Democrats can take solace that their recent election disaster isn’t a solitary one. Left-wing governments are imploding in many other Western capitals. Unsatisfied with high immigration, strained public services, weak economic growth, high taxes, and a sense of general government incompetence, voters are abandoning leaders such as Justin Trudeau, Olaf Scholz, Keir Starmer, and Emmanuel Macron.
Let’s start with the Canadian Prime Minister.
Once the darling of the Western center-left, Trudeau has long relied on a media more fascinated by his good looks than his flawed policies. But now, the dividends of those policies have come home to roost. Trudeau’s finance minister Chrystia Freeland underlined the crisis in his government by resigning this week in protest over his policy response to Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on Canada.
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Trudeau’s main problem is that Canada’s economy is weak and voters have had enough of him. Once highly popular, Trudeau’s approval now stands at under 30%. Polls suggest that Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre will take power with a significant majority in parliament when the next election is held (next October at the latest). Immigration is a central concern, with many Canadians believing too many fraudulent asylum applicants are allowed to remain in Canada.
The situation for prominent left-wing governments in Europe isn’t much better.
On paper, United Kingdom Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s plight is a strange one. The former chief prosecutor took office only in July and had the benefit of replacing a deeply unpopular Conservative government. But Britons are not keen on Starmer’s left-wing policies. His approval already stands at a paltry 27%, and his government has a net -49% rating.
What went wrong?
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First, Starmer adopted an unreconstructed left-wing economic policy that has many fearful for the future. Living costs, especially for housing, are already high in the U.K. In October, Starmer introduced a budget that dramatically raised taxes, especially social security equivalent taxes on business. While his spending is broadly popular, many Britons doubt that the budget will foster long-term economic growth. Businesses warn that they will have no choice but to cut staff and raise prices. Others say they might not survive.
Second, Starmer is seen as autocratic and confrontational toward Brexit voters and those who dislike the country’s record-breaking rates of immigration. Many Britons were angered by heavy prison sentences handed down for otherwise law-abiding people who posted incendiary posts on X and Facebook during August riots over immigration and asylum policy. To public outrage, punishments have sometimes far exceeded those issued to prolific child pornography offenders.
Immigration has brought important benefits to the U.K. in terms of expanded workforce, but has strained public services such as housing, healthcare, and education. An inability to integrate some immigrants has also led to a public sense that authorities care more about not offending immigrant communities than assuring they accept ande abide by British laws and customs.
Starmer’s Labour Party won a landslide in parliament, and the prime minister is surely grateful that he won’t have to call another election for four and a half more years. But Labour is now running equal to the still deeply unpopular Conservatives in the polls!
On the continent, the left-wing government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also falling apart. Led by his Social Democratic Party, the coalition includes only the Green Party after the center-right Free Democratic Party recently withdrew its support. Germany will hold elections in late February after which the center-right CDU party’s Friedrich Merz will probably become Chancellor. Why has Scholz lost public trust?
The main issue is economic mismanagement. Germany’s rush to renewable energy has increased energy prices sharply, as has the shutoff of Russian gas exports as a sanctions response to its invasion of Ukraine. Scholz’s grossly overrated predecessor, Angela Merkel, deserves much of the blame for Germany’s predicament.
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Energy costs are now a major drag on both household and business income. At the same time, Germany’s once supreme manufacturing industry faces more competitive pressure from China and elsewhere. Making matters worse, Scholz has turned himself into a human carpet for Xi Jinping’s geopolitical ambitions. China isn’t importing nearly as many German cars. And Scholz lacks the political imagination and boldness to diversify the economy as is needed.
It all adds up to a picture of the Western left crumbling — deservedly so.