2014 to 3.53%, and it ran out of seats of 26, in favour of
another far-right party, Forum voor Democratie, that it obtained the 10.96% of
votes and 3 seats.

Party by Freedom (PVV) Partij voor de Vriheud of Geert Wilders professes
a deep hatred against any religious expression of Islam. His party defend la de-
Islamization (evict citizens and close mosques), is Eurosceptic, xenophobic and
populist, and came close to winning the 2017 election with 13.1% of the votes. The
next are in 2021.

PVV was created in 2006, and its leader is Geert Wilders, following the example
of Pim Fortuyn. At the elections of 2017, as second force, obtained 20 seats of 150.
At the provincial elections, it moved from 66 provincial seats in 2015 to 41 seats
in 2019.

At the European elections of 2014, PVV obtained 4 seats of 26.

RIEMEN43 considers that: “Geert Wilders and his Party by Freedom are the
prototype of contemporary classical fascism (...) the consequence of political
parties having renounced their ideas, of intellectuals cultivating easy nihilism,
of universities that are not worthy of that name, of media that no longer
remember what quality means. They are the corrupt elites cultivating the
spiritual vacuum in which fascism can grow again”.

Forum for Democray (FvD) is a very recent party, founded in 2016 and led
by Thierry Baudet. In 2019, it became first force at provincial Parliaments and
the Senate. Baudet44 has written that he agrees with the idea that women want
to be "dominated" by men in the sexual aspect and he stated that the “women
generally excel less in the workplace and they were less ambitious
than men”. BBC Hague correspondent, Anna Holligan, writes that Baudet
explained her the “‘evidence’ that women prefer to read magazines about
hair and make-up and have babies than concentrate on pursuing a
career”.

43   See Per combatre aquesta època; Riemen, Rob; Arcàdia; Barcelona; 2018. Page 71.
44   See Netherlands rise far-right

24

2.11 Finland

Finss Party – True Finns (PS) Perussuomalaiset

PS was created in 1995, and its leader is Jussi Halla-aho. It burst into national
Parliament (Eduskunta) in 2011 as third force with more than half a million of
votes. At the elections of 2015, PS became the second force of the Parliament, with
18% of the votes. At the national elections of 2019, again as second force,
obtained 39 seats of 200, staying on top of the half a million votes.

At the European elections of 2014 obtained 2 seats of 13, which it maintained at
the 2019 elections, with 13.80% of the votes. It’s part of the ID group (Identity
and Democracy).

Anti-immigration speech is an identity factor of the PS, which wants immigration
to translate into economic benefits for the country, and is against the refugee
reception. PS wants to limit the social security and other services, such as health,
to the Finnish citizenry.

                Followers of the PS at Helsinki    Laura Huhtsaari, vici president of the PS
                                                    at the rally Prima l’Italy, at Milan, 2019

Laura Huhtsaari is known as the “Marine Le Pen of Finland”, and promotes the
restriction of immigration policies and remove them from the European Union
country as well as ideas contrary to Islam and same-sex marriages. She says she
does not want Finland to become an EU province, and that Finns must uphold
Finland's interests. In his speeches he calls to regain the country, and he uses the
motto “Finland first”.

25

2.12 Bulgaria

United Patriots (OP) is a tripartite coalition formed by Attack National Union
of Volen Siderov, IMRO-Bulgarian National Movement and National Front for
the Salvation of Bulgaria (NFSB).

OP was created in 2005, and its leader is Volen Siderov. At the elections of 2019,
as third force, obtained 27 seats of 240. It’s part of the Government.

Neither in the European elections of 2014 nor in the ones of 2019, it obtained any
seat of 17.

According to Transparency International, Bulgaria is the country most corrupt
in the EU45. United Patriots is a coalition ultranationalist formed by Bulgarian
National Movement, National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria and Attack. It’s
defined as russophile, euroscope and anti-Islamist. Specifically, Attack is an anti-
Semitic party. In the last election campaign, the coalition advertised against the
gypsy ethnic group (the country's main minority), Muslims and homosexuals.

