LONDON: A spectre is haunting Europe – the spectre of the far right. The strength of populist, nationalist and illiberal forces in the European elections and in France’s ongoing legislative polls has provoked anguish across the political spectrum. In France, especially, there is panic over Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National (RN).
But fear and loathing, however understandable against parties with a legacy of hateful rhetoric, are not adequate political responses.
Most of Europe’s political mainstream has doubled down on the cordon sanitaire, the ostracism of elected representatives to the right of traditional conservative parties. In campaigns this involves painting such parties as not just political adversaries but threats to democracy itself. When the results are in, the cordon sanitaire rules out parliamentary collaboration, let alone a governing coalition, with them.
It is time to admit that this approach can sometimes do more harm than good. Most obviously, it has not prevented Europe’s nationalist right from building up its voter support over recent decades.
