#THENETHERLANDS: Anti-EU Wilders Wins Parliamentary Election

[world politics news]

The unexpectedly substantial win for controversial, anti-EU politician Geert Wilders in Wednesday's general election in the Netherlands set international headlines on fire.

Nationalists across Europe rushed to congratulate the populist politician, sometimes dubbed the Dutch Trump - partly for his dyed, bouffant-like hairdo, and partly for his famously firebrand, anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Geert Wilders' publicly expressed views - including linking Muslim immigration with terrorism and calling for a ban on mosques and the Quran - are so provocative that he has been under tight police protection since 2004.

Wilders was convicted of inciting discrimination, although later acquitted, and he was refused entry to the UK back in 2009.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GERMANY: New Party Breaks Away From "Alternative For Germany" Party; Claims It's "Shifted To The Left"

[world politics news]

A German politician has left the anti-migrant Alternative for Germany Party to set up a new party after accusing AfD of a "shift to the Left." André Poggenburg resigned from his post as the AfD’s regional leader in eastern Saxony-Anhalt state last year after labeling Turkish immigrants “camel drivers” and immigrants with dual nationality a “homeless mob we no longer want." He announced his resignation from the party in an email sent to the leadership earlier this week. His new party Aufbruch der deutschen Patrioten (Awakening of German Patriots) will use a cornflower against the background of a German flag. Opponents note that the flower was used by Austrian Nazis before World War II.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#FRANCE: Sec. Of Digital Media Accuses Yellow Jacket Protesters Of "#FakeNews," Conspiracies, Disinformation

[world politics news]

France's State Secretary for Digital Media, Mounir Mahjoubi, has criticized those using online media to spread the popular Yellow Vest uprising for using "fake news" and disinformation in their continued protests against the country's social policies. "What's dangerous about conspiracies is that it hampers sincere mobilization," Mahjoubi, who cited researchers who claim ties between the protests and the "Alt-Right" in the US and in European nations. It's been widely reported that the protesters come not only from the conservative Right, but also from France's Socialists and hard Left.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Former UKIP Party Leader Resigns Membership; Says Party "Obsessed" With Islam; Extremist Activism

[world politics news]

Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party, has resigned his membership in the organization, saying he no longer "recognizes" the party, which seems overly obsessed with Islam and values extremist activism over winning elections.

Farage cited the move by the party's current leader, Gerard Batten, to make Tommy Robinson an adviser as a prime reason. Farage has used this national show on the LBC network to criticize Robinson, who has been prosecuted for crimes, and for his verbal attacks on Muslims. Robinson, however, has gained a huge following among UKIP members and many Conservatives for his "non-PC" language and actions.

Batten survived a vote of no confidence among his party's executives this past Monday, after he appointed Robinson as an adviser. But the party's ruling body refused to endorse Robinson's appointment and he was barred from party membership.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BRAZIL: Rightist Jair Bolsonaro Elected President In Dramatic Election That Left Brazil Divided

[world politics news]

Jair Bolsonaro, a 63-year-old former paratrooper who built his campaign around pledges to crush corruption, crime and a Communist threat, secured 55.7% of the vote in Sunday's election.  He takes office in January.

He defeated Leftist candidate Fernando Haddad in a two-way run-off election. He rose to victory after being stabbed in the abdomen during a campaign rally, one of many dramatic moments of the campaign of the man many easily compare to Donald Trump.

Bolsonaro has made controversial statements including admiration of the countries dictatorship in the 80s and 90s, leading many to speculate that he would seek to reinstate a dictatorship. He is on record as saying he would pack his cabinet with military officers.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GERMANY: Neo-Nazis Take To The Streets To Celebrate Rudolf Hess, Wave Monarchist German Flags

[world politics news]

More than 600 neo-Nazis took to the streets of Berlin this weekend to commemorate the death of leading Nazi-era figure Rudolf Hess, as counter-demonstrators clashed with them. Bottles and stones were thrown during the clashes.  The neo-Nazi supporters held a banner reading 'I regret nothing' as they marched, waving the red-white-and-black flag of the pre-World War I German monarchy (the red and white Swastika flag of the Nazi era is banned in Germany.) They were protected by police in riot gear as they chanted and marched in the streets.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Far-Right Candidate Linked To "Songbook" Celebrating The Holocaust

[world politics news]

The far-right candidate in an Austrian state election was under pressure on Tuesday following a magazine report about song lyrics celebrating the Holocaust and other Nazi atrocities.
According to the Falter weekly, Udo Landbauer of the Freedom Party (FPÖ), which is in the national governing coalition, is deputy chair of a student fraternity behind a songbook containing the texts.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#GERMANY: Political Earthquake As Merkel Wins, But Anti-Immigrant Party Wins 3rd Slot With 13% Of Vote

[world politics news]

Sending a message to Chancellor Angela Merkel (who nonetheless won a fourth term in office) the Alternative for Germany (AfD) Sunday became the first openly anti-immigration party to enter parliament with so many seats since World War II, despite calls to stop the alleged "Nazi" Party. Exit polls showed the AfD with around 13% of the vote, making it the third biggest political force in Germany - a stunning result for a party that was founded just four years ago.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#GERMANY: Gov't Seeks To Choke Off Federal Funding For Small Neo-Nazi Party

[world politics news]

