Far-right advances in Europe demand LatAm attention

The far-right made significant gains in the European Parliament elections, which took place this June. Radical conservative parties, whose agendas often include nationalist rhetoric and anti-immigration policies, will now occupy at least 130 out of the 720 seats in the legislative body. 

But what does that mean for Latin America? 

It is worth remembering that a similar shift to the right was seen in countries such as El Salvador, Brazil (between 2019 and 2022), and Argentina, whose incumbent president, libertarian Javier Milei, expects to reap benefits from the EU election results. 

On June 10, Mr. Milei called the results “good news,” saying the electoral outcome represented a “tremendous advance of the new right-wings in Europe.” 

Although not directly impacted by the results, countries under right-wing administrations are used to feeding off of conservative triumphs worldwide, and using them to fuel their respective political narratives. The Argentinian leader, for instance, recently started a public spat with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who he called an “arrogant socialist.”

However, the results in Europe can mean the opposite to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil. Part of Lula’s agenda — nominally centered on issues such as environmental protection and a more pragmatic foreign agenda — could face delays and difficulties in reaching a consensus when dealing with far-right-led European nations. 

In any case, it is important to remember that the continent is aware of what happens on the other side of the ocean.

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