European Elections: Stop the rise of the Far Right

Earlier this month, members of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality (JCORE) met to discuss a pressing issue relevant to themselves as well as to the black and minority ethnic community; the upcoming European elections, and the possibility of the far-right gaining more seats than ever before.

Ancient rabbinical literature speaks of the virtue of “Tikkun Olam,” or “repairing the world.” In the Jewish community, it has come to be associated with charity and social action. Throughout history, Jews were persecuted and discriminated against, forced to move from place to place. JCORE tries to “repair the world” by making sure that members of other minorities are not forced to live the same story.

The event was hosted by Dr. Edie Friedman, Founder and Executive Director and speakers included for MEP Glyn Ford and Hope not Hate Co-ordinator Nick Lowles.

Meeting attendees expressed worries that if far-right parties win more seats in the upcoming European election, an anti-immigrant, racist, islamophobic, and anti-semitic climate will develop. The audience recognised the power of the ‘politics of fear’ and that some might favor the anti-immigrant stance of UKIP and the BNP, out of fear that their children might face a shortage of life opportunities if immigration increases. However, one man in the audience stressed that the Jewish community should be sympathetic to immigrants:

We need to remind people that if their parents aren’t immigrants, their grandparents were,”

said an elderly man in the audience.

We’ve been here before,”

agreed Lowles, a stark reminder that the Jews were once in the same position as the thousands of immigrants and asylum seekers today.

JCORE and others present at the meeting are strategising on how to awaken the Jewish vote and make sure that there is a voice defending the black, minority ethnic, and Jewish communities. If action is not taken, the results could be disastrous.

As it is, BME representation in the European Parliament is terribly low. Only 15 out of the 766 MEPs are BME, which is equivalent to less than 2%. With 28 countries comprising the European Parliament the levels of under-representation are dire, not even averaging out to one BME MEP per nation.

Not only is the BME voice lacking in the European Parliament, but the presence of far-right parties is growing. Recent research by the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation claims that extremely right-wing parties might win as many as 25% of the European Parliament seats in May.

One of the strongest parties is the French Front National party, which is known for having an anti-Islamic attitude. The party’s current leader Marine Le Pen made remarks in 2010 comparing public Muslim prayer to Nazi Occupation.

There are no tanks, no soldiers, but it is still an occupation, and it weighs on people,”

she said in a televised speech. Scarily enough, the recent French municipal elections established the Front National as the country’s third-largest party. They currently hold three seats in the European Parliament, but Hope Not Hate is estimating they may win as many as seventeen seats in May.

Then there is Geert Wilders, head of the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV). At a speech made at the Hague, "the only major city where the PVV was able to win any seats in the recent municipal elections.", Wilders asked the crowd if they wanted more or fewer Moroccans in the country. The crowd started chanting “Fewer! Fewer!” Wilders responding with: “Then we’ll see to that.”

Or, what about the Greek party Golden Dawn, whose members praise Hitler, a man who believed in one dominate race? They currently have three seats in the Greek parliament, and could be gaining momentum.

There is not much we can do about the representatives that other countries elect. There will be racist, anti-Islamic members of Parliament. What we can do is make sure that none of them come from the UK. There is some good news: The number of BME MEPs for the UK has the potential to almost double. We must vote on May 22nd to ensure that there are people representing the Black and minority ethnic community.

As the ancient Rabbi Hillel once said:

If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? If not now, when?”

Make sure someone stands for you and your community in the next European Parliament.

Belinda Schwarz