یو بینک ہوم لون - گورنمنٹ مارک اپ سبسڈی اسکیم

YES, it’s time to panic. It’s also time to act. Hillary Clinton may not defeat Donald Trump to become president of the United States. And an election which makes the US into an “indecent democracy” could be followed very quickly by the electoral success of the many “Trump wannabes” proliferating across Europe.

For proof, look no further than Austria which has narrowly escaped becoming the first European Union country headed by a far right, anti-immigrant, Islam-bashing president.

It is comforting to know that instead of Norbert Hofer of the Eurosceptic Freedom Party, Austria will be led by Alexander Van der Bellen, a retired economics professor backed by the Green party who ran as an independent candidate.

But it was a nasty, knife-edge contest and while Van der Bellen has voiced hope of healing divisions and becoming the president of all Austrians, the truth is that Austria is deeply polarised.

Polarisation is also the name of the game in the US where Republicans and Democrats hardly ever engage in a real conversation, even in private.

Certainly, many EU nations are deeply divided. The Brexit debate in Britain has created a seemingly unbridgeable rift between who believe Britain should stay in Europe and those demanding that Britain leave the Union.

The question has provoked a civil war among British Conservatives. It is difficult to see the different lead players in the British drama ever becoming friends again — or ever working together again.

And just as in the case of Austria — and I suspect it will be similar in the United States after the elections in November — even if one side triumphs, the toxic debates are not going to end.

The electorate is too polarised, too wound up in extremist positions to agree on any major issues. So the debate and the divide are likely to continue.

There will be no healing of wounds, no real coming together to tackle questions of common interest. People will live in unconnected parallel universes. There will be no common joined-up conversation.

If this sounds overly pessimistic, think again: unless Europe’s mainstream parties come to their senses and start crafting a convincing and credible narrative to counter the poison spewing from the far right, they will receive a severe thrashing come election time.

And when they do, just as they have adopted the far right’s tough line on Islam and immigrants, the mainstream parties will be willing — and perhaps even eager — to work with the one untouchable racists, populists and fascists.

Already, some, like the True Finns (or Finns) party in Finland, have made it into government. Others, such as the Alternative for Germany and the Danish People’s party have become influential power brokers.

In Poland, the right-wing nationalist Law and Justice party has used its autumn elections victory to challenge traditional liberal European principles ranging from independence of the judiciary, the media and civil service to the legal right to an abortion.

Hungary’s populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban is proudly anti-free trade and anti-immigrant. In France, meanwhile, Marine Le Pen of the National Front is high in the polls ahead of next year’s s presidential and legislative elections.

With his mop of blonde hair a la Trump, Geert Wilders in the Netherlands predicts that a Trump victory in the US will be good for the US and “good for Europe”.

Germany now has its own anti-Muslim Alternative for Germany party.

So what’s happening? Anne Appelbaum, an American journalist, recently said during a debate in Amsterdam that with their arrogance, rudeness and crass language, politicians like Trump were emulating the heroes (and heroines) of TV Reality shows. Voters like them because they look and sound familiar.

In addition to their anger with Islam and Muslims, the populists tap into the frustration of the many “angry white men” who worry about immigrants getting their jobs and hate the new globalised world which has upended their lives.

The far right is anti-European at a time when frustration with European elites is running high over allegations of corruption and because of rampant inequality.

And there is a very simple fact: far right politicians today are much more charismatic, photogenic, media-savvy than their mainstream rivals. They make a complex world appear simple and manageable.

They also share an admiration of the father of all strongmen, Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump thinks he is the perfect leader as do European far right politicians. Putin reportedly returns the favour with more than just verbal support.

Meanwhile, Europe’s mainstream politicians are emulating the far right. Many are adopting the same toxic anti-Islamic rhetoric as the far right and trying to be as tough on immigrants and refugees as the extremists.

Instead, mainstream parties could be taking a more adventurous line. They could dare to be different and try appealing more forcefully to the many million Europeans who are not xenophobic and racist.

Sadiq Khan’s election as mayor of London is proof that diversity and tolerance also win votes. European politicians need to wake up and get ready to engage in a real battle of ideas and values with the far right.

If not, Europe will become home to too many indecent democracies.