The 'Threat To Democracy' Isn't White Americans, It's Democrats
FederalistFEB 2024
Report: 'Rule of Law' in Decline Across EU
Image copyright: Jonas Gratzer/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
European democracy is deteriorating. Governments rush to pass laws without citizen involvement, resulting in lower-quality laws. Important safeguards to freedom of expression like the right to peaceful protest and freedom of the press are also threatened. Even in established democracies like Sweden and Italy, far-right parties are gaining support. The strength of democracy and the rule of law in Europe is far from guaranteed and must be strengthened by institutions.
Establishment-critical narrative
European voters are losing faith in the traditional political parties. They want things to change. People all around Europe can feel the economic fallout from the war in Ukraine, a pandemic, a banking crisis, and a cost-of-living crisis. People vote on right-wing parties that vow to protect people from perceived and real external threats, such as immigration and Euroscepticism. If the political establishment parties had performed better and met the needs of their voters, this situation would not have occurred.