E/CN.4/2005/18 page 9 C. Rise of parties and movements with racist and xenophobic platforms 17. The Special Rapporteur noted with great concern the rise of parties and movements with racist and xenophobic political platforms, leading, inter alia, to the recent electoral successes of such parties in several countries. In that context, the General Assembly, in its resolution 59/175 of 20 December 2004, entitled “Measures to be taken against political platforms and activities based on doctrines of superiority and violent nationalist ideologies which are based on racial discrimination, ethnic exclusivism and xenophobia, including neo-Nazism”, took note of the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur, including on the need for States to exercise greater control over racist and xenophobic statements especially when they are expressed by representatives of political parties or other ideological movements. The General Assembly also expressed support for the activities of the Special Rapporteur and called upon all States to cooperate with him with a view to enabling him to fulfil his mandate. 18. The Special Rapporteur wishes to draw the attention of the Commission to the study on the question of political platforms that incite or encourage racial discrimination (A/59/330), which he submitted to the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth session, providing an overview of parties and movements worldwide whose strategy or objective is to incite racial hatred or xenophobia. When the report was introduced before the Third Committee of the General Assembly, some delegations contested the allegations made concerning their respective countries. The Special Rapporteur agreed to review the cases raised by some countries and to include the necessary corrections in his subsequent reports, should such criticisms prove justified. 19. The Special Rapporteur also drew attention to another very worrying development: the number of political parties which are increasingly taking up overtly racist and xenophobic positions. In that regard, the Special Rapporteur wishes to underline the commitment made by the States Members at the Durban Conference. In paragraphs 84 to 87 of the Durban Declaration, the States Members condemned political platforms and organizations based on racism, xenophobia or doctrines of racial superiority and related discrimination, and noted that “article 4, paragraph (b), of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination places an obligation upon States to be vigilant and to proceed against organizations that disseminate ideas based on racial superiority or hatred, acts of violence or incitement to such acts. These organizations shall be condemned and discouraged.” 20. However, the newest and most alarming aspect of the rise of parties with racist and xenophobic platforms is the insidious way in which these platforms have found their way into the political agendas of democratic parties. What is new is not the existence of these platforms as such, but their progressive co-optation by democratic parties, for electoral purposes, under the guise of defending “national identity”, combating illegal immigration or defending “national preference”, in the context of economic recession, the fight against terrorism, or the defence of national security. As a result, racist or xenophobic discourse and writing, and therefore racist or xenophobic acts, enter the mainstream. The Special Rapporteur regards racism and xenophobia as the most serious threat to contemporary democracy. 21. The Special Rapporteur wishes to illustrate this point by citing a number of recent cases which he regards as particularly worrying. In Germany, the two parties with openly racist and