David Miliband: European left is fragmenting as the right is unifying

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

Social democratic parties across Europe are losing elections on an "unprecedented scale", according to former foreign secretary David Miliband.

He said the parties were "fragmenting as the right is unifying". He named six countries – Britain, Sweden, Germany, France, Holland and Italy – that he said had a "good claim to represent the historic heartland of European social democracy", but that are no longer run by the centre-left.

In a speech to the London School of Economics on Tuesday, Miliband called for social democratic parties in those countries to try to regain ground by focusing on wealth creation and greater control of privatised utilities.

"Not since the first world war has there been this kind of domination from the right. The whole era of democratic suffrage," said Miliband.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/mar/08/european-left-fragmenting-david-miliband

[Better Believe It]

1. That's because the Social Democratic and Communist parties have been moving to the right.

In some nations the social democrats led or went along with austerity drive against working people!

They are not fighting against any and all cuts directed against working people and the elderly.

A little like the Democratic Party here in the states!

They no longer represent labor.

So tens of millions of voters are abandoning the traditional social democratic parties. Some are influenced by and joining the far right while others are building a new left.

[JuniperLea]

2. Yeah, yeah, yeah... blah blah blah...

That's what the RW does here too... make all sorts of claims.

[Iliyah]

3. Thats what they

are saying about the US. Come to find out the US is strong progressive. Thats why the gop are trying to limit the voting rights.

[aquart]

4. Well, you want murderous right wing domination when you plan to kill your neighbors.

It's good cover.

[jwirr]

5. What is happening to the left - why are they fragmenting?

[denem]

6. David "New Labour" Miliband?

The point man for keeping Labour on the Third Way tracks?

Well of all people, he should know. Ask Ed.