French far-right learns from People’s Party (of Switzerland)

[pampango]

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/Specials/Vote_2010-11-28/Background,_Features/French_far-right_learns_from_People_s_Party.html?cid=28932322

The Swiss “yes” to the rightwing People’s Party initiative has made waves in neighbouring France. The French hard right see Switzerland as a model: they reacted immediately and with delight.

“Through this vote, the Swiss have shown they are free and attached to their identity, prosperity and civil peace,” said Marine Le Pen, the vice-president of the French National Front. “Once again they have wrongfooted the authorities who all called for the initiative text to be rejected.”

“It’s clear the People’s Party is leading the way compared with the other hard right parties,” noted politologue Jean-Yves Camus, an expert on the far right. “On the electoral scale it is generally outstripping similar parties in Austria and Norway. But it is particularly on the political strategy level that it is dominant. It shows once again that the old-style rightwing is dead. They seized hold of a theme that is on the march across Europe: anti-multiculturalism, anti-Islam,” added Camus. “And it was able to impose its agenda, first with the minaret vote and the claim of the ‘religious incompatibility’ of Islam with western values, secondly the incompatibility of customs: foreigners are portrayed as black sheep and criminals.”

In France, the hard right are full of admiration. And that doesn’t just go for the National Front. On December 18 People’s Party parliamentarian Oskar Freysinger will visit Paris at the invitation of “identity” and anti-Islam movements. “Freysinger has the advantage over other hard right German speakers in being bicultural,” said Camus. “What also counts in his favour is his appearance as a young , white rebel and his non-academic, down-to-earth language.”