A leftwing victory in Berlin shows people want freedom, and liberals cannot deliver it | Eva von Redecker
Die Linke’s surge was propelled by a compelling promise: for voters to have the freedom to stay in their city. This is how to fight back against the far rightThe German leftwing party Die Linke won the state elections in Berlin on 20 September. It’s…
Switzerland’s love of referendums keeps the far right at bay | Joseph de Weck
Brexit gave direct democracy a bad name. But the Swiss approach could be what Europe needs nowFascism rests on a two-part confidence trick. First, a leader claims to embody the will of the people. Then they argue that only by being granted sweeping…
France’s far-right National Rally surges in Senate elections
Marine Le Pen hails ‘historic victory’ as her party and allies win enough seats to form caucus just months ahead of presidential pollFrance’s far-right National Rally (RN) party and its allies have secured a record 14 seats in the rightwing-dominated…
Swiss voters reject stricter neutrality rules that would have curbed Nato cooperation
70% vote against tightening centuries-old neutrality, which far right said was being eroded by sanctions against RussiaSwiss voters have decisively rejected a proposal for a strict definition of neutrality that would have required Switzerland to curb…
Look again – there’s more to Germany’s election trends than far-right success | Cas Mudde
Defeatist narratives abound. Yet Germany’s latest elections suggest voter dissatisfaction is benefiting the left as well as the rightGermany held three regional elections this month and, although each of them had a unique result, much of the media and…
The west is in freefall – and the worst part is that we were warned, but chose not to listen | Owen Jones
Endless pursuit of wealth and power by western leaders led us here. What strikes me most is how many saw what was comingThe symptoms of decline are everywhere you look. On Sunday, Germany’s far right won another state election, taking nearly 40% of the…
The Guardian view on Russian disinformation: a foreign threat that relies on UK complicity | Editorial
Andy Burnham’s accusation against the Kremlin tells half the story. Domestic extremists amplified by US big tech are part of the same problemIn November 2020, Barack Obama warned of an “epistemological crisis” facing western democracies. Polarisation and…