Is social democracy popular in Europe again?

Time Magazine’s April 22 cover called the growth of nationalist movements “the unraveling of Europe.” But recent elections in Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Spain could point to a resurgence of progressive democracy.

With the upcoming European Parliament elections on May 23, there is a possibility of a rise in Euro-skeptic seats, leaving the future of the European Union uncertain. Heavy nationalist-tinged movements have left their mark across Europe: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, the Czech Republic’s President Milos Zeman, France’s 2017 presidential candidate Marion Le Pen — along with the United Kingdom’s looming Brexit deal. Many of these movements across the continent have promoted Euro-skepticism and xenophobic rhetoric. But could the latest wave of liberal and socialist votes signal changes to come?

On March 31, Slovakia elected its first female president, Zuzana Caputova. Caputova, who had little political experience, easily defeated her opponent, the vice president of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic. Caputova ran on a socially liberal, anti-corruption platform and endorsed LGBTQ rights in a country where same-sex marriage is still illegal.

“Slovakia sent a signal that central Europe hasn’t given up on liberal democracy,” said Michal Vasecka, head of the Bratislava Policy Institute think tank, according to Bloomberg. “It’s a signal of hope for the Czech Republic, Hungary and especially Poland.”

At the same time, elections in Turkey dealt a blow to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s nationalist alliance on a municipal level. Erdogan’s AK Party lost both Ankara, the capital city, and Istanbul, the country’s economic center. Although Erdogan contested the results, an opposition candidate, Ekrem Imamoglu, took office as the mayor of Istanbul on April 17.

Istanbul is Erdogan’s hometown, and the cradle of his political career. Since he first took office as the mayor of Istanbul in 1994, Erdogan has grown increasingly autocratic. Even though these were only local elections which continue to be disputed, the results might hint at the decline of popular support.

Last weekend, after an April 21 run-off, Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelensky overwhelmingly won the presidential election with 73 percent of the vote.  

Both Zelensky and his opponent, the current President Petro Poroshenko, had pro-EU stances—although voters were disillusioned with the incumbent. Zelensky, on the other hand, has no political experience and plays a character on a satirical TV series in which a teacher accidentally becomes president. Ukrainian voters seemed to have responded to his anti-corruption message and promises to bring stability and reform to the country.

Finally, outcomes in the Spanish national elections on April 28 have resulted in headlines such as “Spain is a beacon of hope for Europe and the world.” The incumbent Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, declared victory of his Socialist Party on Sunday, although he will still need a coalition to govern. Sánchez stresses a partnership built on equality and social justice.

The voter turnout in Spain was higher than last year’s election, but showed growing political polarization. The populist far-right party Vox, won seats in Parliament for the first time.

PHOTO: Zuzana Čaputová at a press conference in 2019 // Wikimedia Commons