Liberalism in Europe: An Identity in Crisis
In his book On Liberty, John Stuart Mill, often regarded as the father of 19th century political liberalism, espoused an ideology that can be summed up in the phrase “live and let live.” Across Europe, however, this value of tolerance has come under fire. Parties traditionally recognized as “liberal” have joined forces with those on the far right in order to win elections and gain legislative support. While parliamentary systems often require parties to compromise when in coalition governments, alliances between established liberal parties and extreme nationalist parties call into question the strength of a liberal ideology that has proposed xenophobic immigration policies that curtail civil liberties.
The most striking example of this trend was the national election in Denmark in June 2015. After a three-year hiatus, the liberal party, Venstre, was re-elected under the leadership of Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen. Venstre, which translates to mean Left, originally formed as an agrarian party that promoted strong individual legal rights and Danish integration in the European Union.
More recently, however, the party’s focus on immigration is highly Euroskeptic and intolerant of religious differences. In a 2014 op-ed, one Venstre spokesperson wrote that the government should create immigration policies that distinguish between people of non-Western backgrounds, justifying it by saying, “Too many non-Western immigrants with Muslim backgrounds do not want our freedom-orientated society model.” The Danish People’s Party (DF), a nationalist right wing party, responded to Venstre’s changed position: “If Venstre has now finally understood the need to differentiate between immigrants and limit non-Western immigration, then we are getting closer to each other.” The DF represents the second largest voting bloc in Danish politics and has vowed to support the current Venstreled government, making Venstre’s decision to adopt harsh immigration policies a popular move for the newly elected Prime Minister.
Paralleling the situation in Denmark, the Liberal Party in the Netherlands gained a majority government in 2010 under Prime Minister Mark Rutte due to the support of the Party for Freedom (PPV). The PPV, known for its anti-Islam, anti-immigration and anti-Europe rhetoric, has played a similar role to the Danish People’s Party in shaping mainstream opinion on immigration. However, unlike its Danish equivalent, the Party for Freedom’s voting base is contained in a single region of the Netherlands. Still, by aligning itself with the Liberals, its overtly racist position was magnified on the national stage. Although the coalition government deteriorated in 2012, the Liberal Party’s adoption of a hardline position on immigration demonstrates the party’s susceptibility towards populism and quick disregard for socially liberal values.
This new strain of liberalism is a symptom of bigger problems—both in Europe and within the party. In Europe, the growing popularity of an extreme nationalist platform reflects the increasing anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant feelings of the general public. Although this xenophobic position existed on the political fringe in the 1990s, mainstream liberal leaders have brought it into the political foreground, which has made it more socially acceptable and therefore more threatening.
Within the party, the tendency for some liberals to lean to the right on the immigration issue while others advocate for the exact opposite position reveals an important division among those who subscribe to a liberal ideology. While some liberal parties remain true to values of tolerance and equality, they have not performed nearly as well in recent elections. The British Liberal Democrats, the Danish D66 and Radikale Venstre, continue to fight the far-right insurgence, yet have failed to make a name for themselves in national elections. Unfortunately, these groups are associated with the more right wing parties through the Alliance of Liberal Democrats in Europe, the international liberal party. As long as they remain connected in this way, Europe will lose its socially liberal voice to stronger, populist parties that only masquerade as liberal.
Liberalism in practice is unique from conservatism or socialism in that it focuses on creating a fairer society, rather than catering to a particular identity group or social class. Studies show that the sole reason people join liberal parties is because of ideology, rather than secondary social benefits common amongst Conservative and Socialist party members. However, the opaque nature of what liberalism is, and who liberals are, makes it difficult for the general public to understand. As a result, Liberal parties are subject to catering to a populist voice that is easily swayed by fear.
The popularity of Liberal parties, such as those in Denmark and the Netherlands, threatens the future of minority groups in Europe. Their success in rolling back progressive policies that they might have once championed permanently damages the character of their party. The state of Liberalism in Europe today would make John Stuart Mill roll over in his grave.