Can Half of Europeans be Deemed "Extremists?"

[roo_ster]

Really.  When you've defined the views of half the population as extremist, I think you are the extreme one.

Okay, but if 63% of the French (the most ideologically influential country in recent centuries) are “extremists,” maybe they are actually “moderates” and the real extremists are the open borders elites?

Almost half of the adults in 12 European countries now hold anti-immigrant, nationalist views, according to major new research that reveals the spread of fringe political views into the mainstream.

BuzzFeed News has been given exclusive access to new data from YouGov, which polled more than 12,000 people across the continent to measure the extent of what it termed “authoritarian populist” opinions – a combination of anti-immigration sentiments, strong foreign policy views, and opposition to human rights laws, EU institutions, and European integration policies.

The YouGov findings are the first to capture the political attitudes that are both fuelling, and being fuelled by, upheaval across Europe and beyond – from the continent’s refugee crisis and the Brexit vote in Britain, to the burkini ban in France, to the rise of Donald Trump and the radical “alternative right” in the US.

In Britain, the poll found authoritarian populist attitudes were shared by 48% of adults, despite less than 20% of the population identifying itself as right-wing. Three months on from the EU referendum, prime minister Theresa May has responded this week by appealing directly to disaffected working-class voters with a promise to crackdown on immigration and reassert British sovereignty.

In France, a clear majority of people surveyed – 63% – held authoritarian populist views, while in Italy the figure was 47%. In Germany, it was 18%, which appears low by comparison but, given the country’s history and the extreme nature of its far-right groups, is regarded by analysts as surprisingly high.

[TommyGunn]

Almost half of the adults in 12 European countries now hold anti-immigrant, nationalist views, according to major new research that reveals the spread of fringe political views into the mainstream.

Hmmmm.  Perhaps it's an acquired taste?

[Scout26]

I like how they are already labelled as "Authoritarian" for not wanting immigrants in their country and are getting tired of Brussels regulating every last thing in their lives.   Sounds like they want LESS Authoritarianism in their lives.   But I guess they can't come out and call them what they really think of them "Nazis", for not accepting the loving embrace of the un-elected bureaucrats in Brussels. 

 

[MechAg94]

I think Nationalism and Anti-Immigrant views are the norm historically in Europe.  I wonder if those attitudes are reasserting themselves after getting knocked down by 2 world wars among other things.

[makattak]

I think Nationalism and Anti-Immigrant views are the norm historically. 

FTFY

[HankB]

Almost half of the adults in 12 European countries now hold anti-immigrant, nationalist views, according to major new research that reveals the spread of fringe political views into the mainstream.

Hmmmm.  Perhaps it's an acquired taste?

Or maybe by now the rest are immigrants?