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The European Jewish group is alarmed by the success of groups as The Freedom Party in the Netherlands, the Freedom Party in Austria (FPO), the Danish People’s Party, the British National Party, and Jobbik in Hungary (picture).
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PARIS (EJP)---Alarmed by the gains made by extreme-right groups across Europe in Sunday's European elections, the European Jewish Congress (EJC) called Tuesday EU officials to "immediately engage in issues of tolerance and intercultural dialogue."
“The success of the far-right and nationalistic parties that won seats in the elections on the basis of racist, anti-Semitic and xenophobic platforms points to a clear erosion of tolerance and a clarion call to European officials to immediately engage in intercultural dialogue,” the EJC said in a statement.
“The election of these candidates through the use of racist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic campaigns belies a disturbing acquiescence of government to this type of incitement and a need for immediate action and education.”
“No matter the reasons behind this alarming trend, it is clear that from the outset, the new European Parliament and European Commission will need to be vigilant and actively engaged in issues of tolerance and intercultural dialogue”.
The EJC stressed that “in many cases” the extreme right did better in these elections than in 2004 – across Europe – without regard to ‘old guard’ or ‘new member state,’ or large nation or small.
| Results of European Parliament election in seats and score in % |
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EPP-ED: 264/ 35.9
PES: 162/ 22
ALDE: 80/ 10.9
GREENS/EFA: 52/ 7.1
UEN: 35/ 4.8
GUE/NGL: 32/ 4.3
IND/DEM: 18/ 2.4
Others: 93 12/.6
EPP-ED = Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats
PES = Socialist Group
ALDE = Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
UEN = Union for Europe of the Nations Group GREENS/ EFA = Group of the Greens / European Free Alliance
GUE/ NGL = Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left
IND/DEM = Independence-Democracy Group
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The success of groups as The Freedom Party in the Netherlands, the Freedom Party in Austria (FPO), the Danish People’s Party, the British National Party, and Jobbik in Hungary, among others,” will sadly only serve to embolden those who espouse the dangerous concepts of extreme nationalism, racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia,” the European Jewish group said.
The EJC mentioned several causes for the extremist parties’ disturbing success: the world economic crisis, political apathy, Euro-skepticism and the radicalization of political parties which has elevated these groups to the European Parliament.
“There can simply be no tolerance for any elected officials or political parties to espouse racism or anti-Semitism in any form or under any circumstance,” it said.
“On behalf of minority communities throughout Europe, we strongly urge the new European Parliament and European Commission to support the implementation and enforcement of comprehensive legislation dealing with racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism. Europeans of all backgrounds, ethnicities and religions are looking to our elected officials to unite, rather than divide us.”