Editorial Rats leave sinking ship – European far right, formerly flattered by Putin, now trying to distance him

Editorial|Editorial

All what Russian President Vladimir Putin has touched has turned into a poison in the European economy and politics since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. This “reverse touch of Midas” is particularly bitterly felt by the European far right.

For the far-right movements in Europe, Putin’s regime was an intellectual backbone, sometimes even a financial supporter. Putin qualified as a father figure for populists. His government’s views on, for example, sexual minorities, immigration, the media and the European Union are in line with those of the far right – and sometimes the far left.

Examples of the popularity of these themes can be found in the Identity and Democracy Group in the European Parliament. In addition to basic Finnish Finns, it includes the Italian Lega and the French Rassemblement National (National Alliance).

Legan leader Matteo Salvini spoke warmly about Putin earlier. Laura Huhtasaari, the Euro representative of basic Finns, took care of the fact that she became associated with Salvin, who was on the rise at the time.

Now Salvin’s star is falling, Salvini is straying from Putin’s touch and Huhtasaari is silent on his previous sympathies and interpretations. In 2016 Huhtasaari estimates On Twitter that “no one can help Finland if Putin comes here” and in another tweet that “Putin does what he wants”. The topic of the first tweet was “past day”.

France will visit the presidential election a month later. Far-right candidates Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour boiled before Putin’s war in Putin’s armpit. In the past, Le Pen even received funding for his party from Russia. Putin has become a burden for both candidates.

Even after the occupation of Crimea, the current president, Emmanuel Macron, was of the opinion that Russia should be understood. Since the outbreak of the Ukrainian war, Macron has had another voice on the clock. He has been urging the European Union to create a stronger defense policy dimension and cooperation.

As Le Pen and Zemmour tame their past sympathies under Putin, Macron appears as a statesman negotiating war and peace issues with all world leaders. Macron is no longer worried about the election on these screens and in the light of current opinion polls. No, although populists should have a place for a thousand bucks as the cost of living rises everywhere and Ukraine becomes a lot of refugees.

The waves hit as far as Finland. Riikka Purra, chairman of Basic Finns described To Yle last week that “the Lega and the National Alliance have acted as Putin’s so-called useful idiots in their dealings with Russia.” The bite is right. European populists may not have been Putin’s commanders, but they ended up advancing Putin’s long-term goals while pursuing their own short-sighted goals.

At the heart of Russia’s hybrid influence has been to cause fragmentation in the West. Europe has wondered in vain what Russia is trying to break up. Increasing the chaos, the disappearance of communion and growing general suspicion have been enough for Russia, as the weakness of the West has been a goal of Russia promoted by the far right.

When the far right is now distancing itself from Putin, this act must also be understood correctly.

If Putin had succeeded in his plans to capture Ukraine and the situation was over in Huhtasaari terms a day, far-right representatives would still roar around him as “useful idiots” scattering the West. Populists distance themselves from Putin only because he failed. The rats leave the sinking ship.

The editorials are HS’s statements on a topical issue. The writings are prepared by HS’s editorial staff and reflect the magazine principle.