The decline of the red wave

Socialist MEP Henri Weber analyses the decline of socialism in Europe in the French daily Le Monde: "The number of defeats at elections is growing, the number of active members is dwindling, the ties with trade unions and associations are loosening. Just seven years ago socialists led 13 of the governments in the European Union. Today this is only the case in Spain, Portugal and - who knows for how much longer - in the UK. ... This decline of the red wave of the years 1996 - 2006 has many causes. It has been attributed to a natural wearing down of power after several terms of office (Tony Blair in the UK, Göran Persson in Sweden), the inability of the Left to effectively meet society's need for order. ... Its miserable failure to meet the challenges of an influx of migrants and integration. ... The new era of globalisation which has dawned, with soaring prices for energy, agricultural products and raw materials and its series of financial and economic crises will not fail to add to this list. If it wants to return to power, Europe's social democracy must come up with a new political proposition."

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