User:Skakkle/skeptic (European politics)

This is intended as a light educational primer for the term "skeptic" as used in British English and "European English", referring to various political positions, coalitions or blocs. A skeptic (sceptic in British English) in the parlance of national-level and EU-level politics of Europe, is someone who opposes a given policy. 😁

This might be confusing or American or North American English listeners or readers in the specific contexts where the word "skeptic" appears. Many politicians are commonly and accurately described as "an immigration skeptic" and the Eurosceptics are a well established political movement in EU politics.


 * An immigration skeptic is not skeptical about the concept or reality of immigration itself (which seems silly or impossible), but they question the value pro-immigration policy, or the value or immigration to a given country. They simply aren't in favor of immigration. They oppose immigration.
 * A Eurosceptic is someone in who favors more national control in some policy area, as opposed to greater EU integration, or as opposed to the current day status quo policy. Eurosceptics are most organized in EU member states, but may exists in non-EU states seeking membership.

possible confusion among non-Europeans listeners or readers
Questioning current policy and questioning a concept or piece of knowledge are different activities, but in European English political usage, the difference may be slightly blurred. In European political language, the same term is used for both phenomena.

deeper crossover?
This terminology crossover sounds like it gently opposes a well-established, perhaps long-standing & accepted policy. This is not always the case with political skeptics in Europe. Sometimes they quite aggressively oppose the policies in question. So why does the term sounds like it's merely "not certain" about policy x when in facts skeptics, can be strongly opposed? I'm not sure, maybe it's just my North American ears.

Example

 * How the Netherlands Soured on Immigration . . The presenter in this video called Geert Wilders & his allies & coalition partners as being "skeptic(s)" or "skeptical" at leas five times  while repeatedly describing or implying how extreme, possibly illegal, and aggressive his anti-immigration are. (See Opposition_to_immigration § Europe and Category:Anti-immigration politics in Europe.)