Milei’s outlandish and grotesque style of politics is breaking all the stereotypes of populism and radical nationalism. Seeing an Argentine president present his book to the rhythm of rock in front of thousands of enthusiasts at the Luna Park in Buenos Aires goes far beyond that propaganda slogan of “Perón, Perón, qué grande sos”, which he still heard in the mass demonstrations in Plaça de Mayo to claim the Falklands now 42 years ago.
Rationality is giving way to stupidity and rudeness. “Hello everyone, I’m the lion, the beast roared in the middle of the avenue”, shouted Milei in front of an audience that chanted insults against Sánchez, topped off with “viva la libertad, dammit” and acting like a presidential rock star . A modicum of good taste should not be at odds with politics.
Populist currents are deeply rooted in practically the entire American continent. But we also have it in Europe, which will elect a new EU Parliament in two weeks.
Each of the 27 states will run a national campaign. It is logical. But what happens in France may be the litmus test of whether the centrality of European politics can withstand the avalanche of populisms that are noisily advancing in many countries.
The polls give victory to 28-year-old Jordan Bardella, head of the list of Marine Le Pen’s party, more than ten points ahead of Macron’s party, which would be hot on the heels of a resurgent Socialist Party, which would come in third. The novelty would not be that the French extreme right won the European elections but that it would do so with such force that it would mark the path of Marine Le Pen to succeed Macron in the presidential elections of 2027. When France has a cold, all of Europe sneezes is an attributed phrase to Metternich at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, which ended the Napoleonic Wars.
The extreme right aims to break the balance with which social democrats and Christian Democrats have managed to make Europe a space of peace, freedom and prosperity. France perhaps the experimental laboratory for a very significant change of course. The extreme right rules Italy and is (or supports) the governments of Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Hungary. In Germany it will go up a lot. In a few days there will be a new European political map.