The Rise of the Far Right in Europe

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Olivia Rosato, Reporter

Italy recently elected its first-ever female prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. While this may seem like a victory for feminists across the world, Meloni is regarded as the most right-wing leader since Mussolini, with extreme designs against immigration and firmly traditional, nationalistic values. This may seem like a radical change, but it is a marker of a broader shift in European politics toward right-wing ideals.

Another example of this movement is the recent election in France. Though Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron was reelected, his far right-wing opponent Marine Le Pen lost only marginally. This was a marked increase in performance compared to the previous time they ran against each other in 2017. Le Pen earned 33.9% of votes in 2017 and earned 41.2% of votes in 2022. This is also notable because France, as a leading great power on the world stage, is also a key country of power and influence in the European Union. 

In 2018, Hungary elected a right-wing party into its governmental office. Poland followed suit in 2019. The trend continues even more recently, with Sweden and the United Kingdom. Traditionally a very left-wing country, Sweden’s far-right party, the Sweden Democrats, earned about 20% of votes in recent elections. In the UK, Prime Minister Liz Truss and Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng are both considered members of the right wing of the Conservative Party. Spain and Finland are set to go to polls in 2023. Already, right-wing coalitions of parties are popular with their sentiments and campaigns. If these countries follow the trend, there may be even more right-wing leaders in European politics.

Importantly, why is this seemingly sudden shift occurring? Economic hardship, including the rise of manufacturing in China and the global coronavirus pandemic, are among the causes that concern European citizens. They have led to growing unemployment and lower earnings. Many immigrants have also arrived in Europe seeking respite from war, dictators, and suffering economies from Africa and the Middle East. Andy Gould, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame and expert on European politics says, “The combination of economic shocks and new cultural and ethnic diversity has been fertile ground for right-wing parties promising greater national control and ethno-national unity.”

The consequences of the right-wing shift in European politics are numerous. Former director of Notre Dame’s Nanovic Institute for European Studies, Professor James McAdams’ primary concern is that far-right ideals will become more normalized in liberal societies. He says, “Many voters who might once have been happy to stay with the conservative mainstream have been persuaded that xenophobia, national chauvinism, and racism are legitimate responses to their countries’ challenges.” Other consequences are the potential for loss of rights for certain groups, including women, LGBTQIA+, minorities, and foreigners, in addition to the potential fracturing and collapse of the European Union. The EU has been an agent for peace and prosperity in Europe since its formation in 1993. The polarizing nature of right-wing politics and the associated resurgence of nationalism suggests that the European Union may not survive the current trend toward right-wing politics in Europe.