Political shift in Britain reflects Europe's rightward tilt

[brentspeak]

Source: LA Times

The Conservative-led government that got down to the business of running Britain on Thursday is the latest manifestation of a rightward tilt of politics across Europe.

With David Cameron ensconced as prime minister here after 13 years of Labor rule, center-right parties or coalitions now have the upper hand in Western Europe's most populous countries: Germany, France, Britain and Italy.

They also rule several Eastern European nations, such as Poland and Hungary, while on the Iberian Peninsula, the Socialist governments of Spain and Portugal are struggling to fend off gains by conservative opponents.

The shift to the right, underway for several years, has persisted despite the near-meltdown of the global financial system and the worldwide recession that followed. Rather than punish the right for the failings of unbridled capitalism, voters have turned to conservative parties to fix the situation, analysts say.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/europe/la-fg-europe-conservatives-20100514,0,72445.story

---

Political Stockholm Syndrome all over again.

[UpInArms]

1. the UK went with a "rightward tilt" when Tony bLIAR signed on to the BFEE

pact of kill 'em all and ask questions never.

[PM Martin]

2. The 'right' in France is considered center left by US standards.

and centrist by Canadian ones.

[cyclezealot]

13. France's Sarkozy refuses to use the word Austerity

in his budgets. And the left made major gains in the last set of regional elections. The left still holds a hold on most of Europe, because the right goes to far, the people are involved. They will go on strike and shut a country down. And the government knows it.

[marmar]

3. Bull.....Didn't Germany and France tilt left in their most recent elections?

The LA Times again proving that it's not worthy to line a birdcage.

[PM Martin]

4. True.

The cons took sizable losses in the latest regional elections.

[brentspeak]

5. Thanks for pointing that out

You are correct:

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/90166

German voters punish Merkel for EU bailout

Monday 10 May 2010


World
German voters punish Merkel for EU bailout
Monday 10 May 2010
Printable page Printable
Email Email

Voters in Germany's industrial heartland dealt Chancellor Angela Merkel's right-wing coalition a stinging defeat in a regional election on Sunday destroying her majority in the upper house of parliament the Bundesrat.

The electorate of North Rhine-Westphalia ditched Ms Merkel's CDU-FDP coalition in a backlash against her drive to spend billions propping up the euro.

The CDU won 34.6 per cent of the vote, 10 points down on five years ago and its worst showing in the state since World War II, while the FDP garnered 6.7 per cent, leaving the pro-business partners with a total of 80 seats in the 187-seat state legislature.

The main opposition Social Democrats (SDP) won 67 seats with 34.5 per cent, and the Greens 12 seats with 12.1 per cent.

The socialist Left Party won 5.6 per cent, giving it 11 seats.

[DLnyc]

15. Yes, Europe is tilting right except for all the places where it is tilting left.

And the LA Times has written an article that is informative except for all the information that it left out, and, of course, ignoring all the information that it got wrong.

So, as you point out, the article would make fine birdcage lining . . . as long as you don't mind all the birdshit actually falling right through onto the floor.

[Selatius]

18. Yeah, but they are part of Old Europe. They don't count.

But yeah, both Sarkozy and Merkel's parties took a beating at the polls due to left wing coalitions offering a different path.

[villager]

6. actually, progressive parties (Labour, Lib Dem) got more popular vote than the Tories,

I believe, but their particular election rules -- like ours -- allows the MSM-backed charade of "popular support for anti-people causes" to continue...

(Note: "New Labour" didn't do much to help themselves by staying on their knees to the American right, however...)

[David__77]

7. What is being rejected is pro-capitalist social demcracy.

The old left has committed suicide for the most part. In Hungary, the "right" defends public benefits, opposes austerity and privatization. Who is "left?" Just because someone waves a red flag at a party congress doesn't mean they are progressive. People want real alternatives.

[Q3JR4]

11. As I've said before,

my green party volunteering, pro-choice, bisexual, anti-corporate, anti-globalization, pro socialized medicine, pro gay marriage friend considers herself to be center right in Hungarian politics.

She was quite happy with the election outcome.

Q3JR4

[cyclezealot]

14. The reasons the Socialists were kicked out recently in Hungary.

Their austerity budgets went so deep, their Socialist government was deeply unpopular.

[David__77]

16. It would have been quite a quandary.

The Socialists in Hungary are better because they aren't nationalists or racists. I probably would have voted for a left fringe party.

[Q3JR4]

17. Apparently, and this is second hand,

the Socialists were talking about cutting education funding and increasing the cost for medical coverage.

I do hear that the right is more racist, but those comments are usually directed at the far right who were told to go into opposition with the rest of the minority parties.

I don't really know enough to speak authoritatively but can tell you what my conversations with someone who can have yielded.

Q3JR4.

[Zynx]

8. France is tilting back to the Socialists and the Netherlands is seemingly on the verge

of electing a Socialist government. Italy's right-wing government is also on the verge of collapse.

[w4rma]

9. Wow, this article got everything wrong. (nt)

[Robbien]

10. Just the media again pushing the pro-capitalist agenda

hoping if they keep saying it enough the people will believe that nonsense.

[Art_from_Ark]

12. Since the days of Gladstone/Disraeli, at least,

it's been "England, swing like a pendulum, do"