Last week, in commemoration of Europe Day, Pompeu Fabra University hosted a special Café Europa event marking this significant date. On May 9th, coinciding with the celebration, attention was focused on three key figures: Sergi Pardos-Prado, Manel Riu, and Cristina Faciaben. The event, organized in collaboration with the student organization deba-t.org, addressed critical topics that are reshaping the European political landscape.
Investigative journalist Manel Riu presented a demographic study that debunked myths surrounding the rise of the far right, particularly among young people, challenging the notion that parties like VOX attract a majority of the youth. He emphasized the need to stay vigilant, though without succumbing to defeatism. Riu also highlighted the gender distinction in support for these ideologies, noting that their primary backing comes from men. He called for deeper analysis beyond social media and superficial communication, towards understanding structural factors that drive the shift to the right, including intergenerational values.
In his speech, Riu urged reflection on the use of social media, especially Twitter, while stressing the media's responsibility in amplifying far-right rhetoric. Quoting Ofelia Fernández, he illuminated the debate with a harsh reality: amidst a rift between politics and society, with public services in crisis and the state associated with inefficiency, the far right finds fertile ground to thrive. In this context, he admitted that formal arguments are not enough to counter the radical right's push for change, and there is a need for hopeful proposals that advocate for social change.
Cristina Faciaben, representing Comisiones Obreras, brought a determined and clear voice to the debate. She emphasized the urgent need to strengthen ideology in the face of the global rise of the far right, breaking down the pillars of far-right discourse and strategies, both common and divergent, across different European countries. "Each country gives life to the far right it needs," Faciaben remarked, summarizing the far right's strategy in Europe. Recognizing that this issue is not confined by national borders, she advocated for a global, unified, and collective approach to confront it. Faciaben concluded by calling for mobilizing all sectors of society to confront the far right, with arguments, across all fronts.
Finally, Sergi Pardos-Prado, a political science professor at the University of Glasgow, presented data to analyze the relationship between youth, gender, and the far right. From a demographic point of view, Pardos-Prado stated that age is the best statistical predictor of social attitudes. Therefore, until now we could see a direct relationship of more progressive attitudes among the younger groups. However, in recent years, there has been a change that breaks that dynamic. Especially among younger men, far-right discourse seems to have died down. In particular, the propensity of young people with studies to form part of new radical parties has increased. Sergi Pardos-Prado concluded his presentation with an analysis of the sympathies of VOX voters towards politically incorrect attitudes.
