A peril that the European left ignores.

Italy

Tristram Hunt

The Guardian (U.K.)

European leftists have been so obsessed with the “evils” of the U.S., said Tristram Hunt in the London Guardian, that they’ve ignored the rise of a right-wing peril on their own continent. Since his 2001 election, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been purging the Italian media of all critical voices and systematically weakening the power of the courts. Worse still, he has encouraged the rise of neo-fascism, welcoming the National Alliance right into his governing coalition. Activists have sat idle, complacently believing that, while Italy’s government is distasteful, “it is hardly likely to dictate our own politics in the same way as the American presidency.” But such a view ignores Italy’s “growing geopolitical influence.” Italy has blocked Europe’s attempts to censure Russia for abuses in Chechnya as well as efforts to curb Israel’s illegal moves in East Jerusalem. It’s time for the “global progressive community” to get involved. Go campaign against Berlusconi in Italy’s April elections, as you did against Bush in the 2004 U.S. campaign. The effort will be “as much for our sake” as for Italy’s.

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