Storm on the Horizon: The Rise of the Far Right in Europe
10/02/2025 - Written by Robin Wilkins
Introduction
Earlier in January, Elon Musk spoke to Alice Weidel, Co-Chairperson of Germany’s far-right party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), to express his support for the party ahead of Germany’s general election this month. In response, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned Musk’s actions as “completely unacceptable” and criticised the tech mogul-turned-Trump spokesperson for endorsing the broader far-right movement.
Germany is not the only country contending with the rise of the far right. Parties like AfD are gaining ground across the European political landscape, whilst already having considerable influence in the governments of seven EU member states – Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands and Slovakia. Additionally, many of these parties made significant gains in 2024 European Parliament elections, notably in France and Germany, reflecting the growing sentiment among Western European states that far-right policies can provide the solution to a failing political and economic system.
Since then, the far-right movement has been emboldened by figures such as Elon Musk and recently re-elected US President Donald Trump, whose continuous endorsement of parties like AfD has helped to legitimise their rhetoric across various platforms. Far-right parties are united by a commitment to safeguarding national identity, an attitude that often manifests through anti-immigrant and Islamophobic views. With the support of these individuals, such extremist views are increasingly normalised, raising serious concerns about the EU’s ability to protect its core values in the face of this growing movement.
Contextual Analysis
The rise of the far right in Europe is the result of widespread frustration with the ability of centrist and left-leaning policies to tackle the crises of the past two decades. From the 2008 financial crisis, COVID-19, economic stagnation, mass migration and Russian aggression, each challenge has exposed distinct flaws in the EU’s approach to crisis management, prompting many to demand long-term reform through the implementation of right-wing policies.
Europe’s ongoing struggle with inflation can be traced back to global supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, financial pressures continue to be felt across the region, exacerbated by sanctions imposed on Russia. Far-right parties in Europe have won support by pledging to address the financial hardships of the middle and working classes, with tax cuts being a major component of their promises.
Immigration has remained a contentious issue among EU states since 2015/16, when nearly two million people – mostly Syrian refugees – arrived in Europe seeking asylum. While the number of asylum seekers has levelled off considerably since then, far-right parties continue to frame immigration as a major cause of Europe’s economic struggles. With increasing demand for more radical solutions, many EU countries, including eight belonging to the Schengen area, have introduced stricter border controls, ostensibly to ease financial strains.
A third key issue driving support for far-right parties is European integration. In many EU countries, ‘Euroscepticism’ is on the rise, with growing concerns that the EU undermines national sovereignty by constraining states to a single currency and permitting unregulated migration. Far-right parties have proposed significant reforms to EU governance to restore greater autonomy over key issues like immigration, defence and the economy.
Social Media and the Amplification of Far-Right Rhetoric
The success of far-right parties is driven not only by offering more extreme solutions to salient issues but also by their ability to leverage social media platforms. Of the 186 Members of the European Parliament (MEP) active on TikTok before last year’s elections, one quarter belonged to a right-wing faction. Meanwhile, centrist groups were far less active, with the European People’s Party (EPP) accounting for less than three per cent of total likes.
And while groups like EPP maintain a relatively reserved presence on TikTok, far-right parties have gained significant traction through eye-catching, often inflammatory content. A prominent example is Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old president of France’s Rassemblement National (RN), whose large TikTok following enables him to reach millions with videos containing explicitly anti-immigration and nationalistic messages, far outpacing traditional methods of campaigning.
The use of TikTok by far-right politicians has helped to increase their vote share among younger generations. In France, for example, RN won 32% of the 18-25-year-old vote in the first round of its 2024 snap national election, doubling its share from 2022. Similarly, one-third of Germans under the age of 34 voted for AfD in three state-level elections last year. In the 2024 European Parliament elections, far-right parties’ share of the youth vote increased in France, Germany, Italy and Spain among others.
Another asset of the far-right movement is Elon Musk’s social networking site X (formally Twitter). Since acquiring the platform in October 2022, Musk has incurred controversy by implementing changes that have helped to amplify far-right rhetoric among its user base, including reinstating banned accounts and dismantling content moderation teams. These changes, alongside Musk’s complacency towards the proliferation of bots, have allowed factually dubious stories to circulate rapidly, often with serious political repercussions. For example, misinformation in the aftermath of the Southport stabbings is believed to have been a major driver of the UK’s far-right riots last summer, leading The Guardian to call X a “polarisation engine”. Furthermore, the increased homogeneity of X’s content has called into question the motives of its owner, with many accusing Musk of attempting to make ideological gains through increased exposure to far-right sentiments.
Musk has publicly voiced his support for far-right figures on numerous occasions. At a recent AfD rally, he gave a speech calling the party the “best hope for Germany”. Similarly, Musk has close ties with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of the far-right Fratelli d'Italia (FdI) and has even publicly called on British authorities to release Tommy Robinson – founder of the English Defense League – from prison. Musk’s involvement has been met with condemnation by European leaders. For example, French President Emmanuel Macron accused the US billionaire of fuelling an “international reactionary movement”, even threatening to freeze his financial assets in the event that he is found guilty of foreign interference through financing.
