Disaffection and Abandonment: The European Far-Right Drift

Foreign Policy Brief #175 | By: Damian DeSola | January 24, 2025

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

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The far-right in Europe is rising once again. Following a trend that has taken ahold of much of the modern democratic world, Europe’s various national and supernational far-right populist parties have shown a dramatic surge in popularity. With a range of social and economic effects, along with the ossified and ineffectual traditional parties, the extreme has become greatly appealing to Europeans. Populists use familiar concepts, stoking hate for immigrants, lashing against supposed decadent social justice, and highlighting the overall alienation Europeans feel from their governing officials. 

Examples of this are found across the continent.

 In France, the National Rally party, led by Marine Le Pen, earned a shocking 31% of the European Parliament’s elections. This was followed by the decision of current French president Macron to call a snap election, which was won only because competing left-wing and centrist candidates tactically stepped aside in the second round of elections to avoid splitting their tickets.

For both Germany and Austria, far-right parties have had their best showing in their electorates since World War II. In Germany, The Alternative for Germany (AfD), has won a state election for the first time in its history. While still unpopular with most Germans, 19% of Germans view the party favorably, a record high for AfD. The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) won 29% of the parliamentary vote in 2024, positioning the party’s leader, Herbert Kickl, to potentially become the Austrian Chancellor. 

This past year, Reform UK has also achieved five parliamentary seats, the first in its history. Under a month later, violent riots broke out in July and August of 2024; these riots were sparked by a mass stabbing in Southport, which was followed online by false claims that the attacker was a Muslim immigrant. The riots lasted six days, fueled by online fascists, Islamophobic organizations, and neo-Nazis.

Furthermore, in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and Finland have all seen elections, both local and national, resulting in far-right parties gaining positions in government. 

Analysis

Why are these far-right parties gaining so much traction in Europe? The answer will be familiar to Americans. The main factors can be traced to xenophobia, cost of living, and an overall feeling of disconnection from traditional parties.  

Much of this reaction comes from the rapid increase in the cost of living that has come with the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic turmoil caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine. Slow growth, rising inflation, and increases in the cost of housing, energy, and food,  which is exasperated by massive wealth inequality, have set the stage for discontent across the continent. 

Turmoil and climate change in Africa and the Middle East has resulted in a massive influx of immigrants  to Europe from both regions. Hundreds of thousands have made the perilous journey across the Mediterranean to escape war and dictatorship. Unfortunately, Europe was woefully unprepared, and it countries  have been incapable of managing the crisis. The presence of an “other”, along with economic turmoil, has resulted in Europeans turning their stress into hate. Hence, a massive uptick in racist attacks and nationalist rhetoric by far-right parties.

While healthy democracies would be capable of managing a rise in far-right nationalism, establishment center-left and center-right parties have been more focused on maintaining their positions of power. By refusing to acknowledge or take meaningful action on issues of wealth inequality and cost of living, establishment parties should not be astonished that their voter bases have become disaffected. 

It is a troubling trend. As ideas of populism, majoritarianism, and isolationism continue to grow unchecked by usual democratic institutions, liberal political  foundations are increasingly under threat. Assumptions of equality under the law, freedom of speech, free and fair elections, freedom of religion, gender equality, racial equality, and many other liberal ideals that have been taken for granted could very well be dissolved across the European continent.

A prime example is found in Hungary, a nation that can be referred to as an “illiberal democracy.” It is in this small nation where the framework for modern European nationalism can be found. The ruling party, Fidesz, crushes all opposition through the stifling of free press, corruption of elections, the promotion of Hungarian nationalism, Euroscepticism, and even visions of Hungarian territorial expansion.

The European Union and local democratic powerhouses (e.g. Germany, France) have done little more than writing a strongly worded letter to Hungary. The leading parties of what are meant to be local defenders of European democracy have proven incapable of implementing policy that can effectively combat the rising tide of illiberal influence on the continent. 

Instead of shrugging shoulders, alarm bells should be ringing across liberal Europe. Europeans must rapidly organize, debate, and implement solutions to combat the massive threat of illiberalism. The people and leaders of Europe that consider themselves defenders and advocates for civil liberties and democracy must stand up now, lest they sleepwalk into a new era of European autocracy and division. 

Engagement Resources

• Politico.eu mapping of the far-right rise in Europe
• Change in freedom map from the Freedom House Index
• Podcast covering the far-right resurgence in Europe from the Center for a New American Security

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