European Xenophobia

“A far-right anti-immigration party in Sweden has won seats in parliament for the first time, denying the governing centre-right coalition an overall majority.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11370857

The ascent of European xenophobia continues, with parliamentary gains by the anti-immigrant Swedish Democrats following similar victories by the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) in Switzerland, the Party for Freedom (PVV) in the Netherlands, and the British National Party (BNP). The next time someone pushes the narrative that Europe is more tolerant than America, inform or remind them that overtly anti-Islamic, anti-immigrant parties are making significant gains in European parliaments. The SVP, for example, is the largest political party in Switzerland (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7054932.stm). The PVV has 24 of the 150 seats in the Dutch Parliament (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10271153). The BNP does not any seats in the British Parliament, but they do have two seats in the European Parliament (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8088381.stm).

Swiss People’s Party (SVP): “A poster campaign depicting three white sheep standing on the Swiss flag, with one craftily kicking away a black sheep, has been launched and plastered on to billboards, into newspapers and posted to every home in a direct mailshot.”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-480493/Proposed-Swiss-immigration-laws-rise-new-racism-xenophobia.html

British National Party (BNP): “The British National Party voted today to change its constitution to allow black and Asian people to become members.” http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7026702.ece

Party for Freedom (PVV): "I want to encourage Muslims to leave the Netherlands voluntarily.” – Geert Wilders, Dutch MP and leader of the PVV http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL242937120070224

Jacob Nelson