Progressives across the western world face a century-defining challenge – and the stakes for liberal democracy couldn’t be higher.
The far right is on the march. From Switzerland and Sweden to Hungary, Austria and Italy, European nations are coming under the influence of extreme nativist parties that are hostile to democratic institutions, immigrant populations and fact-based journalism.
By exploiting economic concerns and a growing distrust of political and media institutions, these reactionary populists have been able to attract new supporters. In Germany, the AfD is on course for a breakthrough in next month’s federal elections. In France, the National Rally is topping presidential polls. And, of course, in the US, Donald Trump is back.
These are deeply worrying times, especially if you’re a member of a minority community. As historians and commentators increasingly find echoes of the 1920s and 30s in the present day, we cannot afford to throw in the towel. We must make a renewed and concerted effort to confront these forces and expose them for what they are: opportunists who seek to divide people for personal and political gain. Not to mention their financial backers who selfishly choose to put the profits of their companies over the interests of our democracies.
