Overcoming Europe’s New Conservatism: The Changing Face of European Politics
By Idriss Fofana
There are few worse insults in American politics than being deemed a “socialist.” Indeed, McCain’s supporters used it during the election campaign to paint Barack Obama as a dangerous radical leftist. And yet, in the American political lexicon, there exists a superlative to this term: a “European socialist.” For years, Europe has entertained a reputation as the standard bearer of leftist politics in the American imaginary. A quick review of world leaders today, however, draws a stunningly contradictory picture.
Indeed, if leftists around the world are looking anywhere for guidance, it is to America. Over the past five years, right wing governments have progressively taken hold of Western Europe. Today they control the European Union and every major Western European nation with the exception of the United Kingdom and Spain. Even then, conservatives threaten to take back power in the UK, leaving Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Luis Zapatero Rodriguez as the lone European socialist in power. Is there an end in sight to this rising European conservatism? Unfortunately, that seems highly doubtful at the moment.
The new global dynamics grew evident during the recent debates over the global response to the economic crises. While the United States, with the support of Britain, has supported a strong calling on states to raise their stimulus budgets, European governments led by France and Germany have called for caution, preferring a more restrained approach. In a seemingly complete reversal of circumstances, it has been Europeans who have criticized the American and British irresponsible budget spending.
The European criticisms of Obama’s economic policies have shocked numerous commentators in the American press. At a recent news conference on the bank bailouts, one reporter asked the president if he was at all concerned that the traditionally leftist European governments had expressed reservation in the face of the astronomical figures of the American stimulus measures. Such questions, however, reveal an important misunderstanding of the current global political climate. While Europeans states continue to have more developed social welfare programs than the United States, the new European conservative governments are strongly averse to increasing state spending on such programs.
The new European conservatism has defined itself by co-opting the far right’s rhetoric on immigration and insecurity while calling for reduced tax burdens and state expenditures. Its emblematic figures are in a sense, Europe’s responses to George W. Bush: Nicolas Sarkozy and Silvio Berlusconi. Both politicians have built their base on their charismatic characters and frank manners. However, they have elicited the ire of those on the left for their opulent lifestyles and outrageous statements. Berlusconi has caught the attention of the international press for his bizarre behavior towards the new American president, including a series of comments on Obama’s “tan.” Not to be outdone, Sarkozy was recently derided for insulting major world leaders, with the exception of Berlusconi of course, during a dinner with MPs. His targets included a “not very intelligent” Zapatero and an “inexperienced” Obama. Despite these gaffes, Sarkozy and Berlusconi’s opponents have failed to really invigorate the opposition, even in the face of the economic crisis. Indeed, both leaders have built their reputations as men of action, willing to reform their countries in order to break cycles of unemployment and slow economic growth. In these difficult times, European socialists could spare to learn a few lessons from their American counterparts.
While European leftists have grown weary of the notorious centrism of American leftists, the rightist criticism of the Obama administration indicate that the Democratic Party remains firmly anchored in progressive ideology. Unlike the Clinton administration’s strict adherence to free-market policies, President Obama has proved himself more willing to challenge conservative economic orthodoxy. In fact, Obama and Gordon Brown’s economic policies could offer interesting ideas to European socialists who have largely abandoned all economic questions to the right. Although the financial crisis has encouraged some progressive leaders to attack the meager responses of conservative governments, they have failed to offer coherent plans to address the crisis. Furthermore, Obama’s success should temper fears that alliances with centrists necessarily dilute the progressive message. While all coalitions require some amount of compromise, charismatic leadership can ensure that the leftist fundamentals of party platforms remain.
Of course there are some things that the American Democratic Party cannot offer to European left-wing parties. Europe’s debates over immigration and the ideological divides of leftist parties have to analog this side of the Atlantic. However, as with the economy, European progressives must propose a serious alternative to the right in matters of immigration and crime. Such responses must argue for an emphasis on reinvestment in social infrastructure rather than expansion of police powers. Nonetheless, if Europeans hope to put an end to the tiring antics of Sarkozy, Berlusconi, and the like, they must shed their pretensions to leftist orthodoxy and spare a look to the United States. It may have seemed unlikely even a few years ago but, America may just be the new progressive haven.