| Author (Person) | Dennison, Susi |
|---|---|
| Publisher | European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) |
| Publication Date | 26/06/2016 |
| Content Type | Report |
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As the political earthquake caused by the UKIP-orchestrated British leave vote on the 23 June 2016 reverberated across the EU, the full force of European anti-establishment parties hit home. Sinn Fein called for a vote on reunifying Ireland and Northern Ireland, and pressure mounted from the Scottish National Party for a second independence referendum. The rest of the EU was in no way insulated from the impact of the Brexit vote. Within hours of the UK’s decision, the news had been welcomed by 'insurgent' parties across the continent – the Front National in France, the PVV in the Netherlands; the AFD in Germany; Lega Nord in Italy; and FPO in Austria, all calling for the referendum to be emulated in their countries. Across Europe, traditional political elites were challenged by newer, smaller, and leaner parties from both left and right. They were winning office – currently holding 1,329 seats in 25 countries – and playing a role in government in eight member states. They were capturing the political agenda and forcing mainstream parties to adopt their positions. Their weapon of choice was undoubtedly the referendum, used to whip up popular support for their pet issues. Now more than ever, ECFR said it was important to understand what these new political forces stood for, and what they really thought. ECFR had carried out the first comprehensive survey of these outsiders, identifying 45 parties, analysing their public statements, and interviewing the representatives of 41 of them – the full results was due to be published on the 27 June 2016. |
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source http://www.ecfr.eu/publications/summary/the_world_according_to_europes_insurgent_parties7055 |
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| Countries / Regions | Austria, Europe, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom |
