Finland, Sweden + NATO

[The Brain]

The Swedish ruling Social Democrats will make a decision on the 15th. An application to join NATO will likely follow shortly after.

The only parties against NATO are the Greens and the Reds.

[Solmyr]

Finland's Left Alliance (traditionally known for its opposition to NATO) has decided that it will not oppose a NATO application and not leave the government coalition over it. So now no major party in the parliament opposes NATO membership. The only "party" opposing is "Power Belongs to the People", consisting of one MP (who split off the right-wing nationalist Finns party a couple of years ago), widely regarded as a Kremlin stooge/useful idiot.

[Josquius]

What an amazingly far left name for a far right party.
The modern far right really is strange.

[Tonitrus]

What with "national socialists" and all, not exactly without precedent. 

[Duque de Bragança]

What with "national socialists" and all, not exactly without precedent. 

Next, Josquius discovers the meaning of "völkisch. 

[Crazy_Ivan80]

What with "national socialists" and all, not exactly without precedent. 

Next, Josquius discovers the meaning of "völkisch. 

Or the left use of "democratic"

[crazy canuck]

The only parties against NATO are the Greens and the Reds.

Then the Blues must be in favour.

[Josquius]

What with "national socialists" and all, not exactly without precedent. 

Next, Josquius discovers the meaning of "völkisch. 

Germany is weird. Big history of socialism from the right. Plus völkisch arguably has a definite ethnic German slant rather than just meaning the same as people-what with excluding Jews being core to its whole deal.

Generally however the far right will go on about the X People specifically. Not people in general. That tends to be more the left.

[Josquius]

What with "national socialists" and all, not exactly without precedent. 

Next, Josquius discovers the meaning of "völkisch. 

Or the left use of "democratic"

[Duque de Bragança]

What with "national socialists" and all, not exactly without precedent. 

Next, Josquius discovers the meaning of "völkisch. 

Or the left use of "democratic"

I liked in a rhetorical way the pleonasmic concept of people's democracy (sic).

[The Larch]

What with "national socialists" and all, not exactly without precedent. 

Next, Josquius discovers the meaning of "völkisch. 

Or the left use of "democratic"

I assume he means all the commie dictatorships that are labelled "Democratic People's Republic of Whatever".

Re. the Nazis and the "socialist" epithet in their name, it has to be understood within the historical context of post WW I Germany and the political turnmoil that took place during the Weimar Republic.

[Josquius]

What with "national socialists" and all, not exactly without precedent. 

Next, Josquius discovers the meaning of "völkisch. 

Or the left use of "democratic"

I assume he means all the commie dictatorships that are labelled "Democratic People's Republic of Whatever".

Ah. Not sure that is too similar. Most right wing dictatorships do the same too...though certainly a subset of them don't.

Re. the Nazis and the "socialist" epithet in their name, it has to be understood within the historical context of post WW I Germany and the political turnmoil that took place during the Weimar Republic.

It was a call back to Bismark's State Socialism, originally thrown at him by Liberals as a smear, but which became neutrally adopted to accurately describe the German system of conservative socialism that he founded.

But yeah, original pre war fascism had in general tended to co-opt a lot of the left's language.

[Jacob]

Looks like the Parliamentary Defense Committee in Finland has recommended NATO membership: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/10/finnish-parliaments-defence-committee-recommends-nato-membership

One step closer.

[grumbler]

I assume he means all the commie dictatorships that are labelled "Democratic People's Republic of Whatever".

  We are the Peoples' Democratic Republic of Whatever!

[The Larch]

I assume he means all the commie dictatorships that are labelled "Democratic People's Republic of Whatever".

  We are the Peoples' Democratic Republic of Whatever!

Splitters!