Eh not really. Bernie’s proposals are what a large share of Americans think of what Europe (which is way too much of a generalisation) is and not the reality. With the exception of Spain, Sweden and to a lesser extent Italy, every major European country is run by a centre or centre-right government. They’re not particularly socialist in the sense that they’re often more economically competitive with lower corporate tax rates and greater consumer choice and liberalisation of trade and other regulatory policies, but because they have more robust welfare states they get classified completely incorrectly. Bernie’s healthcare plan doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world because it’s both far more comprehensive and bans private care that exists pretty much in every European country, including even the UK. He’s more protectionist, in stark contrast to the EU and its aggressive and in my view correct decision to pursue free-trade agreements with Japan, Canada, Mercosur, Singapore, Australia, Vietnam and other vital partners.

There’s a massive disconnect between the American vision of Europe and how most Europeans actually live and their politics function, and as someone who has lived in both it frustrates me that people don’t seem to acknowledge this.