I have recently taken a liking to European politics and wondered, what are some influencers or publications you would suggest to get a better understanding of the political landscape? I am not just talking the EU Parliament but also individual countries. I love podcasts but also watch various YouTube channels and read articles/blogs. I do require mostly English, but I am happy to use Google translate for written content and subtitles for videos are fine. It can be any side of the political spectrum and country specific or continent wide. I tend towards the center-left but find myself listening to all sides bc I find it interesting.
Also, when in Europe (your country specifically), is it acceptable to talk about politics with strangers and foreigners in particular? With the recent violence against political figures I am trying to better understand if there has been a rise in tensions regarding causal political discourse and if it is socially acceptable and safe for me to have such conversations.
As someone who was born and raised in the EU, I used to take the benefits for the EU for granted. Wanna walk over to Germany? Here you go. Wanna go visit Lake Como in Italy? Ok, just drive there. Wanna move to Spain and spend some time there, perhaps find work? Ok, just go and try it out, nothing stopping you. Costs for predatory roaming on your mobile phone? Not here. Wanna do business with the French? Ok, just make some calls. Etc. Want to do a university exchange? Sure, no problem. Here's Erasmus for you.
Like this ease of living and doing business is something we (and especially the British) take and took for granted. I realized it when I lived in the Americas for 1.5 years.
Oh, you want a Visa? Okay, fill out these difficult bureaucratic procedures. *Immigration officers treating you with dread*. Oh, you want to transit through the US, but you forgot to fill out document x and y? Sorry, lost your plane ticket. You want to move from country x to y? *heavily armed guards waiting for you*. You want to do business x and y? Not possible, sorry. We don't have a treaty for that. Wanna come on exchange with us? Hmm, really difficult and expensive. Like, it's crazy how different and more complicated things are.
The EU is a crazy political experiment and to get so many countries to work together in tandem has been unheard of before and it literally took the destruction of almost the entirety of Europe and the World (WW2) to come to make this progress and realize why those interconnected ties could be beneficial for peace, trade and security. Not to mention that we haven't had a peace period in continental Europe for such a stretch of time like, ever, in the modern, recent history of civilization, and this may very well be thanks to EU integration.
Background: 32F, born and raised in Italy, lived in Brazil for several years (dad's brazilian), from the age of 24 started living abroad (about a year in each European country: Malta, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Portugal). Currently living in Lisboa.
Reading and watching the news every day from several different sources in order to get a complete scenario from different "points of view".
I was raised in Italy, where by law what we call "Apologia di fascismo" is a crime.
Quoting the law:
"quando un'associazione, un movimento o comunque un gruppo di persone non inferiore a cinque persegue finalità antidemocratiche proprie del partito fascista, esaltando, minacciando o usando la violenza quale metodo di lotta politica o propugnando la soppressione delle libertà garantite dalla Costituzione o denigrando la democrazia, le sue istituzioni e i valori della Resistenza, o svolgendo propaganda razzista, ovvero rivolge la sua attività alla esaltazione di esponenti, principi, fatti e metodi propri del predetto partito o compie manifestazioni esteriori di carattere fascista."
TRANSLATION:
"when an association, movement or a group of not less than five people pursues anti-democratic aims peculiar to the Fascist Party by glorifying, threatening or using violence as a method of political struggle or advocating the suppression of freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution or denigrating democracy, its institutions and the values of the Resistance, or carrying out racist propaganda, or directs its activity to the glorification of exponents, principles, facts and methods peculiar to the said party or makes outward manifestations of a fascist character."
**MY QUESTION IS**
What about this topic in your country? Are there people calling themselves fascists/nazis? Are there protests, political parties, groups of people actually defining themselves as fascists/nazis? Is is considered a crime? Are there laws about this?
As a European I am wondering what the image is that Trump supporters have of Europe. Obviously, Europe is not a monolithic entity and even with the European Union there is not nearly as much unity between countries as for example between the states in the USA, but broadly speaking, I have noticed a lot of negative opinions either directly from Trump, or from supporters of his. Now I know that the most extreme viewpoints are often amplified, so I don't actually believe that every Trump supporter thinks that Europe is a 'socialist hell-hole', but I have not seen a lot of nice things being said about Europe. I know this question is quite vague and not very specific, but I am looking for any and all opinions regarding politics, economy, foreign policy, our culture(s), etc.
For context, I am asking this because Trump has recently spoken out about the war in Ukraine, he has also made many remarks about the funding of shared endeavours and how Europe is not paying enough of a share compared to the USA, and while not Trump himself, Elon Musk has also made many comments about the politics/elections in the UK and Germany for example.
I realise how little I know about all the other European countries. I was wondering if anyone had summaries of what they feel is the current political and social climate of their respective countries. Just so we can all learn a bit more about each other.
I would like to read more about whats happening here in Europe but most of the news in r/politics is U.S. based
As an American, some Americans float the idea of moving to a different country, often the UK/EU, mostly citing the political climate in the US right now. All of the people who have that mindset don't like how things are moving to the right. However, from my understanding, lots of Europe is also moving to the right. Am I correct?
Not asking for your personal beliefs on what is wrong or right - just wondering if things are shifting to the right? And if they are, how much to the right compared to recent years?
Some assumptions I have - I think people overestimate how bad things are in the US and underestimate how things are in the EU. Though at the end of the day its definitely better in the EU lol.
My face right now:
As someone sitting across the (rather large) pond in the US, I am truly confused by the recent barrage of news about the EU elections as well as what's happening at a national level in the member states of the EU. So, to someone who is better informed than me:
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What exactly is Macron's angle? What is he trying to achieve? Isn't it a big gamble to take given the consequences of it backfiring (i.e. RN gaining a ton more seats)
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Is Sunak's calling a snap election in July, the "mirror-image" strategy to Macron's dissolving of parliament? Is he trying to do for the Tories what Macron is trying to do for the Center-Left in France?
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In terms of crafting foreign policy and US-EU relations, which should we be more vigilant of, the national or the EU Parliamentary elections?
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Kind of a tangential question: In what ways would a 2024 Trump victory specifically embolden these far right leaders? What kind of legislation do you see them passing in particular if Trump were to win?
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Piggybacking on #3, is an uptick in political violence/terrorism a concern with a far-right victory similar to the fears we have in the US?
What exactly is Macron's angle? What is he trying to achieve? Isn't it a big gamble to take given the consequences of it backfiring (i.e. RN gaining a ton more seats)
I actually think more politicians should do what Macron did. Why cling to power if you have genuinely lost your popular mandate? Obviously there are many selfish reasons to do so, but no party in a democracy rules forever. Either the situation is improved, or the far-right get to fail faster. He also, of course, remains president of the Republic no matter what the outcome is, and can try to manage their worst impulses whilst still controlling many key powers of state, so that makes France different from the UK, where Rishi's job is on the line.
Is Sunak's calling a snap election in July, the "mirror-image" strategy to Macron's dissolving of parliament? Is he trying to do for the Tories what Macron is trying to do for the Center-Left in France?
No. Parliament can only be seated for a maximum of five years; this is their fifth year. They had to happen this year in the UK, there was no good time for the Conservatives to do so, Rishi just picked a moment that appeared to be more appealing than the alternatives. Macron is calling elections three years early.
In terms of crafting foreign policy and US-EU relations, which should we be more vigilant of, the national or the EU Parliamentary elections?
National, EU elections typically have far lower turnouts. Far-right buffoons in the EP are common; said buffoons running a great power has been rare to never in the post-Cold War era.
Macron wants the far right to try their hand at power and look bad in time for the next presidential election, rather than win it.