Hacia la Europa de los Trump

El renacimiento del nacionalismo en Europa ha dejado de ser una amenaza potencial para convertirse en un peligro político real. Un peligro que en pocos años acabará con el proyecto de construcción europea,  si no logramos evitarlo.

A diferencia de EEUU, no tendremos un sólo gran Donald Trump porqué no existen los Estados Unidos de Europa, pero tendremos pequeños Trumps encumbrados en las jefaturas de Estado o de gobierno en una decena de países europeos.

Tendemos a cerrar los ojos ante las cosas que no nos gustan, minimizando sus expectativas de victoria, pero si esta se produce será arrolladora. Muchos se sorprenderan, pero lo que va a pasar está a la vista de quién quiera ver: una marea de frustración está hinchando a los políticos nacional-populistas en todo el continente. Lo cuenta ahora este reportaje del Wall Street Journal:

In an echo of Donald Trump ’s rise in the U.S., an increasing number of Europeans are rejecting basic principles shared by the center-left and center-right. These voters want things few mainstream parties offer: a tougher line on immigrants, weaker or no EU ties and, often, closer links with Russia. They have no confidence in ruling elites they see as aloof, corrupt and disconnected from their lives.

For decades, the major Continental European parties have held a strong consensus about the merits of European integration. That includes open borders, tariff-free trade across these borders and a common currency.

Not all ordinary Europeans shared this view. Many have expressed their reservations, as referendums in France, the Netherlands, Ireland and elsewhere have shown.

But the firmness of the mainstream parties’ commitment to European integration has helped drive the dissent to fringe parties. It has allowed nationalists and populists to win over people disenchanted with the mainstream, pro-EU consensus, to such an extent that euroskeptic language is creeping into major parties, too, in some places as they seek to stop voters from moving away.

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