Back to Gideon RachmanAs readers of this blog might have gathered, I have just been in Hungary - searching for evidence of political extremism. But perhaps I should have been looking closer to home. It is entirely possible that the far-right British National Party - which enjoys fraternal relations with Jobbik in Hungary - will gain a seat, perhaps more than one in the European Parliamentary elections on June 4th.
The BNP are not showing up well in the polls - but that is probably because people are reluctant to admit voting for them. In fact, conditions are perfect for the BNP. There is a deep recession, and now there is a sleaze and expenses scandal that is engulfing the British Parliament and discrediting mainstream politicians. UKIP - the UK Independence Party, which wants to withdraw the UK from the European Union - is another party that should benefit from the scandal. UKIP made a big breakthrough in the last Euro-elections in 2004; and the polls have been suggesting that they will do much worse this time. But the sleaze scandal looks likely to give them a big boost.
Where else might we see startling results? Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician who capitalises on anti-Muslim sentiment (slogan -”Against Eurabia and for the Netherlands”) is doing well in the polls. One conservative blog claims that he is even ahead of the main centre-right party, the Christian Democrats - which would be a sensation, if true.
And a lot of people are also expecting big things from the Trotskyites in France, with gains for the party led by Olivier Besancenot, a good-looking young postman. One poll appeared to put him at level-pegging with President Sarkozy. All in all, this might be an unusually interesting (and disturbing) European Parliamentary election.
This blog covers a variety of topics from US foreign policy to European politics and the Middle East - and whatever else happens to be in the news or catch my attention. I joined the FT as chief foreign affairs commentator in 2006, after a 15-year career at The Economist which included stints as a correspondent in Brussels, Bangkok and Washington. I write a weekly column on foreign affairs, which appears in the paper on Tuesdays. Occasionally my FT colleagues contribute posts to this blog.
Geoff Dyer is the FT's China bureau chief. He has been a correspondent in Shanghai and in Brazil and has also covered the pharmaceuticals and biotechnology industries from London.
Roula Khalaf is the FT's Middle East editor. She has worked for the FT since 1995, first as North Africa correspondent, then Middle East correspondent and most recently as Middle East editor. Before joining the FT, she was a staff writer for Forbes magazine in New York. 
James Blitz is the FT's defence and diplomatic editor. He has been the FT's political editor, based in London, and Rome bureau chief. James is a former Moscow bureau chief for the Sunday Times.
Alan Beattie is the FT's world trade editor. He has previously been economics leader writer and spent two years in Washington DC as chief US economics correspondent. Before joining the FT, Alan was an economist at the Bank of England. 
Victor Mallet is the FT's Madrid correspondent. He is a former Asia editor of the FT, and, in more than 20 years at the organisation, has also worked in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. In 1990 he escaped from Kuwait after being one of the few foreign correspondents there when Iraq invaded. 
Stefan Wagstyl is the FT's eastern Europe editor, co-ordinating coverage of the region. He has also been the FT's bureau chief in Tokyo and New Delhi.
