Charlie StrossJul 8, 2024

Is it just me, or does The Guardian—nominally a centre-left newspaper—seem to be promoting doomsday narratives predicting fascist triumphs in the face of weak/incompetent centre-left leadership? Like, everywhere? They tried to do it in the UK wrt. Reform, they did it in France, they're talking down Biden and talking up Republican-backed calls for him to step down in favour of any other presidential candidate at short notice (who?).

Has The Guardian finally flipped and turned quietly pro-fash?

Joao BarbosaJul 10, 2024
Show threadFediThing 

@cstross

I don't know if it's Guardian specifically, but there are a weirdly large number of outlets (including the Guardian) claiming that the far right have taken over the european parliament.

The actual results show the number of far right MEPs has barely changed, but no one is reporting this for some reason.

EDIT: Yes the far right did gain seats in some countries, but they lost seats in others. For whatever reason, the countries where the far right vote collapsed aren't being reported as much as the ones where they gained.

(SOURCE: European Union election results page at https://results.elections.europa.eu/en/european-results/2024-2029/)

2024 Election results | 2024 European election results | European Parliament

Official results of the 2024 European elections.

2024 European election results
Jul 8, 2024 at 11:34amWeb
Show threadOggieJul 8, 2024
@FediThing @cstross
France in particular in the US is being framed right now as a terrible mess where nothing can get done and complete chaos- using phrases like 'gridlock'- which is kind of impressive when things hadn't even finished being counted.
Show threadFediThing Jul 8, 2024

@Oggie @cstross

Yeah, I don't get that at all. France has just sent the fascists packing by a difficult alliance of left and centre and an astonishing 21 point rise in voting turnout. That ought to be the news, but instead they're focusing on potentially difficult coalition negotiations.

I don't know why this is happening. It is bizarre.

Show threadOggieJul 8, 2024

@FediThing @cstross
Actually if you haven't seen it, check out this graphic ( posting a link because they deserve to be shamed, and I don't want to seem like I am pulling out of context)

https://bsky.app/profile/bnonews.com/post/3kwpkoyf2t52h

BNO News (@bnonews.com)

BREAKING: Left-wing alliance takes the lead in French exit poll, far-right bloc in 3rd place

Bluesky Social
Show threadAriaflameJul 8, 2024
@Oggie @FediThing @cstross And hung/coalition governments aren't necessarily that bad. The last Australian one got a whole heap of good legislation through. Possibly because they started out by assuming they'd be negotiating, tried to get it right from the start and didn't just try to ram it through and do a couple of tweaks to get it through Senate.
Show threadFediThing Jul 8, 2024

@ariaflame @Oggie @cstross

Coalition governments being formed by multiple parties through negotiation are 100% normal in most democracies.

Show threadCaro S.Jul 8, 2024
@FediThing @cstross Would you mind editing the AltText and adding the number of seats before and after?
Show threadFediThing Jul 8, 2024

@Heidentweet @cstross

I can if you want, but the seat numbers aren't relevant to the vote share, those numbers just mean the total seats in the parliament of all parties.

EDIT: I've added that to the alt text.

Show threadScottinSoCal 🇺🇦 🕊 🏳‍🌈Jul 8, 2024

@FediThing

Saying "Nothing to see here, go about your business." doesn't generate clicks and sell ads.

@cstross

Show threadDouglas EdwardsJul 8, 2024
@FediThing @cstross I distrust the Guardian deeply. I remember how David Graeber pointed out the pattern in their behavior: they publish enough legitimate left-wing material to win their readers' trust — then use that cred to promote dishonest and damaging narratives on the most crucial issues. Like smearing Jeremy Corbyn as antisemitic — or trying to convince us that the European far right is dramatically ascendant (and, by implication, that we have to play defense).
Show threadBartosz MilewskiJul 8, 2024
@FediThing @cstross The French pushed their right-wingers to the European Parliament and then elected the left wing for their own parliament. Go figure!