From Europe’s Far-Right Revival: Unpacking the Surge by Zubair Mumtaz
July 9, 2024
The far-right is gaining increasing power across Europe, with several countries now having right-politico parties in government or as major political forces including France and the Netherland are the latest. This trend is driven by a few key factors such as worsening economic conditions and decreasing living standards of the working and middle classes, worsened by neoliberal policies and the Eurozone crisis, which have led to frustration with mainstream parties. Far-right populists have effectively capitalized on this discontent, positioning themselves as advocates for the “common people” against the political establishment.Concerns regarding immigration, particularly from Muslim-majority nations, have provided a fertile environment for far-right parties to advance nativist, xenophobic, and Islamophobic agendas. They blame immigrants and minorities as a threat to national identity and security, proposing simplistic solutions and fueling anxieties.
However, the failure of centre-left and left-wing parties to adequately address the economic and social worries of their traditional working-class support base has created a void that far-right populists have filled. The left’s perceived alignment with pro-EU, pro-immigration policies has alienated numerous voters, prompting them to search for alternatives.
Moreover, as mainstream centre-right parties increasingly embrace far-right language and policies, particularly on topics like immigration, it has contributed to the normalization of extremist perspectives. This blending of the lines between the far-right and centre-right makes populist parties seem more acceptable to a wider electorate.
Furthermore, growing dissatisfaction with the perceived absence of accountability and responsiveness of EU institutions to the needs of all member states has fueled Euroscepticism. Far-right parties exploit this sentiment, positioning themselves as protectors of national sovereignty against an overbearing, undemocratic EU bureaucracy.
The author goes on for a bit. Who is he?
Zubair Mumtaz is a Conflict / Security Analyst and an M.Phil. Scholar in Peace & Conflict Studies at National Defence University. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
The are at least three National Defence Universities:
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