Written by: Kevin Herbert

Traditionally far right parties have been authoritarian antisemitic and racist, but the modern ones have gone through reforms and modernization that has made them more respectable than they once were. The rise of these parties especially in the modern era has sparked numerous debates on if the world is getting more divided or united over nationalism. Though we have numerous trade organizations and military alliances, the idea of “country first” questions global sovereignty, especially with EU and the ongoing conflicts with Russia and Ukraine. Is the current international arena stabler than ever? Or becoming more fragmented over time.

What is Right Wing Nationalism, and why is it spreading in the EU like wildfire in recent years?

Right wing nationalism also known as neo nationalism or social conservatism is an ideology that aims to defend a national culture, identity, values and economy supposedly from outsiders. Some  reasons for the rise in EU are 1) Lessons from COVID and disruptions of supply chain urged Europe to ensure autonomy in critical sectors like medical supplies, semiconductors and energy.  2) EU and its fears regarding the return of Donald Trump or any other future US leader who it feels would not defend European interests like in the past 3) The 2015 ‘migrant crisis’s in Europe, which saw an influx of refugees from the Middle East and Africa, intensified anxieties about national identity, economic competition, and national security. The EU autonomy discussions intensified when Trump took to office, which in turn made EU create a new €800 billion defense and security investment to strengthen European military capabilities and technological edge. More insidiously, hardline far-right policies – on immigration, Islam, the green agenda, EU integration, traditional values – are becoming normalized across Europe as mainstream parties ape them in a vain attempt to maintain their vote shares. In Europe as early as 2025 the political landscape has changed drastically with the numerous elections in the past 2 years, notably in Austria in September 2024  the FPÖ was leading in votes with its anti-immigration and anti-EU rhetoric, however it led to a coalition government by the conservative people party ÖVP, Center left Social Democratic party SPÖ and the liberal NEOS party. Similarly, in Germany the AFD a far-right party gained  significant votes with nearly 20% and the Christian Democratic Party led by Friedrich Merz which also ran anti-immigration campaign won 28 % votes. Across Europe, far-right parties started to  reap electoral dividends. In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni walks a fine line between her nationalist base and the need to cooperate at EU level. The big question for Europe is whether  it can remain cohesive in the face of these forces. Will the EU strengthen as a regional tower of stability, or will its nationalist walls lead to fragmentation?

Charlie Kirk Assassination and the change in Conservative media:

Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed, pioneered a new model for conservative political advocacy, merging multi-platform media commentary with in-person gatherings and get-out-the-vote drives.  Kirk championed right-wing ideas in fiery, on-camera clashes with progressive academics that  then exploded on social media, especially on Twitter, the site known as X. His desire to debate  became a hallmark of the nonprofit, helping turn Kirk into a MAGA media star and a sought-after TV and podcast guest. Kirk’s ascent in conservative politics mirrored the rise of right-wing  populism in America. He embraced Trump during the 2016 presidential election and aggressively promoted Trump’s reelection bids. Turning Point’s local chapters helped register young Republicans and ensure that likely Trump voters turned out to the polls. Kirk, a rising star of Donald Trump’s Maga movement, was hit in the neck by a single bullet as he addressed students  in Utah on 10 September. A 22-year-old suspect, Tyler Robinson, has been charged, but his alleged motives remain unclear. But that has not stopped far-right figureheads from across the continent seizing on the killing to attack “the left”, presenting Kirk’s death as the logical conclusion of what  they portray as a long-running hate campaign aimed at silencing them.

Santiago Abascal of Spain’s Vox went further: “Censorship isn’t enough for them – so they resort to murder.”

For Jordan Bardella of France’s far-right National Rally (RN), the “dehumanizing rhetoric of the left and its intolerance … fuels political violence”. Alice Weidel of Germany’s AfD said Kirk had  been shot by “a fanatic who hates our way of life”.

