“Partner for Russia”: Europe’s Far Right Flirts With Moscow

Members of the far right want to put a chokehold on government power in Europe, a goal shared by Russia. “Skepticism of immigration and a keen worry about the threat posed by Islamist extremism make Putin a natural ally for a xenophobic right whose political bread and butter is their vociferous attacks on European immigration policy,” reports Charles Hawley for Spiegel Online. “His heavy-handed leadership style and homophobic stance likewise don't hurt.” Russia and Europe’s extreme conservatives also oppose European ties with the United States.” Not all conservatives support close ties with Russia, many sensing Russian self-interest in weakening Europe and its alliance with the United States. The back-and-forth flirtations between extreme conservatives and Russia may not last long as extremists tend to mistrust and pare away at any foreign influence. But an anti-war stance for Ukraine could influence results in May’s European Parliament elections. – YaleGlobal