Dear John,

The last decade, we have been witness to the rise of a dangerous global far-right nationalist movement, from Trump and the MAGA movement in America, to Brexit in the UK, to Modi in India, and the now-defeated Bolsonaro in Brazil. This fascist spasm is far from over, and the right-wing coalition made huge gains in the recent EU elections.

In the face of this, it could be easy to feel powerless, to feel like elections don't matter, to feel like the world is too broken to ever be truly repaired and improved. It is that exact feeling that drives the rise of authoritarianism. We know that only one thing can prevent the rise of right-wing fascism, and that is everyday people rejecting a sense of powerlessness, coming together in community, and taking action, not just against the forces of authoritarianism, but for a powerful vision of a better world.

Thankfully, we are seeing people doing just that in many elections around the world. That is why we work hard to elect progressive champions in Minnesota, to contest corporate power in our elections, and to organize a growing multiracial coalition to build the Minnesota we deserve.

As we try to process elections from around the world, here’s what we’re reading, watching and listening to this week. This one’s a bit denser than usual, so we’re also going to keep it a bit shorter!

1. The far-right continues to gain power in Europe 

Last weekend, the European Parliament elections concluded, and while the vote counting is not entirely complete, the far-right is poised to gain at least 16 seats, while the center-right looks to add another 14 seats, primarily at the expense of Europe’s center-left, who lost a projected 22 seats.

It’s important that we understand what this means: desperate people are pushing for increasingly divisive political change. If we do not offer a compelling vision of who we are and what we stand for, the simple, divisive messages of the far-right will continue to resonate and grow.

2. Germany and France lead far-right gains 

This trend was driven in large part by the two most populous countries in Europe: Germany and France, with Italy’s far-right party also continuing its rise to power.

3. Finland counters with a compelling vision for the left

The path to defeating the far-right was articulated best by Li Andersson, party leader of Finland’s Left Alliance, who won more votes than any other Finnish candidate for the European Parliament ever has. As she put it, we must have a vision for changing people's lives for the better, in contrast to the far-right's dedication to power for power's sake, but no measurable improvement to people's lives.

As Andersson put it, "Finland is one of the few countries in Europe where we have already seen and experienced what it means when the far right and the traditional right cooperates," going on to describe attacks on workers, social security, and funding for climate and the environment.

4. Nordic countries on path to rejecting far-right 

Finland was far from the only country to buck the European far-right trend, with Sweden, Denmark, and Portugal also seeing gains for their Left parties, and a collapse of the far-right’s momentum.

5. Mexico elects first female president

Incoming president Claudia Sheinbaum was elected with the highest vote percent of any Mexican president in history, and has promised to continue Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s Fourth Transformation, a social and political restructuring of Mexico that seeks to economically empower the country’s poor and marginalized.

6. Minnesota Values Project 2024 Survey

Turning to Minnesota news, the Minnesota Values Project is conducting a survey to help determine progressive priorities for next year’s legislative session and beyond.

This is our opportunity to shape the governing priorities for next year, and ensure the strongest foot forward. We encourage you to take 5-10 minutes to fill out the survey and talk about the issues you organize for and care about.

And by building a powerful vision for what our government could look like, we are doing our part in build a robust progressive alternative to the growing right-wing fervor that threatens our rights, our communities, and our democracy.

7. Southside Shtetl Summer Fest & Book Reading

Looking for a fun, educational, empowering event to end your June with?

Moon Palace Books is hosting a festival of music and books, featuring 20+ vendors of radical Jewish art, a book talk, a musical performance by Sister Species, and political education about BDS and Palestinian liberation. The featured book, For Times Such as These, provides a guide for creative action and ritual-making throughout the seasons, an exploration of anti-Zionist Judaism, and a spiritual-cultural invitation to embody and expand decolonial, anti-racist, queer, and feminist Jewish practice. 

And that’s a wrap!

Send us what you’re reading, watching and listening to.

Until next time,

Mattias Lehman (he/him)
Communications Director