Trends, trends, trends. That’s what politics is all about. One day you are at the top, the next you might fall into oblivion.
Here are some of the current political leaders who are gaining a tremendous consensus among disgruntled voters. Their common ground? A strong opposition to austerity and the Euro, blamed to have brought the European economy on the brink of collapse. Strange enough, not all of them belong to the same political family.
Radical right and left –wing parties have never been so close in their views and interests of bringing back long gone nationalism. It’s not surprising, then, that the far right leader Marine Le Pen, publically endorsed the left-wing Tsipras in his battle for the Premiership. Ok, let’s get to know them better know!
Marine Le Pen – President of the right-wing National Front.
47, born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, daughter of Front National founder Jean Marie Le Pen and his first wife Pierrette. After her degree in law, she worked as a lawyer representing (guess what?) Illegal immigrants. Twice divorced, she is a mother of three.
Famous for: Having revived the fortunes of an otherwise marginal party, after virtuously winning its congress.
Worst enemy: The Euro, which she sees as a threat for the economic stability. Back to the national currencies, then!
In her words: “Tolerance? What does that mean? I am a very tolerant and hospitable person, like you. Would you accept 12 illegal immigrants moving into your flat? You would not! On top of that, they start to remove the wallpaper! Some of them would steal your wallet and brutalise your wife. You would not accept that! Consequently, we are hospitable, but we decide with whom we want to be.” (SBS Interview with Mark Davis, 8 May 2012).
Alexis Tsipras – Prime Minister of Greece and leader of left-wing Syriza.
Life: 40 also spelled Αλέξης Τσίπρας with those idiomatic characters of the Greek language. He was born in Athens, only three days after the Greek military junta fell. He was (too) young when politics got a leg up on him: in his teenage years, Alexis was already one of the students’ movement leaders. He is not married, but lives with his fiancée Persitera and his two kids. Just so you know: the youngest son’s middle name is Ernesto. Does it remind you of someone famous?
Famous for: His battles against austerity and the neo-conservative course of Europe.
Worst enemy: Austerity, austerity and, once again, austerity. Do you get the guy doesn’t like austerity at all?
In his words: ‘Our victory is an end to austerity and destruction’ (25 January 2015, victory speech.)
Pablo Iglesias – Socialist Chairman of Podemos and MEP.
36, born and raised in Madrid. Thanks to his brilliant nerdy mind, he got two degrees with honours, one in law and another political science. In September 2014 he was nominated honorary professor at the Complutense University. Without a doubt, the political thrill runs in the family, as his girlfriend Luisa Turriòn is a deputy in Madrid’s Assembly for (guess what?) the United Left Party.
Famous for: Having launched Podemos, the new anti-austerity movement that many predict will have a tremendous consensus in Spain’s next general elections.
Worst enemy: The European caste that, he argues, has plunged indebted economies into a never-ending crisis.
In his words: “Tic, tac, tic, tac… after Greece, the final countdown has begun for Rajoy’s Government as well.” (25 January 2015, Podemos rally after Syriza’s victory).
Nigel Farage – Right-wing Chairman of the UKIP and MEP.
50, born at Downe, Kent. In 1982 he decided he wanted to try a twist of the City’s thrill and began trading commodities at the London Metal Exchange. Like every maummy’s boy, he proudly lives “around the corner from his mother.” From his two marriages he got four children. He employs his German wife as his secretary as, he says, no Britons could work as hard as her.
Famous for: Being the first loud and strong Eurosceptic voice in British politics. For having made Euroscepticism the new buzz of Albion land. To be fair, some controversial quotes had overshadowed his ideas.
Worst enemy: “Why just one? The guy is plenty of enemies! Pretty much every EU official has to deal with Nigel’s fierce opposition on…everything!
In his words: “You have the charisma of a damp rag, and the appearance of a low-grade bank clerk. And the question that I want to ask is “Who are you?” I have never heard of you. Nobody in Europe has ever heard of you. I would like to ask you, President, who voted for you, and what mechanism … oh, I know democracy isn’t popular with you lot, and what mechanism the people of Europe have to remove you?” (24 February 2010, addressing Herman Van Rompuy, the newly elected president of the EU Council).
