Latest news with #HerbertKickl
Axios
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
State Department seeks to create "Office of Remigration" in restructuring
The State Department plans to create an "Office of Remigration" in a sweeping reorganization drive tied to the Trump administration's efforts to deport millions of immigrants, a department official told Axios Thursday. The big picture: The proposed new office would signal the State Department's shift from helping refugees to removing immigrants, even as it employs the term "remigration" — a concept that critics say has a troubled history in Europe, where it's used by far-right groups. Driving the news: The State Department on Thursday announced a proposed overhaul that would cut various programs and staff. The Office of Remigration would be part of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, a State Department official said. The proposal calls for an even deeper cut to domestic staffing than the 15% reduction that was floated in April. The department also intends to eliminate several divisions overseeing America's 20-year presence in Afghanistan, including an office responsible for resettling Afghan allies who supported U.S. military operations. Context: In Europe, the concept of remigration calls for the mass deportation or coerced repatriation of non-white immigrants and their European-born descendants. It's a term that's been used by far-right politicians, such as Austria's Herbert Kickl and Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) party leader, Alice Weidel. Liberal and moderate critics in Europe say "remigration" has historically been used as a euphemism for ethnic cleansing. The term was popularized by Martin Sellner, a millennial influencer of Europe's far-right. Yes, but: "The way that it worked before, Population Refugee Migration was basically an entire bureau dedicated to bringing people into the United States," said the State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "It had the migration function — it's in the name — we're just reversing the flow of migrants who shouldn't be here to go out of the country." Zoom in: A more detailed proposal sent to Congress proposes prioritizing migration and border issues over refugee resettlement. The Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration's "existing migration functions will be consolidated into three new functional offices under a (Deputy Assistant Secretary of State) for Migration Matters." "Reflecting core administration priorities, these offices will be substantially reorganized to shift focus towards supporting the Administration's efforts to return illegal aliens to their country of origin or legal status," the document said. The Office of Remigration would be one of these new "functional offices" and is described as a "hub for immigration issues and repatriation tracking." What they're saying: " Over the past quarter century, the domestic operations of the State Department have grown exponentially, resulting in more bureaucracy, higher costs, and fewer results for the American people," Rubio said in a statement. "The reorganization plan will result in a more agile department, better equipped to promote America's interests and keep Americans safe across the world." Rubio didn't mention the Office of Remigration in his statement, and the office is not listed on a new chart on the department's website.
DW
19-05-2025
- Politics
- DW
From AfD to Reform UK: The far right and European politics – DW – 05/19/2025
The nationalist Alternative for Germany is shunned by other parties domestically. But elsewhere in Europe far-right parties are on the rise and some have made it into in government. At the beginning of May, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution(BfV), Germany's domestic intelligence agency, classified the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a "confirmed right-wing-extremist" party. The AfD is now challenging this decision in court. The BfV has announced that it will not use the extremism label until the court rules on the matter. The classification as right-wing-extremist has reignited debate in Germany about whether the AfD should be banned. No other country in Europe is considering such a ban to contain the ascendant far right. In some countries, in fact, similar parties are part of the government or, in some cases, even lead it. DW looks at where far-right parties stand in several European countries. How much of a neo-Nazi party is the German AfD? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Freedom Party of Austria Chancellor Christian Stocker, of the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) does not consider Herbert Kickl's Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) right-wing-extremist. Austria's other political parties have not committed themselves to avoid cooperation with the FPÖ. The ÖVP has formed coalition governments with the FPÖ twice already, the first time back in 2000. This was seen as a scandal in the European Union at the time, and, for a few months, other EU member states kept their relations with the Austrian government to a minimum. The FPÖ is relatively young in the history of Austria's parliament. The party was founded in 1955 by a former Nazi functionary and later softened its views. Like the AfD, the FPÖ is critical of immigration, globalization and the European Union. However, the FPÖ appears more willing to compromise and appears less ideological, perhaps due to the number of times it has been part of government, including at the national level. Last year, it won the parliamentary elections for the first time, garnering 28.8% of the vote. Nevertheless, it was unable to form a coalition government. In the meantime, however, it is