The rise of Europe's new far right

Forget the grumpy old men and swastikas its leading members are women. But old resentments lurk behind the new look.

- Ian Buruma

Not so long ago, the far right in Europe was associated with shabby old men nostalgic for the good old days of order and jackboots. The far-right political parties in France and Italy, now led by women, were founded by former SS officers, veterans of the collaborationist Vichy government, and other dubious figures who had emerged from the shadows of World War II. The same goes for the Democrats in Sweden, who won 20.6 per cent of the votes in the most recent general election.

Clearly, much has changed in the European post-fascist firmament. Ms Giorgia Meloni, leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, will be the country's first woman prime minister. Ms Marine Le Pen's National Rally won 89 seats in the French Parliament. And the Sweden Democrats will have a strong voice in national politics, even though they will stay outside the government.

Not only women, but also young men, usually smartly turned out in tailor-made suits, now set the tone for the European far right. Moderate conservative parties in Europe have not yet been taken over by extremists, as happened with the Republicans in the United States, but fear of losing votes has driven them further towards the fringe.

This does not mean that we are about to wake up in 1933. History never repeats itself in the same way. Ms Meloni is not Mussolini, and there is no Hitler, so far, lurking in the wings. There are in any case many versions of right-wing extremism. The same was true of pre-war fascism. Each country has its own history, and its own brand of demagoguery.

POLITICS OF RESENTMENT