Romania election: Hard-right George Simion wins 1st round

Official electoral data shows Romania's hard-right nationalist leader, George Simion, won the most votes. A runoff with Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan is set to take place on May 18.

Deutsche Welle

#MayDay2025 Around the World!!!

From Tokyo to Turin to LA, Trump’s policies loom over May Day marches

By YURI KAGEYAMA and THOMAS ADAMSON, May 1, 2025

PARIS (AP) — "French union leaders condemned the “#Trumpization” of world politics, while in Italy, #MayDay protesters paraded a puppet of the American president through the streets of Turin.

"Across continents, tens of thousands turned out for Thursday’s rallies marking International Workers’ Day, many citing President Donald Trump’s agenda — from aggressive tariffs spurring fears of global economic turmoil to immigration crackdowns — as a central concern.

"In the United States, organizers said this year’s protests aimed to push back against efforts to roll back protections for immigrants, federal workers and diversity initiatives.

"In #Germany, union leaders warned that extended workdays and rising #AntiImmigrant sentiment were dismantling labor protections. And in Bern, #Switzerland, thousands marched behind banners denouncing #fascism and war — part of a wider backlash against the global surge of #HardRight politics.

"In #Taiwan, President Lai Ching-te referenced new U.S. tariffs under Trump as he promoted a proposed spending bill aimed at stabilizing the job market and supporting livelihoods. In the #Philippines, protest leader Mong Palatino warned that 'tariff wars and policies of Trump' threatened local industries.

"In #Japan, Trump’s image loomed over the day quite literally, as a truck in the Tokyo march carried a doll made to resemble him. There, participants’ demands ranged from higher wages and gender equality to health care, disaster relief, a ceasefire in #Gaza and an end to #Russia’s invasion of #Ukraine.

" 'For our children to be able to live with hope, the rights of #workers must be recognized,' said Junko Kuramochi, a member of a mothers’ group in Tokyo."

https://apnews.com/article/may-day-workers-labor-unions-rallies-marches-trump-46de8196d7f01d7458c3d77ccd5e0e54?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

#WorkersRights #MayDayStrong #MayDayProtests

May Day demonstrations in US and around the globe protest Trump agenda

Hundreds of thousands of people rallied in U.S. cities and around the globe for International Workers’ Day or May Day, with the focus this year on President Donald Trump’s agenda. In the United States, demonstrators on Thursday protested Trump’s approach targeting immigrants, federal workers and diversity initiatives. Global protests largely emphasized Trump's tariffs, their impact on local jobs and the rise of the far-right. French union leaders condemned what they called the “Trumpization” of world politics and said their demonstrations were fueled by anger over U.S. military and trade influence in Europe. In Germany, union leaders warned that extended workdays and rising anti-immigrant sentiment were dismantling labor protections.

AP News
How do we break this apocalyptic [end-times #fascism] fever? First, we help each other face the depth of the depravity that has gripped the #hardright in all of our countries. We are up against an ideology that has given up on liberal #democracy, on the livability of our shared world – on its beauty, people, our children, on other species. The forces we are up against have made peace with mass death. They are treasonous to this world, its human and non-human inhabitants.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/apr/13/end-times-fascism-far-right-trump-musk
The rise of end times fascism

The governing ideology of the far right has become a monstrous, supremacist survivalism. Our task is to build a movement strong enough to stop them

The Guardian

5-point guide

"Rather than complain about flooding the zone', create strategies to defeat it"

Prioritize Substance Over Sensation --- Verify Info at All Times --- Educate Audiences --- Engage with New Media --- Own the Conversation

#HardRight #Trump #Musk #Bannon

Reform UK candidate who praised Hitler and Assad put in charge of vetting

Jack Aaron, whose past comments on controversial leaders led to widespread criticism, is now overseeing candidate selection

The Guardian
The #hardright has a problem. If a politican wins an election with promises to cut immigration, he or she will have to find #pronatalist policies that actually work or run the risk of crashing the pensions system. Please see my thoughts in the free weekly essay on my personal blog. https://sharpenyouraxe.substack.com/p/how-can-we-find-pro-natalist-policies
Can the Hard Right Find Pro-Natalist Policies that Work?

Europe's population is aging fast; and immigrants from Africa are waiting in the wings. Anti-immigrant populist parties of the hard right need to find pro-natalist policies that actually work.

Sharpen Your Axe

Thomas Zimmer, commenting on the global rise of the hard right:

"If democracy falls, it is not because those who want to abolish it are so smart and brilliant. They are not cunning geniuses or irresistibly magnetic political superpowers. Resistance against those people will never be futile. They are, in so many ways, the worst."

#democracy #fascism #FarRight #HardRight #AfD #Germany

https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/maga-the-german-far-right-and-the

MAGA, the German Far Right, and the Transnational Assault on Democracy

A reflection on the German far right, Elon Musk’s interference in the German election, and why the MAGA-AfD alliance isn’t nearly as irresistible as they want us to believe

Democracy Americana

@Susan_Larson_TN

1/3

I'm with you & may add some thoughts at the end.

On this particular note, let's keep in mind that #Christianity is amorphous. Each branch has had its own set of bad acts which I won't delve into exhaustively here.

The #hardright #evangelical #christianationlism that you call out is certainly a #ClearAndPresentDanger however the #CatholicChurch under the progressive #PopeFrancis has no influence over them. They can talk but will the evangelicals listen?

...more...

The Hard Right Responds to Jan. 6 Pardons

Most fans of President Trump online were effusive in their praise for his decision to issue pardons and commute sentences for 1,600 defendants.

Southern Poverty Law Center

"Millions of #voters voted for Trump at the top of the ticket and #Democrats down-ballot to check his unpopular agenda. It would be a mistake to think Trump has a mandate to remake society in a #hardright, socially conservative image.

None of the conventional explanations for Trump’s victory stand up to scrutiny | Ben Davis | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/09/trump-victory-explanation-scrutiny

#uselection
#uselection2024
#workersrights
#protectingworkersrights
#USeconomy
#unions
#unionise

None of the conventional explanations for Trump’s victory stand up to scrutiny

This election has blown a hole in the worldviews of both leftists and centrists. The pandemic may be a more important factor

The Guardian