Socialist stumble, right-wing rise in the 2009 EP elections - commentaires

Socialist stumble, right-wing rise in the 2009 EP elections

It's not about losing the job the the joe from east europe...its giving free benefits to people outside the eu (asylum seekers) economic migrants really asylum was an excuse..free housing etc..while we are unemployed etc.

Socialist stumble, right-wing rise in the 2009 EP elections

For reference, here's an article I wrote just after the elections on the same topic : http://www.taurillon.org/Collapse-of-the-socialist-at-the

I pretty much disagree with most of your points. If anything, the economic crisis should have strengthened the socialists, because they have been pushing for quite some time for the regulatory measures that are now becoming popular. The obvious assessment that they have been unable to capitalize on this shows that the problems lie elsewhere. Also, radical movements aren't really any stronger than in the previous legislature. The big winners are the EPP and the greens, not the extreme left or right. That being said, I agree that the low turnout was probably more damaging to the socialists than to other parties. But that's in a large part their own fault, because their lousy campaign didn't convince people to vote. Finally, even though domestic issues might have played an (important) role in some countries, especially the UK, it seems clear to me that social-democracy is going through a profound identity crisis, and concealing this fact behind supposedly 'momentary turbulences' is extremely dangerous.

Socialist stumble, right-wing rise in the 2009 EP elections

I see two main reasons for the weak outcome for the PES :

1. Their target groups do not seem to be very interested in European politics so they do not vote at all. At least in Germany the SPD usually gets significantly better results at national elections when the voter turnout is nearly twice as high as in EP elections. Unfortunately, Europe still is kind of an elitist project. Therefore those parties which appeal to highly educated people like the Greens and ALDE get strong results.

2. The demographics are generally shifting in a way that is a disadvantage for socialist parties. The share of blue-collar workers organized in labour unions who have been the traditional base of the socialists is decreasing. Efforts to to attract new voter groups, e.g. New Labour, have led to deep conflicts with the traditional socialist voters.