16 Oct 2013

EU Crisis: The Rise, Rise and Rise of the Euroskeptics

Marine Le Pen is swept into the mainstream. The Front National
is poised to use the Europe problem as a platform in the
May 2014 Strasbourg elections. image: Paris political rally
Marine Le Pen’s Euroskeptic National Front moves into the lead for the May 2014 European elections and now looks on track to becoming the largest party in France.  Polls put her on top at 24%.
A spokesman for the party declared “A brilliant victory” for the National Front after a local election success. "The French are showing a wish to take their destiny into their hands and take back their sovereignty." He also predicted an "unprecedented earthquake" in the next European elections; a claim echoed by many of the rising Euroskeptic parties of both the left and the right.
"All the ingredients are coming together for people to express their discontent with everything associated with Europe, immigration, globalisation, and so on."
The Front’s power base is in the south of France, where fear of immigration, identity crisis, austerity and recession are creating opposition to the Brussels Federalist ideology. 

 NF success is mirrored across Europe where Skeptic support grows.  Marine Le Pen is interested to jointly campaign with Geert Wilders of the Netherlands anti-immigration Freedom Party. . “It is important that voters see we are not alone, and that there are similar patriotic movements in every EU country,” she said.

Is this the beginning of a clear voice for the European Parliament.! A choice for voters to be represented through defined political roles concerning Europe’s future.

New Skeptic parties should impact but they will engage with the pro-European camp in establishing meaningful reformist coalitions. Politicians have a way of diluting their rhetoric once they taste the honey elixir of power and privilege.  


Brussels Federalist ideology may be over for now. The third attempt may have failed, but the project to unite the Europe project in some shape or form is far from over and in fact is most likely unstoppable. May 2014 is still some way off.