By Antonis Anzoletou

What happened on French elections and the European elections it was a resounding “bell” for the old continent in relation to it rise of the far right. The second round in France may have been a momentary reaction and a healthy reflexive defense against the intolerant forces that threatened to dominate a very powerful country. Is enough; No. Who could have imagined Emmanuel Macron living together with Jordan Bardela. Forced cohabitation may have happened before in France, but in this case the gap would be unbridgeable. And the message is not good at all.

It is clear how inequalities are at the heart of the crisis that France is going through starting with the “Yellow Vests” in 2018 until the farmers’ uprising. It is no coincidence that the results showed the region seeking its own “revenge” through the anti-systemic vote in contrast to the urban centers. The day before yesterday there was a first impression of the balance in the new European Parliament with the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen as the head of the Commission. The “bell” for the rise of far-right forces rang loudly on June 9. Every electoral contest now in an EU member state. it will be a “crash test”. The results are indicative since double-digit percentages were recorded in 11 countries: Hungary (Findes) 44.8%, France (National Rally) 31.4%, Italy (Northern League) 28.8%, Austria (Freedom Party) 25.4 %, Netherlands (Freedom Party) 17%, Germany (Alternative for Germany) 15.9%, Estonia (Conservative People’s Party) 14.8%, Belgium (New Flemish Alliance) 14%, Sweden (Sweden Democrats) 13, 2%, Poland (Confederation of Freedom and Independence) 12.1%.

It is a common feature in the old continent – it applies to a large extent in Greece as well – how the Center and the Left cannot coordinate and to find common ground in response to the Far Right. The crisis that the political system is going through is a given and is the first reason why there is no response to the current that is developing. If the moderate voters do not regain interest in the public, the overthrow will not be easy at all. Added to this is the lack of leaders with the guts and determination to convince with a realistic program that advocates an inclusive welfare state. The immigration bogeyman is still a weapon in the quiver of far-right forces and this was shown by the justification of the vote in France. It was the first motivation for someone to vote for Le Pen with accuracy second and safety third. The “scale” has tilted to the extreme right due to the influence of social media. Through the internet, aggression becomes the norm and this helps populist forces grow.