even stronger in the polls than it was during the election. Austria's hard-right party comes first in national election To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video France: The National Rally (NR) The National Rally has come a long way since it was founded in 1972 by Jean-Marie Le Pen under the name Front National. When his daughter Marine Le Pen took the helm, she renamed the party and moved it — somewhat — towards the center. Although the party is still critical of immigration and Islam, it is no longer openly antisemitic. This approach helped it attract a new group of voters. Le Pen has run for president three times, most recently losing in the runoff, while still managing to secure more votes each time. Following a court ruling for misappropriation of public funds, Marine Le Pen was recently barred from running in elections for five years. Current polls show that if either she or the party leader, Jordan Bardella, were to run again, they would have a good chance of at least making it past the first round. In the 2024 parliamentary elections, the RN was the strongest party. The RN's penchant for protectionism and statism — in other words: the belief that the state can solve major problems — stands in stark contrast to the AfD's viewpoints. In any case, Le Pen has distanced herself from the AfD. The German party is allegedly too radical for her, but this could be a domestic political strategy to appear more respectable. What does Le Pen's conviction mean for EU politics? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Brothers of Italy Giorgia Meloni stands at the helm of the Brothers of Italy party, making her probably Europe's most successful far-right head of state. Many in the Brothers of Italy have a positive view of fascism, the Italian version of National Socialism. Giorgia Meloni once said that she had "an untroubled relationship with fascism" and that the former fascist head of government and Hitler ally Benito Mussolini was "a good politician." In the 2022 election campaign, which brought her party to power, her slogan was "God, Family and Fatherland." Meloni and her party campaign against abortions, LGTBQ+ people and, of course against migrants. In contrast to many similar politicians in Europe, Meloni has taken a clear stance against Russia in the Ukraine war. This is the main reason why she spoke of "irreconcilable differences" with the AfD. At the same time, Meloni has a close relationship with US President Donald Trump and is therefore valued in Brussels as a transatlantic mediator. Italy: Why do people vote for right-wing populists? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Sweden Democrats The roots of the Sweden Democrats lie in the right-wing-extremist movement Bevara Sverige Svenskt (Sweden should remain Swedish). Shortly before the turn of the millennium, the party tried to distance itself from its roots and adopted a more moderate stance. The current party leader, Jimmie Akesson, is continuing this strategy and was successful in making the Sweden Democrats the second-strongest party in the 2022 parliamentary elections. Since then, the party has backed the minority government of conservative Prime Minister Ulf Hjalmar Kristersson. As with far-right parties in other countries, the most important issue for the Sweden Democrats is immigration. Widespread gang crime in Sweden's major cities has been instrumental in the Sweden Democrats' electoral success. While unusual for a party on the far right, the party has declared its support for climate protection. Netherlands: Party for Freedom (PVV) Since the 2023 parliamentary elections, Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom has been the strongest party in the Netherlands and leads a coalition government together with three other parties. Because Wilders was too radical for the coalition partners, Dick Schoof, who has no party affiliation, became prime minister. The PVV is unique in that Wilders is the only party member; even MPs and ministers are officially only supporters of the party. This means that Wilders can also determine the party program alone and nominate candidates for elections himself. The PVV's priority is fighting irregular immigration and, above all, Islam. With his aim of banning the Koran and all new mosque buildings, Wilders takes the issue a step further than most. Before the recent election, however, Wilders said that he would put his views on Islam "in the freezer" in order to be able to govern. In addition, he campaigns against climate protection and the EU, which he sees as intrusive. Where do Europe's far-right parties differ? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Reform UK Party Reform UK has undergone several transformations: After breaking away from the UK Independence Party, whose main objective was withdrawing the UK from the EU, it became the Brexit Party. Once Brexit was achieved, the party renamed the Reform UK Party. At each step, the leading figure was Nigel Farage, the spectre of established British politics. In the meantime, the party has taken up the cause of drastically reducing the number of immigrants — and using this to pressure the ruling Labour Party as well as the Conservatives. Farage has been successful at accusing both parties of inaction. Just days after Reform UK performed well in regional elections, Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to drastically reduce both unauthorized migration and migration for work. According to the latest national polls, Reform UK is just ahead of Labor and the Conservatives. Deputy party leader Richard Tice calls the official British goal of climate neutrality "absurd." This article was originally written in German. While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing.
