Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The European far right rallied in Madrid last Sunday, where they were addressed by Argentina's President Javier Milei who described climate change as a socialist lie. Of course, it does not take far-right leaders to jet in from other continents to come out with this kind of nonsense. The European far right is well capable of putting it forward itself. Alternative für Deutschland is saying in this European election campaign that CO2 is not a pollutant but an indispensable component of all life. Giorgia Meloni's climate minister has said if the climate is changing, it is because of the climate. He said he did not know how much climate change was due to man and how much to the Earth's climate change.

These people having real influence in the next European Parliament could be a disaster for the climate and for the young generation particular. I note the group the Taoiseach's party is affiliated to in the European Parliament has not ruled out doing a deal with the European far right after the elections. The far right is gaining some ground, in large measure on the basis of a protest against massive social inequality which is being presided over by centre-left and centre-right parties supporting capitalism. It will be important on 7 June and that weekend throughout Europe that people vote not only against the European far right and their crazy ideas but the parties that have helped to give them a leg up by their failed policies.

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