Strategies to overcome left- and right-wing-extremism Workshop

1. Strategies to overcome left- and right-wing-extremismWorkshop Prof. Dr. FlorianHartleb International University of Executive Management Berlin Head of the Institute for Political Management 20 July 2010

2. Workshop: Strategies to overcome left and right-wing extremism Definition • extremism: - common core, both left and right • principles: - against the values of liberal democracy; opposite • features: - thinking in categories such as friend- enemy-pattern - dogmatism - theories of conspiracy - illusion of a future in harmony (“a better world”) - strong leadership - collectivism instead of individualism

3. Workshop: Strategies to overcome left and right-wing extremism Radical right-wing parties in Europe • Anti-party parties • since the 1980s with an anti-establishment-position and taboo-breaking protest subjects • over and over again election success on national level, thus in France, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Scandinavia • individual abilities of a charismatic leader such as Jörg Haider, Heinz-Christian Strache, Jean-Marie Le Pen, Silvio Berlusconi, Umberto Bossi, Pim Fortuyn, Geert Wilders, Carl Hagen, Pia Kjärsgaard or Christoph Blocher. • also successful in Eastern Europe

4. Workshop: Strategies to overcome left and right-wing extremism Radicalright-wingparties in Europe • not very often: classical extremist parties • modernization process (accepting the rules of democracy) • populism and radicalism (not strict extremism) • new factor extremism in classical style, e.g. Jobbik in Hungary (Antisemitism; Roma phobia)

5. Workshop: Strategies to overcome left and right-wing extremism Radicalright-wingparties in Europe • Topics:new rules (« democracy through the people ») • Enemies:- people outside the nation -Politics of exclusion - Islamphobia - Romaphobia -Antisemitism (“classical extremism”)

6. Workshop: Strategies to overcome left and right-wing extremism Populist radical right wing parties in government • Austria (FPÖ, BZÖ): factor since 2000 • Croatia (HDZ): 1990 – 2000 • Estonia (ERSP): 1992-1995 • Italy: LN (1994 and since 2001) • Poland: LPR (relevance 2006) • Serbia (SRS; 1998-2000) • Slovakia (SNS): relevance 2006 • Switzerland

7. Workshop: Strategies to overcome left and right-wing extremism Centre- right strategies to overcome nationalism • coalition vs. cordon sanitaire • desillusion in responsibility? • Topics: islam, immigration, taboos in politics • Question of leadership (charisma)

8. Workshop: Strategies to overcome left and right-wing extremism Communism • still a factor since 1990 • European left (trans- national cooperations) • internationalism • Marxist-leninist-parties • new factor: anti-globalization movement • idols: Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez • special case: China • death of communism

9. Workshop: Strategies to overcome left and right-wing extremism Comparison of left- and right-wing extremism • authoritarism • criticism of liberal democracy • dogmatism • anti-globalization topics and movement

10. Workshop: Strategies to overcome left and right-wing extremism Fivechallengesdemandandsupplyside • rebuilding democratic systems: low turnout, decline of People´s parties, changing societies • financial crisis (€uro-currency) • Islam (Migration topic) • question of leadership in Europe • vision of European Union