a new victory for the extreme right, reflecting its progression in Europe

In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders’ PVV (Freedom Party) won the legislative elections on Wednesday, November 22. Six months before the European elections, the far right wins another victory.

The far right is gaining ground almost everywhere in Europe. On Sunday, November 22, she came first in the legislative elections in the Netherlands, with the VV party (Freedom Party). But it is not the only European country to have chosen this political orientation.

Three other European states are now led by the far right. First there is Hungary with nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, in power since 2010. Poland has had Andrej Duda, an anti-LGBT ultra conservative, as its president since 2015, and for eight years, the Polish Prime Minister comes from the far-right Law and Justice party. And for a year, Italy has also been governed by the far right with the election of Giorgia Meloni, from the post-fascist Fratelli d’Italia party.

The second political force in a third of European countries

When it is not directly in power, the far right is also present in several European governments and enjoys electoral success. It now appears to be the second political force in around a third of European countries, a CEVIPOF researcher confirms. In the Nordic countries, this progression is striking.

In Finland, the center-right Prime Minister had to form a coalition with the far right, which came second in the last legislative elections. In Sweden, there was also a historic shift: while the country had been governed by the left for years, it was the Sweden Democrats, a party with neo-Nazi roots, which became the second political force in the country. at the end of the last legislative elections, a year ago. In Latvia, the far right does not lead the government, but it is part of it with several ministers from its ranks.

Historic progress in France and Germany

In France, Marine Le Pen reached the second round of the last two presidential elections. And in the 2022 legislative elections, his National Rally party made historic progress. By going from 8 to 89 deputies, the RN was able to form a group in the National Assembly. A first since 1986.

In Germany, last October it was the far-right AFD party which obtained record results in Bavaria and the Land of Hesse, where nearly a quarter of Germans live.