Future of social democrats in Europe faces challenges

By Semir Sejfovic

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (AA) – Social democrats in Europe has faced significant political setbacks in recent years, exemplified by electoral defeats to nationalists, ultra-conservatives, and far-right parties in several EU member states.

Such parties appealed to voters who feel left out by mainstream politics, often using anti-immigrant and anti-establishment rhetoric to attract support.

In France, the far-right National Front made it to the second round of the 2017 presidential election, while in Austria this January, the Freedom Party made significant gains in parliamentary elections, and in Italy’s 2022 snap elections, the far-right gained popularity, winning a majority.

Farid Hafez, a visiting professor of international studies at Williams College in the US state of Massachusetts, argued that social democrats need to do more to address the underlying issues that are driving the rise of far-right populism in Europe.

Hafez told Anadolu in an email interview: "Social democracy has full-filled its purpose in creating welfare states and social policies for everyone but has lost its appeal with voters who prioritize identity, something that the far-right managed to capitalize on.

“Social democracy needs to be more proactive in offering answers to questions of identity in order to tackle racism and xenophobia to do more to engage racialized marginalized communities as well as the white working poor that are both most affected by economic hardships."

- New vision

The challenges facing social democrats in Europe are significant, and a new vision seems to be needed to address the needs and aspirations of ordinary citizens.

One such vision is put forth by the European Social Democratic Party, which advocates a European social market economy that prioritizes social justice, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.

This vision has been articulated by many social democratic leaders across Europe, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

In a recent speech, Scholz argued that "a social market economy is the answer to the major challenges of our time, from climate change to digitization, and from globalization to demographic change."

He called for policies that promote economic growth and job creation while also addressing inequality and protecting the environment.

Other social democratic leaders have also called for a renewed focus on social justice and equality.

In Sweden, the Social Democrats have called for policies that promote greater gender equality and tackle climate change.

In Spain, the Socialist Party implemented policies that prioritize the rights of workers, including raising the minimum wage and strengthening labor protections yet still fell short in Andalusia’s 2022 regional elections, losing to its right-wing archrivals, the People’s Party (PP).

- Rise of far-right populism

For social democrats, the rise of far-right populism and authoritarianism poses a significant threat to the future of democracy and social justice in the region.

But according to Hafez, this can also present an opportunity: “The future prospect of social democratic movements is addressing the issue of class inequality, the ongoing struggle of capital versus work, inflation, and other economic crises, where a huge potential arises for social democratic parties to make a big comeback.”

This, he said, would “depend on the leadership of the social democrats and how they will appeal to voters who left them for the far-right or how they will draw in voters who feel marginalized."

Ultimately, some argue, social democrats need to develop a more holistic approach that addresses the root causes of inequality and discrimination and builds stronger alliances with marginalized communities. By doing so, they could regain political relevance and provide a viable alternative to the far-right populism that many believe threaten democracy, equality, and social justice in Europe.

In Swedish elections last September, voters supported far-right parties, resulting in an unusual electoral outcome for a country with immense social programs, accomplished by social democratic governments of the past.

For current Premier Ulf Kristersson – who took office in October – and his Moderate Party, this is the first opportunity to form a government despite it getting fewer votes than the Sweden Democrats. Analysts ascribed this unprecedented arrangement to the ambivalence of other Swedish parliamentary parties towards the extremist roots of the Sweden Democrats, a party called far-right and Islamophobic by its critics.

- Racism, xenophobia

According to Hafez, social democrats have “historically been too focused on economic issues, such as welfare and health care, and has neglected issues of identity, racism, and xenophobia. As a result, far-right parties have been able to exploit these issues to gain political support, by framing themselves as defenders of national identity and cultural values.”

European countries moving to the far right has alarmed many observers. In Italy, Premier Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy was described by the media as “the most far-right government since the fascist era of Benito Mussolini.” Other European nations such as Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, France, and the UK all witnessed a surge of far-right parties elected by at least 10% more voters than in previous years.

Many far-right parties view the EU with suspicion or outright hostility, as a threat to national sovereignty – a bureaucracy in which “nationalist” forces have no voice.

But far-right parties are often deeply divided regarding major political issues and lack a common vision on what the future should look like.

Many right parties, grudgingly, support the Western NATO alliance, while other more extreme right groups favor an approach akin to that of former US President Trump’s "make America great again," with self-centered and national interests as priorities.

A growing concern among many far-right parties or nationalists is a unipolar world dominated by the US, and some even embrace a stronger Russia to counter US hegemony. But Eastern European far-right groups, like PiS in Poland and EKRE in Estonia, tend to be deeply “Russophobic” and prefer a US-dominated world, especially after the Ukraine-Russia war that erupted last year.