As inflation rates rise, the “Trump effect” is approaching the heart of Europe

Moreover, there is a widespread perception among this white European majority that the European Commission has become something out of reach, and that it operates in the absence of national entities. Even Europe’s “green agenda,” which attracts much praise from the left around the world, is creating internal problems and divisions. It is still not possible to rule out the influence of some “fake news” and even the Russians in destabilizing European democracies.

This is the second wave of the far right in Europe. The first occurred in the United Kingdom, with Brexit and Boris Johnson’s victory. The phenomenon then reached the Americas with Donald Trump in the United States, Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, and most recently Javier Miley in Argentina. The left also benefited from this populism with Lopez Obrador in Mexico.

Now the phenomenon has renewed. In Germany, the right is gaining more strength, but with the support of the far right, despite the shock of Nazism that stops this kind of progress. Poland, Spain and Austria follow the same path. But what is most worrying, without a doubt, is France, with all its symbolism.

Fearing to let his government bleed, Emmanuel Macron took action and called new legislative elections. It is not yet certain that Marine Le Pen’s bloc will be able to win, but it has a tangible chance – and that in itself is shocking. If France migrates to the far right, what will be the effects on Europe and the world?

Experts interviewed for the article believe that the European Union is unlikely to disintegrate given the heavy dependence that countries have developed on each other, but that there will be a weakening of its institutions and policies. Environmental and immigration policies will certainly become more conservative. Supranational bodies, especially the European Commission, will be undermined from within, which brings a lower political cost but an equally detrimental effect on integration.

If Trump also wins in the United States, the global effects will be greater. It is noted that Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu are working to prolong the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza for as long as possible, while awaiting the electoral processes in Europe and the United States. The European Union is unlikely to withdraw its support for the Ukrainians completely, but the situation there will become more sensitive. The pieces on the global chessboard are moving, and Democrats around the world should not underestimate these moves.