Bannon’s idea betrays a deep lack of understanding of how European politics work. Even if one leaves aside the inherent contradiction of a nationalist American trying to use the European Parliament to undermine national governments, it’s unclear exactly how the mechanics of his operation will function. [...]
Yet Bannon’s effort does put its finger on a weak point of the EU that has persisted for decades: Political parties often deprioritize the European Parliament, choosing to focus their resources and send their best candidates to domestic parliaments instead.
That has allowed fringe groups like the British National Party to sneak into the Parliament, use its platform to reach a wider audience and access its funding opportunities. Far-right groups such as the United Kingdom Independence Party, Le Pen’s National Rally (then called the National Front) and the Alternative for Germany have also used the European Parliament to cannily expand their domestic reach.
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