Twist of luck for the far-right extremism in Austria

Yesterday, the formal leader of the Green party, Alexander Van der Bellen, won the Presidential elections in Austria with 50.3 % of the vote[1].

The defeat against his far-right opponent and member of the Freedom party, Norbert Hofer, let the European citizens in glimpse concerning the future twist into the intensive nationalist political tendencies that are capturing the public attention since the last decade.

Is the EU society undertaking a new strategy

against the far-right extremism?

The choice of socialist President in Austria is not coincidental. Since the last five decades, the European societies have become more diverse mainly due to the influence of European integration that has driven productivity increases, output growth and cultural enrichment.

In this sense, far-right extremism appears to be a conservative socio-political current that stands against the existence of heterogeneous balance in Europe and promote hostility as solution to the financial crisis on employment and welfare.

Luckily, with the election of Alexander Van der Bellen, the Austrian society has demonstrated symbolic resistance towards the ethnic segregation and populist attitude – an attempt that other countries such as France[2] and Denmark[3] have failed to achieve.

[1] “Austria far-right narrowly loses poll, Van der Bellen elected president”, CNN, May 2016, <http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36362505> (23.05.2016)

[2] “France’s far-right National Front party”, AFP News Agency, March 2015, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOpTuw162tk > (24.05.2016)

[3] Millis, J. “Denmark votes: Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt defeated by Lars Løkke Rasmussen”, International Business Times, June 2015, <http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/denmark-votes-prime-minister-helle-thorning-schmidt-defeated-by-lars-lokke-rasmussen-1506935> (24.05.2016)

#politics #Austria #farrightextremism #europe