16 February, 2025
LEFTFOOT FORWARD/RIGHT WING WATCH
The usual suspects gathered in Madrid for the Patriots for Europe event.
At a rally in Madrid last weekend, far-right leaders across Europe vowed to ‘Make Europe Great Again,’ while hailing Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
The usual suspects gathered for the Patriots for Europe event, including the Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, France’s National Rally’s Marine Le Pen, Italy’s deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, and Geert Wilders, leader of the Netherlands’ Party for Freedom.
Addressing a crowd of around 2,000 supporters, Orbán said: “The Trump tornado has changed the world in just a few weeks … yesterday we were heretics, today we’re mainstream.”
Marine Le Pen said Trump’s election victory meant Europe stood on the brink of “real change.”
“We’re facing a truly global tipping point. Hurricane Trump is sweeping across the United States. For its part, the European Union seems to be in a state of shock,” said the far-right leader.
Gert Wilders was equally as gushing towards the Trump, saying he is “is like a brother in arms [to us].” Wilders also called for a “Reconquista” of Europe, a reference to the medieval re-conquest of Muslim-controlled parts of Spain and Portugal by Christian kingdoms.
The rally was the first official summit of Patriots for Europe, which formed after the EU elections last May, and has become the European Parliament’s third largest voting bloc.
Le Pen said it was the European leaders present at the rally who had the best chance of communicating and working with the US president.
“We are the only ones that can talk with the new Trump administration.”
The rally follows the same mantra peddled by Trump’s ‘troll-in-chief’ Elon Musk. The world’s richest man stirred up yet more controversy last month, with the provocative post on X, stating:
“From MAGA to MEGA. Make Europe great again.”
But many hit back, informing the richest man on earth, why Europe is already great.
Commentator Tomas Pflanzer responded, saying, “Europe doesn’t need your unsolicited advice to ‘be better.’”
He then proceeded to outline the aspects where Europe excels.
Healthcare
“Most European countries have universal healthcare systems that provide high-quality care without bankrupting individuals. In contrast, the U.S. struggles with exorbitant healthcare costs and a system that leaves millions uninsured,” wrote Pflanzer.
Indeed, the 2024 Best Countries rankings from US News, ranked eight European countries among the top ten for the best public health systems in the world, including the Netherlands, UK, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. The US on the other hand, lagged behind in 19th place.
Worker protections
“European labour laws guarantee paid vacation (often 20–30 days annually), maternity and paternity leave, and robust job security. Compare that to the U.S., where there is no federal mandate for paid leave and “at-will employment” often leaves workers vulnerable,” wrote Pflanzer.
As EuroDev notes, one of the most notable differences between the US and Europe is the concept of at-will employment in the US, where either the employer or employee can end the relationship at any time for any reason. This can lead to job insecurity for workers.
Conversely, European countries offer stronger employment protections and laws that make it more difficult for employers to terminate employees without cause.
Education
“Many European countries offer free or affordable higher education, creating opportunities for all. Meanwhile, student debt in the US is a burden for generations,” wrote Pflanzer.
In Europe, higher education is largely subsidised, and students often don’t need to save vast amounts of money to attend university. As Intelligencer explains, higher education costs in Europe are either free or very low for citizens of those countries and EU nationals, unlike the expensive tuition fees that can leave US students drowning in debt.
Infrastructure
“High-speed rail networks, walkable cities, and efficient public transport are standard across Europe, reducing dependency on cars and promoting sustainable living,” wrote Pflanzer.
A study published in Nature Cities in September found that Europe outperforms the US when it comes to walkable, liveable cities. The study highlighted European cities such as Zurich, Milan, Copenhagen, and Dublin, where over 95 percent of residents can access essential services within 15 minutes on foot.
In contrast, at the bottom of the rankings were North American cities like Dallas, San Antonio, and Detroit, where car dependency is high.
Equality and human rights
“Europe leads in social safety nets, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights, setting a global example,” wrote Pflanzer.
Indeed, the European Convention on Human Rights protects people from discrimination – including discrimination based on ethnicity, gender or sexuality.
Judgments from the European court have provided justice for the victims of discrimination. They have also led countries to change their laws and practices, to protect all members of society equally.
Tomas Pflanzer summaried:
“Before telling Europe to improve, perhaps focus on addressing the glaring issues in the US — the growing wealth gap, lack of healthcare access, gun violence, and crumbling infrastructure, to name a few.
“Your success in business is undeniable, but that doesn’t make you an expert in geopolitics or societal systems. Please, work on fixing the real issues at home before attempting to lecture us.”
Image credit: Patriots for Europe – X screen grab
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