The delegation of the right populist “Alternative for Germany” (ADH), led by party leader Frauke Petry was going to pay a visit to Moscow quietly. Some part of the party leadership was not informed in advance, and those who were informed, knew little. And most importantly, was not informed German media.
But on the Russian side, the visit received coverage. On February 20-22, the delegation met in particular with the speaker of the state Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, who is considered a close Advisor and ally of Putin. In the meeting in the Duma also attended and Deputy speaker Peter Tolstoy, as well as a right-wing extremist Vladimir Zhirinovsky.
Conversations with Zhirinovsky caused great inner turmoil in ADG, because in Germany it is the same odious person, as in Norway. Recently about once again to “mark” when he became working before the cameras to call his bodyguards to rape a young journalist with a show of loyalty for Putin, RT, Zhirinovsky asked the question that he did not like.
In a brief press release about the visit Petri did not mention the participation of Zhirinovsky in conversations in the Duma. But in the Russian press release was mentioned by all present. Zhirinovsky is the leader of the liberal democratic party. Meeting with him, perhaps partially explains the fact that in recent weeks, the ADG rating in public opinion polls in Germany fell slightly, although Petri, in particular, told the newspaper Bild that she knew nothing about what Zhirinovsky will participate in the meeting.
Defense
Officially ADH was invited to Moscow to discuss cooperation between the local authorities of the two countries. In an interview with the far-right weekly newspaper Junge Freiheit Petri stated that it was important to have good relations with foreign countries, including with Moscow.
“I went to Russia to establish and strengthen such contacts. If I had known that the meeting will be attended by Mr Zhirinovsky, I would disagree with that,” said she.
But in her version I believe not all. Vice-Chairman ADG Alexander Gauland (Alexander Gauland) openly declared that he does not believe in it, and believes that in Russia Petri agrees with the statements that in Germany it officially rejects. Not a problem for him that Marcus Prötzel (Marcus Pretzell), the leader of the ADG in North Rhine-Westphalia, who in December 2016 married Frauke Petri, made a trip to the Crimea, which was the approval of the Russian occupation and annexation.
“I met with Aleksandr Dugin, who is considered the spiritus rector (spiritual inspiration — approx.ed.) Putin’s foreign policy,” says Alexander Gauland, one of two Vice chairmen of the party.
“But as for Zhirinovsky, then she crossed the border.”
© AP Photo, Michael Hoppala of the party “Alternative for Germany” Frauke Petry after the announcement of the election results in Berlin
In the newspaper Junge Freiheit Petri explained that the invitation from the Moscow authorities concerned the establishment of economic ties with Saxony, where she heads a faction of ADH, and other German Federal States. In addition, it was assumed the development of common projects in the field of education, in particular, to improve the teaching of German in the schools of Moscow and Russian in Saxony. It was during the time of the GDR almost 30 years ago.
Confidence
Full responsibility for the participation of Zhirinovsky Petri laid on the speaker of the state Duma. Before the meeting, it was only about the participation of a limited number of people. But then Volodin has expanded the list of participants, in particular, inviting the heads of committees and Zhirinovsky.
“I was not happy, but being a guest, could not insist that someone brought out of the room in which the meeting took place”, she said Junge Freiheit and said that it was expected that the meeting will be secret.
“Insisted on it as the Russian side, and myself. Therefore, I resent the fact that this agreement was broken unilaterally”.
The leader of the ADG rejects the accusations that it did not inform the leadership of the party. She refers to the decision of the management of ADH, adopted a week earlier which stated that the members of the management needs to inform others about “trusting” the foreign contacts of hindsight. She was just going to do it, but the plan failed because the Russian side officially informed that ADG came to visit.
When the trip to Russia has attracted unprecedented attention in the German media, ADH and Petri promised to provide more detailed information. However, it was not followed.
Patriotism and joy?
On Christmas eve, in 2016 in Moscow had a visit from a delegation of the Austrian-wing “Freedom Party” (fpö). She entered into a written cooperation agreement with Putin’s party, United Russia, called the Memorandum of understanding.
The APS delegation included party leader Heinz-Christian strache (Heinz-Christian Strache), candidate in the presidential elections last year Norbert Hofer, who lost the election, only slightly behind his opponent, and the party’s Secretary General Harald Vilimsky (Harald Vilimsky). The delegation was also Vice-mayor of Vienna, Johann Gudenus (Johann Gudenus) and head of the fpö in Linz, which they confirmed in the interviews with Austrian media, in particular, the newspaper Der Standard. According to the conservative newspaper Die Presse, it is assumed that initially the agreement is for five years.
“The international impact of APS has been steadily growing,” said party Chairman strache in the video, posted on YouTube, according to Die Presse.
