European politics have been quite right-wing oriented for a good while. But maybe the trend is now ending, at least if we are to take lessons from the recent Danish and Hungarian general elections. The trend, though, is more centre-oriented than radically left, although the left also has some increasing support in Denmark. For a long time, the far right has portrayed itself as an outsider and an alternative to the policies of the old, established parties. But except for some key policies, such as resistance to high immigration to Europe, reduced development aid abroad, reduced social benefits at home, lower taxation, and stricter penalties for crime, the far right seems to have lost much of its thrust and alternative ideas. The mainstream parties have also taken on many of the far right’s ideas, but in more moderate forms. True, it is not only the far right that must re-invent itself; the mainstream parties must do that too, indeed the social democrats, which have been so important in leading European politics and the development of the welfare states most of the time after WWII. Parties further to the left may have a chance now, but it seems they need to think more deeply about their policies, not only embrace more and stronger central government in a time when people want greater individual and group diversity. The traditional moderate conservatives, sometimes close to being ‘social democrats light’, need to reinvent themselves too, in competition with the populist far right, which will otherwise take over that political side.

A few weeks ago, on 12 April, we saw the end of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s sixteen years at the helm in Hungary. He began as a fairly liberal leader, but fell into the traditional strongman style of Hungarian leaders and turned more and more right-wing, leading to a strained relationship with the........

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