Exit polls for ARD and ZDF public television showed support for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats at 14%, below the 15.8% they managed in 2019 and far below their showing in Germany’s last national election in 2021.

Far-right parties rattled the traditional powers in the European Union and made major gains in parliamentary elections Sunday, dealing an especially humiliating defeat to French President Emmanuel Macron.

On a night where the 27-member bloc palpably shifted to the right, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni more than doubled her seats in the EU parliament. And even if the Alternative for Germany extreme right party was hounded by scandal involving candidates, it still rallied enough seats to sweep past the slumping Social Democrats of Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Sensing a threat from the far right, the Christian Democrats of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had already shifted further to the right on migration and climate ahead of the elections — and were rewarded by remaining by far the biggest group in the 720-seat European Parliament and de facto brokers of the ever expanding powers of the legislature.

  • FlowVoid@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    5 months ago

    He considered himself an other in a country that wasn’t his own, he’s an immigrant.

    No, he’s not an immigrant. By definition, immigrants and emigrants migrate, ie they move somewhere else. It’s right there in the word.

    If you live in the same place you were born, you aren’t an immigrant.

    History shows the charismatic strongman

    “Strongman” is defined as a “one who leads or controls by force of will and character or by military methods”. That does not include David Koch or anyone else who merely finances a political movement.

    shitty people doing shitty things that make it shitty for everyone else

    Well, if you’re arguing that wars tend to be preceded by the actions of shitty people in general then I won’t dispute that fact.

    • Madison420@lemmy.world
      1·
      5 months ago

      There was migration ie colonials moving in and making his nation not a nation any longer. You’re being tedious.

      Arguably yes, historically no.

      That’s a definition sure, you are aware English changes through time, context and situation. He’s an economic strongman, what even are you arguing for or against at this point? Do you even know?

      That would be nearly as dumb, not quite but real close.

      • FlowVoid@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        5 months ago

        Yes, colonists were immigrants. Under colonialism, the immigrants are the ones in power.

        You previously argued that wars were preceded by fear of immigrants and the rise of political leaders like Hitler. Now it seems you mean the existence of immigrants and rich people like Koch.

        But that comparison is pointless. Immigrants and rich people preceded WW1, WW2, the American revolution, the invention of penicillin, every Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, and every Cat 4-5 hurricane.

        That’s because there are always immigrants and there are always rich people. So pointing out that they also exist right now is not particularly concerning.