The debate on whether political ideology still matters in today’s complex world erupts from time to time. The silver generation of baby boomers who in their younger days were split in supporting either capitalism or socialism often get hot under the collar when confronted with claims that what really matters today is the creation of economic wealth that provides jobs and promotes social mobility.
After the financial crisis of the last few years, the political landscape in Europe is changing at a rate that many aficionados of left or right wing politics find confusing. Most European countries are used to having a two-party system – one with left wing and the other right wing leanings – but with clear emphasis on centrist policies aimed to impress the middle class which in most cases are the biggest social stratum in Western societies.
The political utopia of stable government is quickly changing as governments of different leanings are finding it increasingly difficult to deliver the economic growth that the electorate wants to put its mind at rest about present and future prosperity. Fragmentation has become the new norm in European politics as voter volatility and scepticism increases. Party loyalties are quickly evaporating and splinter extreme parties of the right and left are quickly gaining the support of angry ordinary people who feel that traditional politicians have betrayed their trust.
Philippe Legrain, a former adviser to the head of the European Commission has published a book entitled European Spring: Why Economies and Politics are in a Mess. Legrain makes a very strong statement on what he believes has led to this collapse of trust in traditional politicians: “The crisis has shredded voters’ trust in the competence, motives and honesty of establishment politicians and failed to prevent the crisis, have so far failed to resolve it, and who bailed out rich bankers while imposing misery on ordinary voters, but not on themselves”.
This crisis of confidence is giving rise to left and right wing anti-austerity movements in countries like Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany and the UK. Consensus and stability can no longer be taken for granted in most European countries as voters increasingly want to teach traditional centrist parties a lesson.
In France Marine Le Pen, a right-wing populist, has a good chance of holding the balance of power in the next round of political elections and also has a good chance of being a serious challenger for the presidency as the incumbent socialist president Hollande stumbles from one crisis to another.
Consensus and stability can no longer be taken for granted in most European countries as voters increasingly want to teach traditional centrist parties a lesson
In Italy the Five Star Movement of former comedian Beppe Grillo is the second largest party that has little substance in the political solutions that it proposes. If the centre-left Partito Democrtico continues to shoot itself in the foot with a minority of its leaders resisting much needed change to promote growth, it will not be inconceivable that Beppe Grillo will hold the balance of power in Italian politics.
Even in Germany the centre-right Angela Merkel depends on the support of her party’s eternal adversaries the Social Democrats to have a working majority as the anti-euro and more nationalistic Alternative for Germany party gains popular support.
The decline of the traditional political parties has been accelerated by globalisation where national governments have lost their power to influence economic outcomes. Legrain makes a very relevant observation. “Globalisation had eroded the powers of national government, shifting power to financial markets and the EU, causing a feeling of disempowerment and sparking nationalist and localist backlashes”.
Grand political coalitions seem to be the only viable solution for countries where the left and right centrist parties can no longer master a political majority on their own. This is already happening in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.
With sluggish economic growth forecast for the next few years, it is unlikely that those looking for their first job or those who have lost their job will be inspired by traditional political leaders like the Head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker.
Beppe Grillo struck a convincing cord with disgruntled European when he said: “You have the president of the Commission telling us what to do while he keeps his money in a tax haven.”
Traditional politics will only inspire again ordinary people when mainstream politicians of the centre right and left abandon populist solutions and explain the hard reform work that needs to be done to promote economic growth which is the only way to create jobs and social welfare.
johncassarwhite@yahoo.com