MCC Brussels Podcast Mamdani and the Islamo–Left Alliance
Nov 14, 2025
Join political commentator Richard Schenk and António Tânger Corrêa, MEP and Vice-President of Chega, as they dissect the shifting landscape of European politics. They discuss the potential collapse of leftist coalitions tied to radical Islamism, the surprising rise of Chega in Portugal, and the implications of recent Dutch elections as a backlash against bureaucratic governance. The duo also explores whether the European Court of Human Rights can be reformed and how traditional parties are losing their grip amid a blurring centrist system.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Identity Politics As Left's New Strategy
- Zoran Mamdani's coalition signals a broader left strategy of stitching together minority identity groups instead of a unified ideological platform.
- Richard Schenk argues this mirrors a European left shift toward identity politics and urban liberal elites, fragmenting traditional coalitions.
Contra Natura Coalition Will Collapse
- António Tânger Corrêa warns the Democratic Party is being infiltrated by Islamist and Marxist currents, a coalition he calls contra natura.
- He predicts this alliance will be short-lived because he believes Muslims and the left fundamentally clash.
Left Lost Working Class Through Policy And Culture
- The left lost touch with working-class voters by prioritizing welfare disincentives and identity issues that don't resonate with workers.
- Richard Schenk links this loss to economic policy mistakes and a cultural focus valued by urban elites, not traditional workers.