Europe moves to the right

First it was the Austrian Freedom Party, now comes the Swiss People's Party. The two worrying votes in support of far-Right candidates in recent European elections are too much part of a pattern to be dismissed. Jean-Marie Le Pen in France has a consistent bedrock of support, the Right in Germany is ever threatening, and Umberto Bossi in Italy has marshaled it there with much success.

The lesson that history teaches us is that we must never, ever be complacent. Demagogues have a simple message that can be all too appealing.

Israel has the right approach: it has threatened to break off diplomatic relations should Jorg Haider be given any role in the Austrian government. With the extremists now holding a significant number of parliamentary seats, mainstream political leaders must resist the temptation to make some sort of a deal. There must never be any compromise with evil.

-- The Express, London