Washington Post
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Trumpism is struggling to win over the world
The right wing thought its time had finally come. The United States, leader of the world's liberal democratic bloc, was going rogue, elevating to its highest office an ethno-nationalist authoritarian who would tear apart the institutions and understandings underpinning a global liberal order built up over the past eight decades. 'The Trump tornado has changed the world in just a couple of weeks,' Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said at a far-right coven in Madrid in February. Marine Le Pen, the former leader of France's National Rally, asserted that 'we're facing a global tipping point.' Herbert Kickl, fresh from his far-right party's landslide win in Austria's parliamentary elections, proclaimed that 'people everywhere are rising against the impositions of the E.U. centralists and left-wing ideologies.'
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Austrian Spy Probe Uncovers Russian Disinformation Campaign
(Bloomberg) -- Austrian intelligence officers investigating a Bulgarian for alleged espionage have uncovered a Russian disinformation campaign aimed at damaging Ukraine. They Built a Secret Apartment in a Mall. Now the Mall Is Dying. Chicago Transit Faces 'Doomsday Scenario,' Regional Agency Says LA Faces $1 Billion Budget Hole, Warns of Thousands of Layoffs New York Subway Ditches MetroCard After 32 Years for Tap-And-Go Despite Cost-Cutting Moves, Trump Plans to Remake DC in His Style The suspected spy allegedly led a large-scale effort in Austria and Germany to disseminate what looked like pro-Ukrainian messaging but with the use of nationalist and right-extremist language, seeking to create distrust in Kyiv's leadership, the Interior Ministry in Vienna said in a statement Monday. The Bulgarian served as an intelligence contact for Russian operatives and received campaign materials. The suspect has admitted working for the spy cell, primarily in 2022, according to the ministry. Data on the scheme was discovered in a home search in December. A militarily neutral member of the European Union, Austria is home to several major international organizations and hosts outsize diplomatic missions that are often used as cover for espionage activity. It has long been considered one of the hubs for spy activity in Europe. The far-right Freedom Party won the most votes at federal elections in Austria last year, in part by campaigning with a pledge to end support for Ukraine and to improve ties with Russia. Its leader, Herbert Kickl, was blocked from power by a three-way coalition that includes the conservatives, social democrats and liberals. Authorities have been probing ties between Jan Marsalek, a fugitive former senior executive of the defunct Wirecard payment firm, and members of Austria's intelligence agencies, in part related to a raid on spy agencies when Kickl was Interior Minister in 2018. A New 'China Shock' Is Destroying Jobs Around the World How TD Became America's Most Convenient Bank for Money Launderers Tesla's Gamble on MAGA Customers Won't Work One Man's Crypto Windfall Is Funding a $1 Billion Space Station Dream The Real Reason Trump Is Pushing 'Buy American' ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Austria's far-right party leader criticises EU for its intentions towards Ukraine
Herbert Kickl, the leader of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), has sharply criticised the EU for its policy towards Ukraine. Source: Kickl in a statement on Monday, as reported by European Pravda Details: The FPÖ leader, whose party won the elections last autumn but failed to form a government, said that the EU was endangering the Austrian population. "While the US administration, led by President Trump, is trying to bring both sides to the negotiating table to end the suffering and death in Ukraine, the EU continues to rely on guns blazing and threatening gestures, thus further exacerbating the situation," Kickl said. He claimed that the EU elite is endangering the security of the population "to a degree that cannot be surpassed in terms of recklessness, irrationality and irresponsibility". "To continue in the same way, only much worse: that's what it comes down to," Kickl added. Background: On Tuesday, 4 March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will send a letter to the EU leaders outlining her vision of a plan to rearm Europe, which aims to strengthen EU defence and support Ukraine. The day before, von der Leyen said that Ukraine needs to be put in a position of strength by providing it with the means of defence that will turn it into a kind of "steel porcupine". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
