Crisis a boost for the right

Headlining with "Voters want truth," Die Presse analyzes recent elections in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Germany. In response to the shock of the Greek crisis, Europeans are increasingly casting their ballots for political parties that promise to implement austerity measures. The Viennese daily also comments on a number of trends that are changing the face of European politics.

The left, which apparently lacks the intellectual credibility to take advantage of the crisis of capitalism, is losing election after election — except in Greece, where "George Papandreou probably regrets" his victory in the polls. Secondly, voters are turning against current governments and incumbency is a disadvantage in elections. Finally, bipartite parliaments will soon be a thing of the past in an increasingly multi-polar political world. And it is in this context that liberal parties, who have succeeded in filling a political vacuum and winning over voters that are attracted by populism, are making major in-roads in Europe.