He also referred to the visit of the delegation of the party of APS in the US in November for talks with the advisors of the newly elected President of the trump. The fact that the US and Russia will now stand shoulder to shoulder, he described as something extremely important for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis and the dispute over the Crimea. APS should be active as “a neutral and trusted broker and partner,” he said, and fight for the abolition of the “meaningless” of economic sanctions against Russia.
The journalist of the newspaper Krone published on Twitter, the fragments of the Treaty between Putin’s party and the APS. They, in particular, will exchange experience in Parliament. The MTA has also undertaken the obligation to engage in “education of the young generation (in Russia — approx. ed.) in the spirit of patriotism and hard work”. The spirit stinks just the same grey, suspiciously reminding what happened in Austria and Germany in the period from 1999 to 1945.
Hofer, who is now number three in the leadership of the Austrian national Assembly, said in an interview with loyal to the Kremlin broadcaster RT that “we must develop friendship with Russia.” He also expressed the wish that Vienna played a Central role in the contacts between Putin and trump.
The contract between the two parties was signed strache and Deputy Chairman of “United Russia” Sergei Zheleznyak. The latter is responsible for international activities of the Russian party, and after occupation of the Crimea included in the sanctions list of the EU. “United Russia” approved the contract with APS for 28 November last year, writes Die Presse, i.e. before the presidential elections, which, as it seemed, Hofer and APS could win. The consequences can be imagined.
Money to Le Pen
However, those 11 million euros, which Putin lent the National front and marine Le Pen in 2014, to date, are the most tangible proof that Putin and Russia support and have strong ties with extreme nationalists and populists in Europe. The front national has experienced and is now experiencing an acute shortage of money, but none of the French, as, indeed, no European Bank wanted to help the far-right party in France. Only a small private Bank FCRB (First Czech-Russian Bank) has provided two loans for a total amount of 11 million euros.
When the Bank in September last year went bankrupt, many have decided that marine Le Pen and her supporters can forget about the debt, and it will be another gift from Putin. The money will provide a “National front” victory in elections to the European Parliament and thus part of marine Le Pen as a candidate in the French presidential election.
“But, it seems that the Russian government wants to demand a refund, and that means hard reality for the leader of the “National front” marine Le Pen: the Kremlin loves Western nationalists, but it’s more tough love than that which the Soviet Union felt for Western Communists,” wrote Leonid Bershidsky, a columnist for Bloomberg in January of this year.
The French President, who heads the party, indebted to Russia 100 million crowns — that would be a totally new situation. Now the bankruptcy estate is under the control of the authorities. A special institution should, in particular, take care to cancel the sale of the debt of the “National front” made by the leadership of the Russian Bank.
When marine Le Pen in the first week of 2017 has declared that the party received a new loan from a mini-party father Cotelec in the amount of 6 million euros, it said that the party needed another 6 million euros.
Because French banks were not available, she appealed to European, British, American and Russian banks with a request for support. She was going to say “Yes” to the first person who would offer something. He added that he doesn’t consider the Russian occupation and annexation of the Crimean Peninsula as something unlawful, but, on the contrary, recognized the referendum held in Crimea under Russian occupation.
She was absolutely sure about what you said. In the referendum the “National front” had its own observers. It is generally well acquainted with the position of Russia, having visited Moscow four times after the election as the leader of “National front” in 2011.
© AFP 2017, Kirill KudryavtsevКандидат for the French presidency, marine Le Pen
Marine Le Pen is also not the only Pro-Russian, the French presidential candidate. Conservative Francois Fillon, who now became the object of a police investigation, also called for the lifting of Western sanctions against Russia.
Not all
Not all of the leading right populist parties in Europe are fierce defenders of Russia and Putin, and not all went to Moscow to conclude the agreement. But exceptions not so much.
Geert Wilders from the Netherlands stayed at home to Putin’s visit did not go. But his policy directed against the EU, enjoys the sympathy in the Russian media, and he also stood on the view that the responsibility for the crisis in Ukraine and occupation of Crimea are NATO and the EU. The same can be said about the Nigel Farage, the leader of the Party United Kingdom independence (UKIP), which has made the withdrawal of Britain from the EU.
“The crisis in Ukraine was in fact instigated by EU, who said that he would like to expand the borders of the EU so that they entered the Ukraine, which Putin took as a direct threat,” said Faraj in an interview with Fox News last summer. “My point of view on Putin and the Russian is this: you should not tease the Russian bear with a stick. If you do, get the answer”.
In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has adopted a clear Pro-Russian stance. “Without Russia the future of Hungarians is impossible,” said, supposedly, the head of government of a country outside the EU and NATO, according to the online magazine Politico.eu.
The Hungarian analytical center of the Political Capital in 2014 examined the 25 most important extreme right-wing parties in Europe in terms of their relations with Moscow. And concluded that 14 of these parties, it was.