Key Players and Stakeholders
Rassemblement National (RN) – Formally known as Front National, Rassemblement National has in recent years made efforts to distance itself from its extremist past under the leadership of Marine Le Pen, the daughter of founder Jean-Marie Le Pen. Presided over by Jordan Bardella, RN won 31.37% of the vote at the 2024 European elections, placing it in first place. In France’s subsequent snap election, the party won a record 143 seats out of the 577 available, marking a significant increase in support from 2022. The party is particularly popular among working-class and younger voters.
Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) – Jointly led by Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel, AfD is strongly opposed to migration, Islam and the Euro. It secured 15.90% of the vote in the 2024 European elections, second only to the centre-right CDU/CSU coalition, and is currently polling in second place ahead of Germany’s general election this month. The party is particularly popular among low-to-middle-income voters, while only 17% of its voter base are women. Recently, AfD backed a successful motion proposed by CDU/CSU to tighten Germany’s immigration and asylum laws. AfD’s slogans and campaign methods have been likened to those used by the Nazis, exacerbating fears that the party, which is classified as “extremist” by the German domestic intelligence services, poses a serious threat to the country’s democracy.
Fratelli d’Italia (FdI) – FdI has been Italy’s governing party since it claimed victory in the country’s 2022 general election. Led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the party is anti-immigration, socially conservative and Eurosceptic. FdI earned the highest share of votes in the 2024 European elections. In 2023, Meloni signed a migration agreement with Tirana allowing asylum seekers in Italy to be sent to detention centres in Albania.
Vox – Vox is Spain’s far-right party, led by Santiago Abascal. It won the third position in both the 2024 European elections and the 2023 Spanish general election after Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) and Partido Popular (PP). Vox is known for its hardline stances on immigration and regional separatism, and for its emphasis of traditional family values and the Catholic Church.
Elon Musk – As the owner of social media platform X, Musk has played a significant role in the amplification of far-right views in the US and internationally. He spent over a quarter of a billion dollars backing Donald Trump’s candidacy in the 2024 US election, a move which earned him the position of leader of the new Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) alongside Vivek Ramaswamy. As one of Trump’s most important advisors, he is likely to have a considerable level of influence over the US’ political arena. Musk’s public endorsement of far-right parties outside of the US has drawn condemnation from Western Europe’s leaders, who fear that his support could give these parties the push needed to supersede centrist groups in upcoming national elections.
Military, Economic and Social Dimensions
Military – Far-right parties in Europe continue to frame immigration as a threat to national security. Their demands for stricter regulation were met by the EU’s new Pact on Migration and Asylum, adopted in April last year. Among other measures, the pact seeks to speed up the process of returning unsuccessful asylum-seekers to their home countries. With centrist parties increasingly aligned with the far right on matters related to immigration, this hardline stance will likely be upheld. Regarding Europe’s security situation, several EU states – including Slovakia, Austria and Croatia – have thrown out their support for Ukraine, thereby undermining the EU’s united stance on Russian aggression.
Economic – While varying in specific approaches, far-right parties across Europe advocate for greater sovereignty over economic decisions. These parties blame globalisation for issues like outsourcing of jobs and wage stagnation. As the movement gains traction, European countries are likely to place greater emphasis on nationalist economic policies. This could include protectionist measures such as imposing tariffs on foreign goods, nationalising key industries and restricting immigration to prioritise jobs for nationals and prevent the emigration of skilled workers. Furthermore, with countries like Switzerland becoming more and more attractive to those dissatisfied with Europe’s high tax regime, right-wing factions are gaining support by promising widespread tax cuts.
Social – The far-right movement is centred on the importance of preserving national identity, a sentiment that often fuels xenophobic and exclusionary attitudes. Meanwhile, anti-immigration and socially conservative rhetoric is fuelling increased violence against minority groups, thereby worsening societal divisions. This normalisation of extremist views, combined with the increasing popularity of the far right among the youth, poses a serious challenge to social cohesion in Europe.
Conclusion
The recent surge in support for European far-right parties signals a growing discontent among EU citizens with the organisation’s effectiveness. The EU’s failure to manage the immigration crisis beginning in 2015, coupled with its inability to foster long-term economic growth, has pushed many towards more radical policies. As these issues become more salient, so too does the presence of far-right parties promising to resolve them. Meanwhile, centrist parties across Europe are adopting right-wing policies, particularly on immigration, to retain voters who might otherwise defect. The result is a steady erosion of the foundational principles of the EU – namely democracy, equality and respect for human rights. Should the far-right movement continue along its upward trajectory, expect to see serious changes in EU governance as member states place greater emphasis on sovereignty and non-interference. In practical terms, these changes could translate to restricted movement of people, economic de-integration and further marginalisation of minority groups.
To tackle the rise of the far right, the EU must take a multi-faceted approach. First, it must address the needs of the middle and working classes, from which far-right parties draw their greatest share of votes, by investing more heavily in job creation and social welfare systems. Next, it must acknowledge the role of social media in perpetuating and normalising far-right rhetoric. Stricter regulation of platforms like X could help to mitigate the further radicalisation of young, disillusioned voters. More broadly, EU member states should implement educational reforms designed to teach citizens about the dangers of extremism. The far right seeks to fracture European society under the guise of protecting states’ national identities. While measures such as these can help to slow the spread of far-right ideologies, only by fostering a unified response focused on addressing citizens’ needs will the EU stand a chance at tackling this issue irrevocably.