The European Parliamentary (EP) elections of May 2014 came as a surprise to many in the mainstream media. They were shocked that right-wing parties could come to the fore in such a liberalized Europe, and the BBC was correct in assessing it as a “political earthquake”. A closer examination into the EP elections reveals that conservatism is once more on the upswing in Europe, with the “success” of liberalism there ironically playing a major factor.
The political success of conservatism in Russia can also be seen as an inspiration for its analogous European counterparts. Conservatism’s comeback bodes well for the future of EU-Russian relations, although it is still too early to tell if there will be any noticeable short-term impact.
The Political Earthquake:
Prior to delving into an analysis of the elections, one must first understand the economic, social, political, and international contexts in which they were held. This will allow for an understanding as to why they had been termed a “political earthquake” in the first place.
Economic
To begin with, the EU had been emerging from the throes of recession, and the strongest economies had been subsidizing the weakest. This economic division of labor stretched along North-South lines, clearly delineating the most fiscally responsible economies from the most wasteful. During the EP elections, Southern Europe (Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain) tended to go left while Northern Europe went right. The bailout recipients are upset at their governments for implementing austerity measures, hence why they voted for the left; likewise, the bailout donors are upset at their governments for partaking in bailouts in the first place, thus explaining their movement to the right.
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