The Rise of European Populism and the Italian Election

The Rise of European Populism and the Italian Election

          In recent years, there has been the resurgence of populist sentiments throughout Europe, mirroring historical political movements and inciting international concern. In 2017, the unsuccessful campaigns of far-right candidates such as Marine Le Pen of France and Frauke Petry of Germany provided Europe with fleeting reassurance that the  reprehensible credence of populism was suppressed. However, the election of President Donald Trump, has seemed to motivate and validate the emergence of these nationalistic movements. The most recent reoccurrence of populism in Italy demonstrates the fragmented nature of European politics, instability of global affairs, and the inevitable involvement of the United States. 

          
         In the messy Italian political system, there are multiple parties competing to gain the majority of votes. The 2018 campaign was contested by six political parties: Five Star Movement, Democratic Party, Lega (League), Forza Italia (Forward Italy), Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy), and Free and Equal. The unconventional internet-based Five Star Movement gained voters from both ends of the political spectrum vying for an establishment change, as this party previously had no official governmental experience. The Five Star Movement was rivaled by the Lega party that maintains similar stances on immigration, Islam, and the European Union. The most recent polls indicated that neither populist faction received sufficient votes to rule the country alone, however, these two political groups will be able to form a coalition and integrate their extreme right-wing political ideologies.

       
         In the 2018 election, the array of political controversies, imperfect candidates, and political issues is reminiscent of the most recent American presidential election. The populist Lega party’s leader, Matteo Salvini, can easily be equated as the Donald Trump of Italy. Throughout his campaign, Salvini advocated for more secure borders, an “Italians first” policy, and islamophobia. Moreover, the polls indicated that he still received a majority of the votes despite his reputation for racism, misogyny and praise of the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. In addition to fundamental similarities, there has been transparent support from former Trump political advisor, Steve Bannon, as he traveled to the region to support candidate Matteo Salvini and unofficially represent the values of the current administration. It is reasonable to presume that the similarities between the Trump administration and the objectives of the Italian populist movement could provoke future international conflicts. 

        In Europe, the rise of multiple far-right political groups with anti-establishment, xenophobic, and nationalistic beliefs is representative of a greater global isolationist tendency. The Italian populists derive their anti-establishment sentiments from the supposed “empty promises” of the national government and the lack of economic improvement since the last turn of the century. Moreover, the stagnant level of youth unemployment at 35%(1) has further encouraged younger generations of Italians to seek political change. The economic discontent in conjunction with the increasing amount of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa (around 620,000 since 2013)(2) has convinced many nationalists that these individuals are not seeking refuge from violent conflict, but rather migrating to take employment away from Italians. The politically charged and openly ethnocentric political discourse provides nationalists with the opportunity to blame refugees for domestic issues that unequivocally receive the support of the Italian people.

       The implications of populist movements demonstrates the disintegration of European political alignments and the collapse of traditional paradigms. The inability of the European Union to placate its own member states undermines its legitimacy and authority. Many political analysts are predicting that the repeated election of anti-European Union leaders will lead to the potential demise of the organization and affiliated international institutions. 

      In the realm of American foreign policy, the existence of far-right populist governments could force the United States to become involved in the controversial issues. More specifically, the current presidential administration may align itself with the contentious objectives of the populist Italian parties causing potential international rifts, diminishing our democratic status in the global community, and force the United States to renounce established international agreements to fit a more populist narrative. In the future, it will be crucial for the United States to be diplomatic in cooperating with populist countries, such as Italy. Moreover, the United States should seek the solidarity and counsel of our international allies in addressing populist matters. 

1. Birnbaum, Michael. “Fragmented Italian Result Reveals Power of Populists.” The Washington Post, 4 Mar. 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/italians-vote-amid-anger-toward-migrants-and-populist-energy/2018/03/04/bdf8b5b6-1cb3-11e8-98f5-ceecfa8741b6_story.html?utm_term=.b73febba2dfa.

2. Birnbaum, Michael. “Italy's Election Results Highlight Struggle to Govern in Europe as Populist Forces Rise.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 5 Mar. 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/italian-vote-highlights-growing-struggle-to-govern-in-europe-as-populist-forces-rise/2018/03/05/73cc6820-1bd2-11e8-98f5-ceecfa8741b6_story.html?utm_term=.df18472ae6de.