Editorial
Dear Progressives,
the debate about fascism is over. “What we now see unfolding is fascism,” noted the US philosopher Jason Stanley in a recent interview with the German weekly Die Zeit. Moving with remarkable speed and intent, Donald Trump is dismantling the rule of law and with it the bedrock of US democracy. Overstretching the limits of executive power is not limited to striking fear into allies and enemies at home. By rewriting history on the Russia-Ukraine war helping Putin and imposing global tariffs, Trump has also become a severe threat to European interests and global stability.
Mixing in with the spread of fascism is popular discontent, expressed by more than 1,200 “hands off” protests across the country, from the deep-blue Bay Area in California to deep-red Butler County near Pittsburgh. What makes this movement extraordinary is the courage of people standing up despite the environment of fear fostered by the Trump administration. It’s time for Germany and Europe to shift gears too. The coalition treaty of the incoming administration in Berlin sends a promising signal regarding Germany’s stronger role in Europe. Crucial will be to not only invest in economies and security, but to also become the standard-bearers of global democracy, a message we took away from a recent trip to the U.S.
There is hope and there are means to rein in Trump’s fascism and the mission of a global right-wing autocratic network to remake the world in their own image. The United States is not one democracy — it’s 50 of them. States and local leaders already engage in foreign policy in many areas, from economic development and trade to climate change. Now, we must develop a bigger, bolder objective among democratic allies in the transatlantic space and beyond, one that leverages state and local power in new ways to take on broader challenges to democracy.
So let’s get to work — if fascism fails in the US, it might fail elsewhere too.
Dominic Schwickert
Executive Director, Das Progressive Zentrum
Florian Ranft
Member of the Management Board, Head of Green New Deal & Progressive Governance, Das Progressive Zentrum
