The Breivik effect

An excecutioner's handwork

More than three weeks ago, Anders Breivik, a cold blooded excecutioner murdered more than 70 unarmed supporters of the Norwegian Labour Party on the island of Utoya.

Everything is politics...

The Left accross Europe reacted with horror. However there were indications of glee as well. For the Left everything is politics and they quickly moved to use Breivik's act against Geert Wilders and the Freedom Party. After all Brevik had expressed great admiration for Wilders calling him the only true leader of Conservatives in Europe.

Was there a Breivik effect?

No surprises there. We know how the Left operates. We must ask ourselves "Did it work?". Has Breivik's indefensible act tarred Wilders in the eyes of the public? The recent poll shows that Wilders has only grown in stature and popularity in the past weeks. There must have been an effect though. Perhaps without Breivik Wilders would have been stronger still.

There are two discernible causes to the strengthening of support for Wilders.

1. The debt crisis in Southern Europe. The Netherlands is called upon to support debt ridden states with new loans.

2. The London riots. The images of underclass looters and rioters with Blacks heavily overrepresented rampaging through English cities caused people to have renewed doubts about Multiculturalism.

Denouncing the EMU

Both effects helped the Freedom Party (PVV). The PVV has always been opposed to the European project. Wilders stepped up his anti EU rethoric to much agreement of the Dutch public on the right, but also on those who vote for the left. For the PVV MP Theun van Dijk again insisted that The Netherlands should not support Greece (Dutch) with new loans. However the PVV will not withdraw its support for the current minority government.

Is the right on the same level as the left?

The question remains: Is the right, morally as base as the left? Is to them politics everything too? It would seem so, seeing the PVV using the debt crisis to its advantage.

Having said that it is true that the PVV kept mum about the English riots, even though these played into the feeling of distrust of foreigners that causes Dutchmen to vote for them.

And that is the way it is supposed to be. To the right politics should not everything.