Ernst Roets’ appearance at nationalism revival conference in Budapest draws backlash

The recent Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Hungary is a “definite revival of white nationalism worldwide emboldened by the return to power of US President Donald Trump and is spreading its wings to South Africa”.

This is according to experts, who said CPAC is about reviving nationalism in the world, which tends to breed far-right movements and anti-migrants attitudes.

Ernst Roets’ presence raises alarm

The presence of Ernst Roets raised eyebrows as to what his role is in the meeting of far-right parties and organisations that wish for a purified white world and whether they believe that this was possible in South Africa.

The former AfriForum deputy CEO, who spoke at the CPAC conference last Thursday, claimed on X to have met right-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, leader of the Fidesz (Hungarian Civic Alliance) with whom he took a picture at the weekend.

“I spoke with political and intellectual leaders from the US, Hungary, Belgium and Slovakia about the preservation of our Western heritage, the ideological battle of our time and their views on South Africa and the Afrikaners,” he said.

Roets posted about his message to those he met on “the need for decentralisation and self-governance for the communities that live in South Africa”.

Trump-linked movement fuels global identity fears

Dr Jan Venter, international relations expert from North-West University, said the upswing of the far-right movement in Europe and America was due to growing fears of domination of their cultures by foreign cultures coming with immigrants.

Independent political analyst Sandile Swana said South Africa was seen as an enclave of white Western Christian civilisation, or white purification, envisioned by the international far-right-wing movement, which US President Donald Trump wants to see dominate the world.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa not condemning ‘Kill the Boer’ smacks of ‘double standards’, AfriForum says

He said US Vice-President JD Vance is the main exponent of the right-wing revival worldwide, on Trump’s behalf.

Swana said in South Africa, the far-right revived in the wake of many ANC political blunders, like the manner in which it handled land expropriation and other transformational policies.

‘White Christian civilisation rim’ theory takes root

He said Trump knew allegations of genocide and the grabbing of Afrikaner land were untrue, but were part of South Africa’s white right-wing bid to gain Trump’s sympathy so that he could intervene in the country.

Trump appointed Vance “because he wanted him to push the far-right-wing agenda worldwide”. As part of this, Vance, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in February, met Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right Alternative für Germany.

Later, he also talked to far-right Nigel Farage in the UK, although they now differ on Britain’s role in World War II after Vance criticised Britain as “some random country” that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years.

Vance’s visits had been seen as the beginning of a long relationship with the world’s right-wing and the new US administration.

The project’s philosophy was that the US, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa should be transformed into a purified white Christian-based Western civilisation rim.

Swana said to achieve this objective, these countries should begin by clearing non-whites and non-Christians.

ALSO READ: AfriForum challenges Expropriation Act in court, criticises Ramaphosa for ‘silently’ signing the law

“The process involved reducing the number of foreign immigrants of another religious background other than Christianity.”

Swana said they are not only opposed to certain non-pure religions, but they are also against liberalism, hence the widespread campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion under the Trump administration.

Hungary and Vance seen as global far-right anchors

In Eastern Europe, Hungary is the leader of this purification process, with increased racism and anti-migrant attitudes under Orban.

Swana said after Hungary experienced an influx of immigrants from around 2017-18, Orban and his oligarchy decided to close the Hungarian border with Serbia so as to screen immigrants, other than whites, from entering the country.

Orban targeted mainly Muslims from West Asia. Orban, an ally of Russia and adored within the far-right movement worldwide, is a central figure in the consolidation of the far-right movement in Eastern Europe, while Vance has taken over the role in America and Western Europe.

Venter said nationalists think about the particular rights that they must protect, while fascists, who are related to them, employ military means and form a military society to achieve their interests.

He said the growth of far-right nationalism was due to their need to protect their identities against immigrants, especially in Europe and America.

“In Europe, immigrants are seen as not becoming part of their society, nor accepting the Western values but keeping their own culture,” he said.

NOW READ: AfriForum accuses NPA of playing to public gallery in Cwecwe rape case