BY Nawab Khan
BRUSSELS, May 8 (KUNA) -- Alongside the economic and financial crisis, Europe is facing a greater menace with the emergence of extremist right-wing political parties whose agenda is based on xenophobia, anti-immigration, and a virulent hostility toward Islam and Muslims.
Equally dreadful is the attempt by some main-stream European political parties and leaders to appease or even collaborate with these extremist groups in order to stay in power or secure votes.
According to western media reports, the defeated French President Nicolas Sarkozy tired to woo the votes of the far-right National Front which had won 18 percent in the first round of the presidential poll in France.
In the Netherlands, the coalition government recently collapsed after the anti-Islam political leader Geert Wilders withdrew his backing due to differences over the austerity budget.
In Greece, for the first time the neo-Nazi party Chrysi Avgi (Golden Dawn) has managed to win 21 seats in the 300-member parliament in Sunday's polls, a development that will send shivers among the foreigners living in the country. Its leader Nikolaos Michaloliakos has been quoted in media reports calling for the expulsion of legal and illegal foreigners living in Greece.
European Union Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele expressed his concern about any potential involvement of the Chrysi Avgi in a new Greek government. "Whatever government is formed, it is important that it follows the best democratic traditions of Greece within the spirit of the values the European Union is based on." "What is important is that no party connected or related to xenophobia or nationalism is a part of the executive branch of government," he added.
The barbaric killing of 77 people in July 2011 by the Norwegian Anders Behring Breivik with an anti-Muslim agenda is a stark reminder of increasing threats coming from the extreme right-wing ideology in Europe. He had justified the massacre as the start of a war to rid Europe of Islamization.
Analysts are also astonished over attempts made by some psychologists, medical and judicial experts, and some sections of the western press to declare the heinous Norwegian murderer as insane, although he himself insists that he is mentally stable.
Some experts opine that a climate of anti-Islam rhetoric by main-stream European political leaders provides fuel to the agenda of right-wing extremists.
Breivik denounced multiculturalism which is also now mainstream issue. German leader Angela Merkel, Sarkozy of France, and Prime Minister David Cameron in Britain are all on record declaring an end to multiculturalism.
Multiculturalism "has failed, utterly failed," Merkel was quoted saying.
Analysts are warning that immigrants and Muslims should not be made scapegoats for Europe's economic hardships and financial woes.
Indeed, these extremist groups pose a growing threat to the prospects of social cohesion and national security of Europe in the longer term.
The Europol in a recent report has warned that "the threat of violent right-wing extremism has reached new levels in Europe and should not be underestimated ... The threat will most likely come from lone actors, but organised underground groups also have the capability and intention to carry out attacks."(end) nk.wsa KUNA 081021 May 12NNNN