The advance of the far right during the last European elections, more particularly in France, does not bode well. Although its victories were not as great as had been predicted, the movement was growing in popularity and depth. Looking to the future does not allow us to be optimistic: the far right could win other elections and establish itself as an obstacle to democracy.
Let’s imagine the worst. The legislative elections in France, called by Emmanuel Macron, are won by the National Rally, which has a majority in the National Assembly. In the United States, as polls indicate, Donald Trump seizes power and establishes the most radically right-wing government in the history of the United States. In Canada, Pierre Poilievre’s “common sense” prevails in the next elections: elected, he privatizes, implements severe austerity measures and dismantles what was put in place to reduce global warming, such as the carbon tax.
Trump is turning the US economy in on itself and supporting authoritarian regimes, that of Russia among others, which is gradually winning its war against Ukraine and taking possession of this territory. Israel is encouraged to further oppress the Palestinian people, while China finally finds the right opportunity to send its troops to Taiwan, which will find itself isolated in its battle against its powerful invader. Countries led by authoritarian regimes and the far right form a new International which is characterized by bellicose policies, by extreme control of the media and populations, facilitated by artificial intelligence.
In Western countries having shifted to the extreme right, foreigners, the rights of minorities and women are being attacked in a climate of hatred and repression. Environmental protection is no longer a priority and global warming is accelerating significantly. Thermal engine vehicles are regaining their place and the exploitation of hydrocarbons is experiencing new expansion. If we constrain the movement capacity of individuals, especially the poorest, capital moves freely, and reduced taxation for the rich further accentuates the gaps between the wealthiest citizens and the rest of the population. population. Libertarians have the ear of the powers that be.
This scenario worthy of a dystopia, which would have seemed highly improbable a few years ago, is indeed unfolding, gradually. As if a significant part of humanity had to experience, willingly or by force, its great moment of submission to the extreme right, and this, with the significant agreement of a large number of citizens in several democratic countries .
It is difficult to think about all this without sinking into a demobilizing pessimism, without losing a hope necessary to continue changing things for the better. We need to hear voices within us that whisper to us, with more or less conviction, some truths that we need to remember.
That people are recovering from the extreme right, as in Brazil or Poland, while declines have been observed in India, Hungary and Sweden. That the extreme right no longer resembles what it once was, that it has calmed down, refocused, that it has relegated torture, executions and its cult of violence to history (even if this is unfortunately not the case in all countries). That democratic change will come to an end, in a perhaps long process, when we have suffered the consequences of our harmful choices. That humanity has made such progress, in the areas of law, education, health, access to culture, in the acquisition of material well-being, so much so that it might no longer accept certain regressions.
We tell ourselves that history is not a linear path to progress, that progress is often interspersed with spectacular falls, like the two world wars. But while waiting for everything to recover, if it does, the regressions are difficult to accept. And this, both in terms of living together and the environment.
Not everything is over, of course. It is possible that populations will decide otherwise, in the United States more specifically, with the ripple effect (in one direction or the other) that will result. Against the far right, above all, we need solid institutions, a strong social movement, independent media, good social policies, an economy that holds up, a good distribution of wealth.
All this seems acquired in Quebec (despite certain inevitable ups and downs), where, moreover, there is no real far-right party. But the icy wind blowing across the world has cause for concern: how much longer can we hold out?