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Comment by uwuuwuuwu | Hacker News Reader

Note that what is considered "left of center" in America would likely be significantly right of center to a European.

Not really.

Europe is very left WRT economic structures and acceptance of certain social norms (nudity, athiesm), but would be considered right to far right WRT identity politics. All the Europeans I know think North America is insane WRT political correctness, identity politics, cancel culture, etc...

It's just different... Also keep in mind vast swaths of Europe weren't colonizers, were conquered many times themselves, haven't seen much immigration, etc...

More interesting I think than the opinions of “all the Europeans” you know on cancel culture would be the political status of abortion in Western Europe.

The USA has a large number of people with far right abortion politics and they are succeeding at a federal level in getting their way. It would be interesting to see if Western Europe has any comparable level of social regressivism winning battles in court and parliament. I suspect Western Europe does not.

You are aware that abortion is illegal in Germany right?

It has been de facto "decriminalized" in the first trimester, since the government has declined to prosecute such cases, however a doctor even advertising that they perform abortions is grounds to lose their medical license.

It is legal in other European countries, but I just want to point out that Europe is neither homogeneous nor universally "left" of the US

This is the first time I read this and I'm very surprised that it is the case. Would you have a source I could read to learn more about this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Germany is a decent start.

Abortion is somewhat restricted in Germany, heavily restricted in Poland and banned in a few smaller countries. It was only allowed in Ireland in 2019. Same sex marriage isn't allowed in much of the EU (although some of these countries have a separate partnership status for same-sex couples). Cannabis is illegal everywhere in Europe. Europe isn't as liberal as you think.

Really? Can you name which policies, of, say, Bernie Sanders are SIGNIFICANTLY right of center in Europe?

Bernie Sanders would be a very moderate Social Democrat in most of Europe, slightly left of center. The fact that he plays a very small role in US politics and is obstracised as some kind of SuperStalin is telling on where mainstream US policy is on the spectrum.

Name a SOLIDLY left wing party with significant representation in Europe so we can put your reasoning to the test - people like you love to deal in generalities so you don't have to be nailed down on your sweeping statements, so show us some examples. Then we can pick a few policy issues and compare.

If I read https://berniesanders.com/issues/ all points except immigration and the green new deal would be considered quite right wing points in denmark, not just a little bit to the right of center.

I just read all of the Danish party platforms and I find them incredibly right wing compared to US ones, so there you go. My anecdotal evidence wins.

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