During the refugee crisis, United Patriots advocated the use of violence against
immigrants to prevent them from entering the country. In fact, it has promoted
paramilitary groups patrolling the Turkish border and 'hunting down'
immigrants, forcing them to tuna and then forcing them to return to Turkish soil.

                      Marine Le Pen and Volen Siderov
                      at Paris (May, 2011)

Volen Siderov said «Bulgaria for Bulgarians». We must remember that
Attack launched a campaign in 2006 against the howl that came from the
speakers of the Banya Bashi Mosque in Sofia, which resulted in an attack in 2011,
by which the Strasbourg European Court of Human rights sentenced Bulgaria for
violating Article 9 (freedom of thought, conscience and religion), at the
Karaahmed v. Bulgaria case.

45
     See Corruption and far-right in Bulgaria

26

2.13 Denmark

Danish People’s Party (DF)

DF was created in 1995, and its leader is Kristian Thulesen Dahl. At the national
elections of 2019, as second force, obtained 37 seats of 179.

At the European elections of 2014 obtained 4 seats of 13, but in 2019 it lost 3 and
it stayed with 1 seat of 13, and 10.76% of the votes. It’s part of the ID group
(Identity and Democracy).

DF calls for a drastic reduction in immigration, is anti-Islam and anti-EU, with a
nationalist and identity discourse.

Despite gaining 21% of the vote in the 2015 elections, he did not enter
government, through a coalition of the Liberal Party, the Liberal Alliance, and the
Conservative People's Party. But since it is a minority it has to resort to DF
extremism for big deals. For example, for its 37 members to vote in favour of the
budget, it set a condition for the government to recruit on an uninhabited island
irregular immigrants who cannot deport and foreigners convicted of serious
crimes. Since 2015, the Coalition Government has forced it to take action such as
banning burqa and nihab, or adopting harsh anti-refugee laws forcing them to
surrender possessions above 10,000 Danish kroner (about € 1,300) as
compensation for being in the country. They also succeeded in adopting the
measure of compulsory attendance of children of immigrant families at Danish
values courses for 25 hours per week, or the crime of 4 years in prison for parents
who send their children to visit their home countries for long periods, considering
"indoctrination journeys" as a possible source of child radicalization.

One of the electoral slogans of Thulesen Dahl was: “You know what we stand
for”. Another it was: “Less UE, more Denmark”. The influence of the DF on
Danish politics placed immigration at the center of the debate and forced almost
the entire political spectrum to change positions in this area. Thus they became
common references to "The non-Danish," "ethnic Danish," or "second- and third-
generation immigrants," defending the Islamic veil, for example, by equating it
with the Nazi swastika (the Aryan gamut cross).

27

2.14 Slovakia

Slovak Nationalist Party (SNS) Slovenská Národná Strana was created
in 1990, and its leader is Andrej Danko. At the elections of 2019, as fourth force,
obtained 15 seats of 150. It’s part of the government.

Neither in the European elections of 2014 nor in the ones of 2019, it obtained any
seat of 13.

Kotleba-People's Party Our Slovakia (LSNS) was created in 2010, and its
leader is Marian Kotleba. At the national elections of 2019, as fifth force, obtained
14 seats of 150.

Neither in the European elections of 2014 nor in the ones of 2019, it obtained any
seat of 13.

LSNS entered by first time at the Parliament in the 2016 general elections, with
8% of the votes. It’s a very radical organization, neo-Nazi style, contrary to
gypsies, Jews, homosexuals, immigration, the EU and NATO. It includes
paramilitary groups.

                                                               Uniformed militants of Kotleba
                                                         – People's Party Our Slovakia (LSNS).

The LSNS program in the February 2020 election promises to eliminate the
preferential treatment of Roma people over decent people. Between the 10 points
it emphasizes the regularization of the arms to protect the life and the property,
to base the education in the traditional national and Christian values, and
the recovery of the militia so that the "decent people have the opportunity to
participate in the life of the beings dear ones. "