Europe’s far-right shun Trump’s strategist
Steve Bannon, the former political strategist to Donald Trump, fails in his European populist ambitions.
Attempts by Steve Bannon, the former political strategist to Donald Trump, "to forge a united right-wing populist movement" in Europe before next year's European Parliament election don't seem to be gaining much ground, says Joshua Posaner on Politico. Germany's far-right AfD party has "poured cold water" on the idea, while "other right-wing political figures have also pushed back against Bannon's scheme to push an anti-establishment, Eurosceptic agenda ahead of the election".
One reason for this "chilly" reception is that Bannon is too toxic, says Rebecca Tan in The Washington Post. "European leaders are wary of associating themselves too closely with Bannon in part because he represents a particularly extreme brand of right-wing politics that could make it harder for European parties to win new supporters." Many populist leaders in Europe have also "bristled" at being led by an American, particularly because he "doesn't seem to understand cultural differences among right-wing parties".
It's debatable whether the European far-right needs Bannon's help, since they are doing well without him, says John Lloyd on Reuters. The AfD is in third place in the polls in Germany, as are the Swedish Democrats. The Lega Nord is already part of the governing coalition in Italy, while Viktor Orban's Fidesz party "had a third smash victory in the election this year". Bannon's reach "may exceed his grasp", but issues such as immigration from Africa mean that some force is still with these parties. "The far-right will stay on a high for some time longer yet."
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
-
UK inflation slowed again in March – but a rate cut could be some months away
The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data came in at 3.2% for March. This was slightly higher than some economists expected, but takes us closer to the Bank of England’s 2% inflation target.
By Katie Williams Published
-
Pension vs property: which option provides the best income for your retirement?
News With the cost of a comfortable retirement on the rise, future retirees need to weigh up which strategy offers the best returns. But is a pension a better bet than property?
By Henry Sandercock Published