[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

The Center-Right is the name given to two major blocs of MEPs in the EU parliament. One bloc is a coalition of the ‘free market’ or European Liberal parties around Europe. One of these is the Free Democrats of Germany. The other bloc is the mainstream conservative parties all over Europe, except for the UK. Most of them were traditionally called Christian Democrat or Peoples parties. These include Berlusconi’s party in italy, Merkel’s in Germany, Sarkozy’s in France, the party in Spain which was in power when Spain supported us in Iraq. The British Conservatives refused to join this bloc, and stay allied, but independent.

[nathanbedford]

Am I correct in an overall assessment that the gains across Europe for the Christian right (Merkel Sarkozy at al) were at the expense of the social left but that much of the gains must be adjusted for dangerous increases by the Green party in many countries. In other words, the voters did not become more capitalistic but more socialistic and the shift has been masked because the greens are officially a separate party?

My experience here in Germany is that the people accept uncritically the posturing of the Green party and do not look behind it and discover its radical socialism. In other words, global warming is a matter of conventional wisdom.

Anecdotally, my neighbors say they are not happy with so much immigration but they don't even think about it unless I ask them. So, in a way, I am surprised that seems to have driven results in, especially, Austria.