cafebabel.com

French cartoonist on German neo-nazi terror

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:55:38 -0000

Germany has been stunned by the news of three suspects in a secret terror cell in Zwickau which literally got away with murder over the last decade. Is it news well received over the border in France, where Marine Le Pen, head of the national front party well-known for fraternising with neo-nazis itself, is a candidate for 2012 elections?

Roma and Hungary’s extreme right: the hunt in Gyöngyöspata

('Annie Rutherford',) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:08:30 -0000

In Hungary, a village of 2, 500 inhabitants outside Budapest embodies tensions between the Roma (gypsy) community and the extreme right. Since March, paramilitary militia have been arriving in Gyöngyöspata to march the town's streets. On top of that, Oszkár Juhász, a member of the extreme right-wing party Jobbik, has been elected as mayor

Norway shooting survivor, 23, blogs ‘worst day of my life’

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:44:18 -0000

Khamshajiny Gunaratnam, member of the central board of the Norwegian labour party youth organisation, has allowed cafebabel.com to republish her blog post after the tragic events of 22 July. 76 were killed in a bombing in Oslo and shooting at a summer camp in Utoya by 32-year-old right-wing fundamentalist Anders Behring Breivik

Finnish, German, Italian reaction to islamist murder in Pakistan

('euro topics',) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:52:02 -0000

Shabbaz Bhatti, minister of minorities, was murdered by islamists in Islamabad on 2 March. Pakistan's only christian cabinet minister, the 42-year-old was one of the few to oppose abuses of the country's blasphemy laws. European commentators fear the forces of radical islam could gain in strength, and call on the international community to take action

Building a mosque in Warsaw: is it all trouble and strife?

('Peter Robbins',) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 17:00:00 -0000

Muslims in Poland go back several centuries, beginning with the arrival of tatar settlers in the eastern reaches of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The muslim community in Poland has only recently begun attracting attention, with the building of a mosque financed by a Saudi sponsor in the Warsaw district of Ochota. Not everyone is happy

Why one third of Austrians back the far right

('rhiannon_nicolson',) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:58:05 -0000

Votes dropped from 30% in the 2008 legislative elections to 15% in the presidential elections in late April. For many however, 15% is still too high. Is there really a lack of alternatives?

Greek, Romanian, Albanian: why are these racist terms in Europe?

('Helen Swain',) — Mon, 17 May 2010 10:30:00 -0000

It's a fine line between risky jokes and racist innuendo. Those who manage to be funny while staying on the right side of that line are pretty smart. Nevertheless, at a time when calls to reject that protean scapegoat, the Other, are growing throughout the four corners of the continent, a little self-examination in Europe might not be a bad thing

Looking for Hungarian activism in election Budapest

('Andrew Christie',) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:45:35 -0000

On 11 and 25 April Hungarian voters are poised to elect the right or even the far-right. Only a handful of people in the country are swimming against the increasingly strong right-wing tide – and even these few are drifting off course, or have thrown their faith in politics completely overboard

Bloc Identitaire: lowdown on France's new far-right

('Hanna Sankowska',) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:45:00 -0000

You couldn't miss them during the regional elections in France between 14 and 21 March. Not that the far-right party, which proclaims to defend the civilisation of 'true Europeans', shone at the voting booths. Other extreme-right parties have now taken up the same anti-islamic mantra

Germany's far-right: style and tea party shakeup

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:00:00 -0000

Boots, bomber jacket, baseball bat - does it sound like your average neo-nazi? As an anti-immigration march took place on the route of a mosque in Duisburg last weekend, remember that for a long time now the far-right extremists in Germany have tried to tone down their appearance in order to gain new followers

Casa Pound Italia: Neo-fascists on the rise

('sarhanh',) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:27:35 -0000

Casa Pound Italia is at the heart of the Italian Neo-fascist movement. 'We will build the world that we want!' cry the militants across the website of the group, inspired by a poet, and dedicated to action. Meanwhile there is no shortage of complaint, between accusations of violence, and questions being raised in parliament. A look at a movement inspired by fascism, but that refuses the label of 'extreme right'

The Netherlands, France, Italy: rise of Europe's right-wing

('sofio',) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:00:00 -0000

After Geert Wilders in Holland, the1 Le Pen family in France gained the votes at the regional elections on 14 March 2010, confirming the positive trend of extreme righ-wing at the old continent. Together with Italy's Lega Nord, these parties represent a practical example of new right populists who do not like to be labelled 'extremists'

Understanding nationalist ideology in Hungary: 'enormous potential for violence'

('Andrew Christie',) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:00:00 -0000

Victory in April’s elections is assured for the populist opposition party (Fidesz) and right-wing extremists (Jobbik). Magdalena Marsovszky, a Germano-Hungarian cultural scientist researching anti-semitism and right-wing extremism in Hungary, explains

‘Many people in Bulgaria are left-wing - but don’t dare to say it’

('Andrew Burgess',) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:35:51 -0000

With only 18% of the vote in the last legislative elections in September 2009, the Bulgarian socialist party (BSP) is nowadays a rather sluggish opposition. Its leaders, nostalgic former communists, are joined on the left of the political spectrum by youngsters with ideas and dreams. Part two in a five part 'EU crisis on the ground' city series

'Identity convention': Europe’s far right throng in the south of France

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:30:51 -0000

Between 17-18 October, young militants are attending a second meetup at the Palais des Princes in Orange. French anti-racist NGO Sos Racism react to their message of ‘political sensitivity spreading through Europe’, which is both welcome and unwelcome in the south of France

Trade of Nazi propaganda is booming in Poland

('Steven Lydon',) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Punishable in Germany, legal in Poland: SS badges, swastikas, t-shirts illustrated with extreme-right symbolism and far-right music are sold in border markets on the Oder and Neisse. Poland is the biggest producer of nazi propaganda in Europe. Although the marketing of political goals is forbidden, trade with Nazi devotees is not

EU election results: France, Holland poor socialist performance

('Lydia Bigos',) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:11:42 -0000

The EU elections between 4 and 7 June 2009 have revealed the high price of political opportunism in 2005, when they opposed the European constitution

Anti-immigration, eurosceptic 'freedom party': what Geert Wilders wants

('Christian Derlagen',) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:49:56 -0000

The far right Dutch party has gained four seats in European parliament elections: to date, it is the second best result in Netherlands, after the christian democrats with 5. Participation has fallen to 36.5%. Dutch press and analysts say it may provoke new parliamentary elections, because the ruling coalition (of the christian democrats and the social democrats) has been weakened

Anti Jean-Marie Le Pen amendment: EU parliament wants to conceal the extremists

('Jonny S',) — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:00:00 -0000

The French nationalist, now in his eighties, is the oldest MEP. As such, if he is returned, the honour falls to him to chair the inaugural meeting on 14 July. However his revisionist assertions, repeated many times, disturb his fellow euro MPs. What action can be taken when European democracy is tainted with extremism?

The Baader-Meinhof Complex: Germany’s Oscar entry should be more honest

('Sarah Gray',) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Adapted from the book by Stefan Aust, the film is released in UK cinemas on 15 November. The story of the demystification of the terrorist group the Red Army Faction (RAF) is also the German entry for best foreign language film for the 2009 Oscars. Film review