However, some of Russia’s friends in Europe — policies that the majority would be placed on the left flank, for example, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (Russia — “an important ally of Greece”) and the President member of EU and NATO Bulgaria Ruman Radev, who wants the lifting of EU sanctions. The Pro-Russian Communist candidate of the Socialist party won the presidential elections in Moldova in November and interpreted his victory as something that voters agree with him.
Scandinavia
In the North of Europe and “the Swedish Democrats”, and the Danish people’s party in the Russian media has received considerable attention. This, in particular, is explained by the fact that politicians from the Danish people’s party allow themselves the obvious Pro-Russian statements. The speaker of the party military policy, Marie Krarup said, for example, in October last year that the EU is Denmark bigger threat than Russia. And it was immediately supported by the Deputy Chairman of the party Jespersen søren (Søren Jespersen).
“The threat that the EU represents for independence and freedom of Denmark, is much more of a threat from Russia”, repeated Jespersen. Although the leader of the Danish people’s party Christian Thulesen Gave (Kristian Thulesen Dahl) says that the party supports NATO, and speaks of Putin as a “rogue” of the party clearly do not agree.
What can you say about the “Swedish Democrats”? Last fall, the Swedish media were exposing the fact that the people in the party and close to her was involved in a mysterious million-dollar deals with people, possibly, associated with Putin, while other people occupying the Central positions in the “Swedish Democrats”, were actively spread by the Russian propaganda. Aftonbladet did in an editorial on October 2 the conclusion that probably a lot more “dig” on the links “the Swedish Democrats” with Russia, than what at that time was known: “we May better see the fingers of the Devil Jimmy (Jimmie Åkesson) in the Russian Bank with the jam.”
Politics and ideology
A striking Alliance between the European right-wing populists and the Putin regime has a number of reasons. The most obvious political unity in several areas and the overall benefits that the Putin regime derives from the fact that these Western organizations like EU and NATO, weakened by internal divisions and schism. The exit of the British from the EU and the election of Donald trump are two of the biggest gift to Putin today can take credit. If this continues due to the fact that the opponents of the EU will come to power in France, Austria or Italy, the EU is hardly able to present a United front in significant international issues. Reactionary regimes in Poland and Hungary are already contributing.
The resistance of the EU and resistance of Muslim immigration — the two most important things that unites right-wing populists in Europe. This position find a significant response from a large number of voters and completely resist Putin.
He has been fighting with Islamists both at home and abroad, its operational capabilities are enhanced every time a weakened EU. However, Putin is trying to restore ties with Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after Turkish air force shot down a Russian fighter, violated the border between Turkey and Syria and invaded Turkish air space in November 2015. And it all turns out surprisingly easy.
The Kremlin has become much more sympathetic to right-wing populists after they gradually began to support the Russian conquest of the Kremlin and Eastern Ukraine, using tactical arguments on the theme that Putin and the Russians will never give them back.
Alexander
© AP Photo, Francesca EbelРоссийский public figure Alexander Dugin
The fact that the Deputy Chairman of the German ADH Alexander Gauland did not embarrassed, says that he met with Aleksandr Dugin, it says a lot about the ideology of the extreme right. Dugin is a controversial figure. It is unclear to what extent he really is one of Putin’s advisers on ideology. Many believe that it is one of the most influential, while others argue that he is in the side. But there is no doubt that it plays a very important role for many of Putin’s closest associates in the party “United Russia”.
Call Dugin “Putin’s brain”, while others call it “Putin’s Rasputin”. Anyway, earlier it was known as a fierce opponent of the United States. The US and the Jews, he attributed the responsibility for all the conspiracy theories in the world, while trump has not won a presidential election. Then he wrote the article on its website that the US should no longer be treated as the enemy, because it looks like the authorities there to come good hand. According to him, following good force that must seize power, become a Gelding, Le Pen in France. Perhaps this plan will fail.
Dugin served as a staunch right-wing extremist, sometimes in place of this came a religious, esoteric ideas and strange philosophy. In his youth he participated in the Foundation of the National Bolshevik party with Nazi overtones then to lead several groups of dissenters because the national Bolsheviks have become too moderate.
His father was a General in the Russian military intelligence service GRU, probably due to this Alexander Dugin at the time was imprisoned and sent to camps in Siberia after his numerous encounters with the KGB.
He later became a mass producer of strange political ideas and theories, the most prominent of which are called “neweurasia”. His most famous book — “the foundations of geopolitics”, written in 1997, depicts Russia and Moscow as a strong center in an Empire stretching from Ireland to Vladivostok and in the South includes part of the Middle East, in Alliance with Turkey and Iran.
He is an enthusiastic supporter of the Italian theorist of fascism of Julius Evola and the excitement combines it with the chief strategist of President Donald trump, Stephen Bannon.
Apparently, many ideological waste can become an important link between the ideologies of the far right wing in Russia, Europe and the United States.
