With global crisis, unemployment, dissatisfaction, poverty and intolerance has increased and with it also nationalism. Political parties with nationalist platforms are rising and gaining more support around the world and Europe is no exception.
In Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom and across Europe we can see the rise of the right. The financial crisis in the Eurozone and beyond has triggered rising of nationalists and far-right political parties. The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) on 9th of July released a report about the dramatic increase in anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, online hate speech and xenophobic political discourse as the main trends in 2014.
Nationalism can be positive with legitimacy, promotion of nations and inspiration for citizens or negative by creating tensions between different ethnicity and groups in or outside the country. Some negative aspects of ideology or political movement can be seen in the latest football matches in the Balkans, where supporters of team groups have burned many national flags and hooliganism that is the result of long lasting hatred and nationalism on the ground. Every country has its own history and different positions, but still similarities could be found.
The country all news is regarding to in recent times is Greece. A known slogan “Greece for Greeks” is well known in its anti-austerity party. Attacks against minorities and immigrants with racism are seen in one of the European Union (EU) members. Golden Dawn neo-Nazi party is linked to hundreds of violent attacks against minorities. It is known for anti-immigration, racist-nationalist worldview. With elections being held this year in January the party captured 6.3% of the vote and 17 senate seats in Hellenic parliament and become the country’s third largest party. In 2014 the party won 9.4% of votes in European parliamentary election and with it 3 seats out of 21. The party has been put on a trial this year for its criminal activity. Nationalism in Greece has divided citizens and noncitizens to us and them and created the gap between both. With the economic crisis, Greeks debt, overall economic meltdown, unemployment and increasing number of refugees from different countries, the party led by Nikos Michaloliakos has gained more support and caused even greater intolerance to foreign people in need. Unfortunately, they are not the only one spreading intolerance. Many politicians have a stance against immigrants, which shapes the Greeks’ attitude towards nationalism.
Also in neighboring country FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) “Macedonia” who wants to join the EU and the North Atlantic Organization (NATO), but Greece suggests that this will not happen until they resolve the name issue, right wing party has a lot of influence. A symbolic dispute over the name and heritage of Macedonia is blocking country to joint Euro-Atlantic integration. The country is officially recognized by 120 countries, but it is faced with continued denial of Macedonian identity by its neighbors, Bulgarians, Serbians and Greeks. The leading right political party VMRO-DMNE with more support from public from latest elections is involved in political tensions with opposition that those not approve election results. Fear of nationalism and ethnic suppression is widespread because of the past in a country where 25% of the population are Albanian Muslims, 65% Macedonian Slav and Turks, Roma, Serbs, Vlach and Bosnian minorities. Dissatisfactions have been raised by minority groups, despite Ohrid agreement which should provide equality among different groups. Questions are rising like this one: is Macedonia because of overall situation heading towards extreme nationalism?
Strong nationalism could also be found in Serbia. In the past was support for The Serbian Radical’s leader Vojislav Šešelj, that was accused and indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICT) for Crimes against Humanity and War crimes of former Yugoslavia in the 1990 wars for whom UN prosecutors demanded a 28-year prison sentence and been provisionally released after 11 years based on health problems, a lot stronger than today. The party won in 1992 22.58% of the popular vote and after that in parliamentary elections saw four higher results in 1997, 2003, 2007 and 2008, but in the last two elections did not get into the National Assembly of Serbia. Core ideology was the goal of creating a greater Serbia, opposing to European integration and globalization and regarding Ratko Mladić and Radovan Karadžić as Serbian heroes. The Serbian far-right leader was welcomed as a Serb Hero by hundreds of supporters, which was in neighboring countries seen as a defeat of the judicial system and injustice. With Serbs seeking EU integration nationalism seems to have taken a second place even though the football match with Albania has shown us that Serbian nationalism is still much alive. Slogan Kosovo is Serbia is another point of nationalism since after seven years no concrete answer towards solution has been achieved.
A Kosovo report by Council of Europe in 2013 revealed a negative trend towards nationalism. Social cohesion was endangered with limited tolerance for minority languages, cultures, traditions and identities. Authorities do not support platforms for interaction and dialog between communities, minorities do not participate in decision making. In 2014 Kosovo parliament elections, Democratic Party of Kosovo with Hashim Thaci as a leader won the most of the popular vote. Party got 32.1% and 37 seats out of 120. Nationalism is strong in the country that has unilaterally declared independence in 2008 and has so far support and recognition of 108 United Nations members and 4 other states and entities.
In many other countries that were not exposed similar situation with rising nationalism and right wing parties exists. What those parties have in common is nationalism, many of them anti-migration politics, conservatism, Euroscepticism but on the other side they have different goals. Nationalist parties in Europe are rising and with it also nationalism in Europe. The continent that wants to look like a whole from the outside is drifting apart from its goal to work and present itself as one. Is nationalist wave going to hurt Europe or EU integration? Should we be worried? Is nationalism causing even more conflicts in recent so unrest region in Europe? Is nationalism the last brick in the wall that is going to promote anger and blame without understanding and respect with a hostile public opinion which will lead to the further insecurity or tensions?