When Britain voted last year to leave the European Union, the Philippines elected Mr. Rodrigo Duterte as President, and Mr. Donald Trump P ’00 became the President of the United States, it seemed like right-wing populism was becoming an unstoppable global trend. With major elections coming up this year in the Netherlands, France, and Germany, many feared that this phenomenon was going to continue, thereby triggering a period of extreme nationalism and isolationism not seen since the World Wars. However, the recent election in the Netherlands earlier this month went unexpectedly well for the incumbent party, with far-right leader Geert Wilders’s party getting far fewer votes than expected and finishing in a distant second. Furthermore, moderate candidates are projected to beat far-right populists in similar elections in other nations. In France, centrist Emmanuel Macron has emerged as the favorite to beat far-right leader Mrs. Marine Le Pen, and in Germany, the right-wing Alternative for Germany party is far behind the more moderate Christian Democratic Union and Social Democratic Party. While far-right leaders are still a global threat, it seems that the election of Mr. Trump and his presidency’s disastrous start has had a tremendous impact on the politics of European nations.
With the numerous problems caused by the Trump administration, which seems unable to keep the White House and country in order, people around the world now understand the potential damage a right-wing populist could inflict upon their country. According to Tim De Beer, a Dutch political research consultant, “Wilders made a mistake backing Trump. People didn’t like that.” Indeed, Mr. Trump’s unpopularity in Europe has been harmful to candidates who share similar ideals. At one point, Wilders had 36% of the vote, but that has dropped dramatically in recent months as Wilders began comparing himself to the unpopular US president. In the past month alone, his support has dropped from 17.5% to 13.5%, according to the Dutch Peilingwijzer poll. Mr. Trump’s failures have shown the rest of the world that while many right-wing populist leaders may be able to recognize problems, they don’t offer viable solutions. Inappropriate ties to Russia, unsubstantiated claims of wiretapping by Mr. Obama, blatant disregard for NATO, and a proclaimed “war” against the media are all examples of what happens when a country elects a demagogue like Mr. Trump. Meanwhile, French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen has recognized this effect. Compared to Wilders, Mrs. Le Pen has been much less supportive and more unwilling to compare herself to Mr. Trump. This further shows how Mr. Trump, through his damaging policies, is not only affecting the United States but also political decisions made around the world. This damage that Mr. Trump is causing to right-wing candidates doesn’t mean that populist movements worldwide are coming to an end. Senator Bernie Sanders, who used many populist strategies in his presidential campaign, is the most popular politician at the moment in America. Additionally, defeat in the Dutch election may be a very favorable outcome for Mr. Wilders. Though he will not hold executive power, over the next four years, Mr. Wilders will be the leading opposition to the current administration. Thus, if anything goes wrong, he will be able to blame the ruling party. This gives Mr. Wilders a powerful platform, and his populist tactics may win him more support if terrorist attacks increase and economic conditions deteriorate.
Through populism, politicians have been able to harness the anger, despair, and insecurity that many around the world are feeling and win elections. While populist tactics may not be in decline, the Trump administration is dissuading people from voting for candidates like him. In this way, despite already inflicting massive damage upon our country, Mr. Trump may be doing the rest of the world a big favor.
