Steve Bannon's (Lonely) European Vacation
2018 was another bad year for Steve Bannon.聽
After being booted from the White House and departing as executive chairperson of Breitbart News, which he turned into a platform for the racist 鈥渁lt-right,鈥 Bannon struggled to remain relevant by traveling overseas. In Europe, his ventures failed time and again as he was rejected by most European far-right parties.
July 15, 2018
Bannon was caught on tape insulting a radio host and clashing with former United Kingdom Independence Party leader Nigel Farage over Bannon鈥檚 support for then-jailed anti-Muslim activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known under his pseudonym, Tommy Robinson.鈥You guys hate Tommy Robinson. You hate him because he鈥檚 a working class guy. You鈥檙e one of these f------ elites that hate him,鈥 Bannon told a radio station. 鈥淭ommy Robinson is the f------ backbone of this country.鈥
July 20, 2018
Steve Bannon announced he would appropriate ahead of the EU parliamentary elections. The announcement was largely met with skepticism: The ruling party , saying this was 鈥渁n offer for those who want to break the union,鈥 and, 鈥渢his is not for us.鈥 Gerolf Annemans, from Belgium鈥檚 far-right Vlaams Belang party, said and worried Bannon would use it to employ his friends. In France, a Rassemblement National member聽declared: 鈥淏annon is American and has no place in a European political party.鈥
July 23, 2018
Bannon鈥檚 offer of support to European far-right parties prompted the party secretary of the far-right Finns Party to say she would decline his help. the Finnish politician聽said.
July 24, 2018
The representative of Sweden Democrats聽聽a Danish聽newspaper:
Aug. 11, 2018
Alexander Gauland of the far-right German party Alternative f眉r Deutschland (AfD, Alternative for Germany)聽said聽of Bannon, Another party member previously聽declared,
Oct. 8, 2018
Marine Le Pen, leader of the French Rassemblement National (National Rally),聽emphasized聽at a聽: She added:
Nov. 21, 2018聽
The Guardian聽聽Bannon will be prevented from financing campaigns in nine of the 13 countries he is targeting, due to existing laws. Even Bannon鈥檚 business partner cannot receive money from The Movement, an experience he described as 鈥渁 bit frustrating.鈥 Given a lack of allies and legal restrictions, Italy and the Netherlands are the only two countries where The Movement could potentially do work. When confronted with the research, Bannon said he is seeking legal advice.
Photo by Philippe Huguen/Getty Images/Agence France-Presse