Whether because of the conceptual confusion between populist and nativist parties, (which are often but erroneously lumped together in the ill-defined categories of “far right” or “nationalist populist,”) or whether because of the spectacular lack of knowledge about the country cases out there, most people, including serious journalists, policy makers, and politicians, fail to make sense of the — no so subtle — distinctions among contemporary democracy’s main challengers. Take, for instance, the nativist parties.
First the news: Earlier today, Norway’s Progress Party (party logo pictured above), a long-term junior coalition partner in Norway’s broadly conservative government, quit office. This is small global news, perhaps, but reveals something really big, at least for Europe. For, as of now, January 2020, no nativist party enjoys governmental power in any European country (bar Switzerland). Second, the irritant: Who are now going to cry wolf when no wolf does really exist? Now, the facts:
Fact #1: Before 2000, there were no nativist parties in Europe to have enjoyed governmental responsibilities.
Fact #2: The first such party to participate in government as a junior coalition partner was Austria’s FPÖ. That was back in February 2000.
Fact #3: FPÖ is Europe’s only nativist party to have taken part in Austria’s three coalition governments.
Fact #4: Besides FPÖ, the only other nativist parties that have had any experience of government are the (True) Finns, Norway’s Progress Party, and the Italian League under Salvini — each having enjoyed just a single, relatively short tenure in office.
Fact #5: Of the four nativist parties above, the one with the highest longevity in office has been the Norwegian Progress Party (74 consecutive months).
Fact #6: Three nativist parties (FPÖ, PS, League) lost office in quick succession between 2017 and 2019 because of their respective leaders’ various blunders.
Fact #7: The only nativist party remaining in office, Norway’s Progress Party, quit the coalition government in which it participated earlier today, January 2020.
Fact #8: It bears repetition, no longer are there any ruling nativist parties left in today’s EU. None!