Right wing Nationalism across the world:

The key political issues that unite these far-right networks include opposition to migration, nationalism, traditional family values, and anti-globalization. These networks are not only fighting for more political influence but also for cultural hegemony. Their goal is to reshape the global ideological landscape in favour of nationalism, social conservatism, and opposition to liberal democracy. And the radical right is quickly learning from each other. Strategies and successes i  one country are soon adopted by other movements. The radical right has a lot of money at its disposal for its ideological struggle. The world’s richest man, Elon Musk and the Koch brothers are among the billionaire entrepreneurs who support the ideological struggle. Musk is himself a player on the radical right. On his platform X, he raves about the AfD in Germany, supports the radical right in the UK and rails against liberal parties. It is not only private donors who support  the right-wing networks. Russia and China are also accused of fuelling right-wing populist  networks to destabilize liberal societies. Another example is right wing populism in Latin America, for much of the period of “the pink tide” in the region during the 2000s and early 2010s associated populism with governments. Presidents such as Hugo Chávez (Venezuela), Evo Morales (Bolivia),  Néstor and Cristina Kirchner (Argentina) and Rafael Correa (Ecuador) were prime examples of presidents who employed populist tactics and performances in their governing. Some scholars of populism contrasted these patterns with those in Europe, where populist parties and leaders tended  to be associated with the nationalist right (pace PODEMOS in Spain and Syriza in Greece). With  the election of Jair Bolsonaro (Brazil), Nayib Bukele (El Salvador), and Javier Milei (Argentina),

among others, shows that the people have spoken clearly. In Asia, especially in Japan on July 20,  2025, Japanese voters went to the polls and awarded the far-right party Sanseitō with 14 seats in the upper house, a tremendous increase from its previous one seat. A right-wing populist party  gaining national traction in a country often seen as resistant to populism took longer than expected by many Japan watchers. The Liberal Democratic Party, which had shifted to the right under Abe Shinzō, thereby catering to right-wing voter sentiment, played an important role in Japan’s alleged immunity to right-wing populism. Similarly, more than 110,000 people in the UK have taken part in a far-right street protest organized by the activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, in what is thought to be the largest nationalist event in decades. Marchers travelled to London by train and coach for a demonstration, which was billed as a “festival of free speech”, but by its conclusion had amplified racist conspiracy theories and anti-Muslim hate speech across  Whitehall. Large crowds displaying Union Jack and St George flags had been drifting into central London since the early morning in anticipation of the rally. Shortly before 1pm, people began marching across Westminster Bridge. The crowd, which was largely white, sang to the tune of Seven Nation Army and broke into chants of “Tommy”, “Whose street? Our street” and “England”.  Some also held signs in support of Tommy Robinson.

Conclusion:

Experience from other countries where right-wing populism has become entrenched shows that while such parties may rise and fall or even disappear, the ideology often persists. This is because the populist agenda aims to reshape political discourse, influence political communication, and undermine democratic institutions through strategic attacks. Their ultimate objective is to normalize distrust in democratic norms and institutions, causing long-term damage that cannot be easily reversed, even if the party loses influence or dissolves. So, are they unstoppable? No. Many  radical right-wing parties have benefited from the fact that they have never had to govern and have had an easy time as political opposition. Their election successes serve to cover up numerous  cracks in movements that are often only superficially united

References:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-11/far-right-rise-europe-parliament-elections-radical-le pen/103958544

https://www.conducivespace.org/nationalism-surges-in-europe-eu-self-reliance-being-tested/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-wing_populism

https://www.vox.com/politics/361136/far-right-authoritarianism-germany-reactionary-spirit https://atlasinstitute.org/the-rise-of-far-right-parties-in-europe-causes-trends-and-implications/

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/13/unite-the-kingdom-far-right-rally-london tommy-robinson-police-assaulted

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/10/media/charlie-kirk-tpusa-maga-conservative-activism

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/17/how-the-eus-far-right-has-seized-on-charlie kirks-killing

https://www.dw.com/en/far-right-populism-nationalism-movement-international-network-v2/a 71530393

https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/a-review-of-right-wing-populism-in-latin-america-and-beyond/ https://apjjf.org/2025/7/schafer