The German government is taking steps to choke off state campaign finance for the far-right National Democratic Party after a failed court bid to outlaw the small group. The plan aims to deprive the party of taxpayers' money, to which German political parties are generally entitled, before the September elections. In January, Germany's highest court rejected a bid by the parliament's upper house to ban the 6,000-member party, ruling that although it held a similar ideology to the Nazis, it was too small to endanger democracy.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#GERMANY: Anti-Migrant Party Parliamentary Candidate Circulates Hitler's Photo, Calls For His "Return"

[world politics news]

The Alternative for Germany Party is investigating a regional chairwoman for circulating a photo of Adolf Hitler, in which she called for his return. Parliamentary candidate for the Nüremberg area, Elena Roon, sent a photo of Adolf Hitler to members on an AfD group Whatsapp chat last summer. The photo was accompanied with the phrases: "Missed since 1945", and "Adolf please get in touch! Germany needs you! The German people!"

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Freedom Party Leader Calls For "Zero Immigration" Of "Anti-Liberal" Muslims Entering EU

[world politics news]

The leader of Austria's Freedom Party, Heinz-Christian Strache, described Islam as "misogynistic," "anti-liberal," and as having "a fascistic world view" during an almost two-hour speech at the party's New Year gathering in the city of Salzburg. Strache told around 4,000 party loyalists that Austria should "quickly put an end to this policy of Islamization... otherwise we Austrians, we Europeans will come to an abrupt end"

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Freedom Party Leader Vows Close Ties To Putin's Party; Meets With Trump Advisor

[world politics news]

President-elect Donald Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, met with the leader of a far-right Austrian political party that has close ties with Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin. The leader of Austria's Freedom Party, Heinz-Christian Strache, wrote on his Facebook page Monday that he met with Flynn "and a few other high-ranking US politicians" a few weeks ago at Trump Tower, including Flynn, whose ties to Russia have come under fire. He noted in the post that his party had recently signed a cooperation deal with Putin's United Russia Party.

#GERMANY: Infighting Within Anti-Migrant Party After Talks With Muslim Group Falls Apart

[world politics news]

The co-leader of the Alternative For Germany Party is criticizing his colleagues after talks with Muslim groups fell apart after only one hour last week. Jörg Meuthen, has blamed his fellow co-head Frauke Petry for the breakdown of the clear-the-air meeting with Muslim leaders. He claimed his party colleagues had failed to properly prepare for the meeting

#ISRAEL: Appointment of "Radical" "Extremist" Avigdor Lieberman As Defense Min. Rattles Israelis

[world politics news]

The appointment of Avigdor Lieberman as Benjamin Netanyahu's defense minister has prompted calls of "fascism" and "extremism" from many in Israel. He once said Palestinian prisoners should be beheaded with axes, defended a soldier who murdered a Palestinian on the ground, and opposes a two-state solution. The appointment of Lieberman, who lives in a disputed squatter settlement on the West Bank, is seen as a radicalization of Netanyahu's government.

#SLOVAKIA: Far-Right Pty Wins Seats In Election; PM Fico's Pty Seeks To Form Gov't

[world politics news]

The People’s party – Our Slovakia group led by Marian Kotleba, the governor of central Slovakia, took 8% of the vote, nearly three times more than polls had predicted. The rise of opposition parties makes Prime Minister Robert Fico's task of forming a new government with his anti-immigrant, socially conservative Smer Party more difficult.

Pictured: Center, Marian Kotleba, head of The People's Party - Our Slovakia.

#FRANCE: PM Valls Says Dec. Regional Election Win For National Front Would Be "Tragedy"

[world politics news]

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls feels that a win for the far right National Front in the December regional elections would be tragic. “It will be a tragedy if the National Front won one, two or three regions," he said. NF Leader Marine Le Pen called his comments, "disgraceful behavior, scandalous and deeply anti-republican."

#FRANCE: European Parliament Vote Down Ban Of Dangerous Pesticide Because Sponsor Was Right-Wing Member

[world politics news]

Socialist and Left-leaning members of the EU's Parliament voted down a ban of a dangerous pesticide already banned in the US because the bill's sponsor is a member of France's National Front Party, part of a campaign to shut down members of the Parliament's Europe of Nations & Freedom's Group.

#GERMANY: Radical Leftist Party's Offices Attacked in Saxony

[world politics news]

The offices Germany's radical left party have been attacked in Freital, the Saxonian town southwest of Dresden which has been the center of anti-refugee protests in recent weeks. Police believe the attack is connected to other attacks on refugees and recent immigrants in  the region.

#THENETHERLANDS: Party For Freedom Leader Wilders Condemns "Islamic Asylum Tsunami"

[world politics news]

Dutch Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders has warned the lower house of parliament of an "Islamic asylum tsunami" who represent an "Islamic invasion" of "men with beards" flooding into Europe. Wilders called on Prime Minister Mark Rutte to "Stop building refugee centers. Stand up for your own people, your own culture" and described refugees as "testosterone bombs" who, "threaten our girls'."

#GERMANY: Two Police Injured As Anti-Islam Pegida Group Resumes Rallies In Leipzig, Dresden

[world politics news]

Demonstrations organized by the anti-Islam group Pegida have resumed across Germany in the wake of mass migration of Syrian refugees to Germany, with over 5,000 attending a Dresden rally and 500 in Leipzig. Two police officers were injured in the Leipzig rally when protests turned violent as counter-protesters showed up.