Elections in Poland and Spain

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Clarissa

May 25, 2015

Poland and Spain held elections whose results moved both countries further down the anti-EU road. In Poland, this meant a move to the right, while in Spain this was a move to the left.

The left / right distinctions don’t matter that much any longer, though. They were a feature of the nation-state and are becoming irrelevant at the same pace as it disintegrates.

I’ve been hoping to see a real alternative to Spain ‘ s two leading parties for a while. And now that this alternative appeared, I couldn’t be more disappointed. The new party chose the lazy way of stoking the useless fires of anti-EU resentment instead of doing the actual work of party – building.

Of course, this is really great for the US because the only real competitor it has on the world stage is checking itself out of the game to chase after a fantasy.

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3 responses to “Elections in Poland and Spain”

cliff arroyo

May 25, 2015

Anit-EU feelings in Poland are greatly exaggerated by anyone who claims to believe something like that exists on any wide scale, especially among anyone under 50.

There’s frustration about employment and other issues but young people are not taking that out on the EU Poland has so far avoided the mass economic crisis that Spain is still mired in.

In Poland this election was mostly a case of a formerly respected figure (the incumbent) spiraling into anti-charisma and bumbling public appearances and an opposition that came loaded for bear (and a wildcard former pop singer candidate that syphoned enough votes away from the incumbent so that the opposition had a chance). It’s core voters (mostly older and/or eastern) showed up in force and the young mostly don’t vote much because they can’t be bothered.

Overall, there’s almost no real anti-EU feeling in Poland among younger people (I spend a lot of time around them and I’d know if it was a concern).

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cliff arroyo

May 25, 2015

“They were a feature of the nation-state and are becoming irrelevant at the same pace as it disintegrates”

Well so far, whatever it is that’s supposed to follow the nation state seems singularly incapable of making people think about much of anything important.

No one has found any political language that reflects the concerns that people have, much less offer any comprehensive view of a future that’s not just more of the present moment.

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1. Clarissa
  
  May 25, 2015
  “No one has found any political language that reflects the concerns that people have, much less offer any comprehensive view of a future that’s not just more of the present moment.”
  
  This is absolutely THE problem we are all facing right now.
  
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