Wild, wilder, Wilders: Rise of far-right in Europe underlines threat to liberalism

Is the Tiger a Cat? That's a trick question with no easy answer that we will answer a while later. 

But the question should help us understand the rise of far-right politician Geert Wilders in the Netherlands. Wilders is within striking distance of becoming his country's prime minister though nothing can be said easily on whether and how he will be able to cobble together a coalition and how stable — or not — it would be.

It's all about going Dutch in a political sense really. The parliamentary system works like that.

However, it is worth remembering that the surge in popularity of the Islamophobic, anti-immigration politician who uses terms like "asylum tsunami" for his Xenophobic ways has counterparts now across Europe and even in remarkably liberal Scandinavia.

Also watch | Gravitas: Geert Wilders' win in Netherlands election is giving Europe chills; Here's why?

France, Italy, Austria, Hungary, the UK and even Ireland seem to in the throes of a wave of anti-immigration sentiments, though how much and how far that would manifest as significantly disturbing to the future of multiculturalism is an open question.

As this is being written, the European Union's border agency has said it will send men and material to Finland to help tackle a wave of migrants said to be pushed in with Russian help.

It must be noted that most of them are from various countries of the Islamic world.

Meanwhile, violent clashes broke out in the heart of Dublin, Ireland's capital, after three children were wounded in a knife attack blamed on a foreigner. Hundreds of anti-immigration Irish protesters ran riot, accusing nearly everybody in positions of influence of ignoring the safety of locals.

The Guardian described their narrative as one in which "Ireland... has opened the floodgates to foreigners with no controls or checks, leaving rapists and murderers to prowl the streets, and no one – not the government, not opposition parties, not the media, not the police – is taking it seriously."

In plain language, Xenophobia is becoming a serious business across the continent. While Islamophobia linked to various developments involving Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan has steadily built up over the years, the real issue here is the decline of liberalism that faces new challenges.

Public safety, ideology and economic threats from social security to immigrants or competition from smart immigrant workers combine to form a steady anti-immigration mood. Barely concealed racism is a side effect in some parts.

The rise of Geert Wilders and his Party for Freedom (PVV) is thus only the latest and loudest in a series of events showing a decline of liberalism.

That brings us to the question of whether cats are tigers. Common sense will tell us that the purring pet is not quite the killer in the jungle that could be a man-eater, but an anthropologist will tell you that tigers are part of the cat family.

Xenophobic citizens especially under provocative incidents and narratives that threaten their sense of security, become anthropologists of sorts when influenced by rhetoric or the occasional incident.  When immigrants assert their rights as equal citizens or stand up for their culture in their new country, yesterday's asylum seekers once seen with pity as those fleeing persecution in their homelands become demographic threats to the entrenched majority in their adopted countries.

That is what seems to be happening in various parts of Europe.

Xenophobia and Islamophobia are a natural outcome in a mood of fear because ordinary citizens err on the side of safety. Anti-liberal narratives appeal a lot when there is uncertainty in the air.

The rise of immigrant descendant leaders such as Rishi Sunak in the UK, Leo Varadkar in Ireland (both of Indian origin) and  Turkish-origin Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerious in the Netherlands do not cover up for the average citizens feeling insecure.

The unwritten laws of immigration seem to involve an imperative to assimilate with the local culture or at least stay away from economic prosperity or social prominence in a way that hurts the average local citizen. Democratic processes result in the mainstreaming of these ideas. This seems to be as real as Newton's laws of physics.

Muslims in Europe today asserting cultural rights are now in a plight that reminds us of Jews in Hitler's Germany.

Liberals need to find ways to address the anti-immigration narrative in creative ways because simple appeals to reason and statistical insignificance do not seem to work when threat narratives go mainstream. 

For this, they need to look at life through the eyes of those to whom fears are more common than ambition. When fears loom inside average hearts, pet cats become wild cats and wild cats appear like man-eating tigers.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)