Far-right gains in European elections
01 January 1991
Far-right gains in European elections
artdoc June=1992
There was a dramatic shift to the right in two regional elections
held in Germany during April. In the south the Republican Party
won 11% of the poll (gaining 530,000 votes) in Baden-Wurttemberg
giving them 15 seats in the state parliament. The ruling
Christian Democratic Union gained 39% of the vote, down 10% on
the 1988 elections, and lost their overall majority. The Social
Democrats received 30% of the vote (down 3%) in second place. In
the north, in the Schlesweig-Holstein election, the neo-nazi
German People's Union (DVU) unexpectedly got 6.5% of the poll
(93,000 votes), finishing in third place and securing 6 seats.
This result follows on from their success in neighbouring Bremen
in last years election. The governing Social Democrats barely
held on to their majority and saw their support drop by 9% from
the 1988 elections to 46%. The Christian Democrats finished
second with 40%. Both of the far-right parties targeted refugees
and immigrants during their campaign and it seems likely that the
mainstream parties will rapidly introduce even more stringent
measures to deal with so-called `economic refugees' in light of
their defeat.
In France the National Front won 38% of the vote in the Nice
(14th canton) by-election during February. With a 39% turn out
their candidate, Jean Peyrat, finished 20% clear of his nearest
rival from the Union for French Democracy.
During the March regional elections they polled an average of
14%, (up 4% on the 1988 national assembly election), after a
campaign that was marked by clashes between demonstrators and
right wing NF extremists. Rioting broke out in Paris and a 20
year old demonstrator was shot and wounded by National Front
stewards in the southern city of Nimes. National Front leader,
Jean Marie Le Pen, came second in the Provence-Alpes-Cotes d'Azur
region with 23% of the vote; they finished in second place in
Alsace (17.4%) and Ile-de-France (16.3%) also, but failed in
their attempt to win control of targeted areas. The election was
a disaster for the ruling Socialists who received only 18% of the
vote and lost five departmental councils.
The Northern League, an umbrella party for the Lombard League
and other rightwing federalist groups, made disturbing gains in
the Italian general election in April. They gained nearly 9% of
the vote to become Italy's fourth largest party. Before the
election Umberto Bossi, the League's leader, was their only
member of parliament; now they have 55 seats in the chamber of
deputies and 25 in the senate. The League won almost a quarter
of the vote in Milan but lost Brescia which they took from the
Christian Democrats last year.
Guardian 6.4.92, 8.4.92; Independent 18.2.92, 23.3.92, 31.3.92,
8.4.92.
Statewatch, vol 2, no 3, May-June 1992
Europe Racism