Europeans Awakening to the Dangers of Globalist Leftism

For decades Europe has been gripped by a penchant for politicians espousing the globalist leftism that percolates at conferences like the World Economic Forum, where ideas for saving the world are given priority to the fate of those who live in it. Now, judging by political trends in Europe’s southern areas, it is possible some Europeans have awoken to the dangers of the policies their politicians have been pushing and are fighting back. The conservative New Democracy Party recently won Greece’s election in what amounts to a landslide for the ancient country. Greece joins its neighbor Italy in reaffirming its turn to the right in recent elections. The Wall Street Journal editorial board reports:

Some American conservatives are strangely attracted to Hungary’s Viktor Orbán as a political role model, but a far better European example these days is to the south in Greece. The center-right New Democracy party, led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis, rolled to an historic re-election victory on Sunday as voters rewarded pro-growth economic policies.

The conservatives won a landslide by Greek standards with 40.6% of the vote and a majority in the new Parliament. New Democracy had won a similar victory five weeks ago but without a majority in Parliament. This election was based on a new electoral system, and New Democracy is expected to win 158 of 300 seats, according to official projected results.

Mr. Mitsotakis is expected to be sworn in Monday for his second four-year term after a clear success in the first four. Though educated at Harvard and Stanford, the Prime Minister seems to have avoided their worst intellectual habits.

Greece was an economic mess when he first took office in 2019. It was still digging itself out of its debt crisis, with damage compounded by the socialist nostrums of the Syriza party led by Aléxis Tsípras. Remember when America’s Keynesians said Greece should abandon the euro so it could restore and then devalue the drachma? Greek voters knew better.

Mr. Mitsotakis promised a better way with a corporate tax-rate cut to 22% from 29%, spending restraint and pension reform. He has had to buck critics at the International Monetary Fund who worry about the tax cuts, as they always do, but his policies paid off in a faster Greek recovery and a healthier national fisc. One of his government’s goals will be to regain Greece’s investment-grade debt rating.

As for Mr. Tsípras, his party finished second with 17.8%, a humiliating result that puts his political future in doubt. Parties of the far right and left gained seats, with the latest migrant crisis helping the anti-immigration right. Mr. Mitsotakis is far from soft on immigration, an issue that has helped the political right as southern Europe has become the first destination for migrants from Asia and Africa.

Greece’s move to the right is part of a trend along the Mediterranean. Italy elected a conservative coalition led by Giorgia Meloni last year, and Spain’s center-right People’s Party is leading the ruling Socialists in the polls ahead of parliamentary elections in July.