Europe is at an inflection point that saw the emergence of far right political parties. The recent European Union (EU) elections saw substantial gains for ultra-right parties, indicating a shift in political dynamics.

Far-Right Politics

Far-right politics, or right-wing extremism, is a spectrum of political thought that tends to be radically conservative, ultra-nationalist, and authoritarian, often also including nativist tendencies.

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• Example: Italy elected Giorgia Meloni as its first far-right leader since Benito Mussolini in October 2022, precisely a century after Mussolini took power. 
• Concerns associated with Far-Right Politics:
• • Anti-Immigration Sentiment: The far-right’s rise is partly driven by opposition to immigration. This sentiment is a legacy of colonialism and has been exacerbated by recent socio-economic challenges.
    • In Europe, they oppose immigration from Africa and Asia. 
  • Integration Challenges: Prominent football players like Kylian Mbappé and Karim Benzema, symbolize the integration issues. 
    • Recently, Kylian Mbappé stated that he doesn’t want to represent a country that doesn’t correspond to his values. 
  • Policy Implications: Far-right believers may implement stricter immigration policies, affecting migrants and refugees and could lead to increased xenophobia and social divisions.
    • They believe in traditional values and oppose becoming a part of organizations like the European Union as it harms their sovereignty and impacts their resources.
• Neo-Fascism: It revives fascist principles, emphasizing extreme nationalism, authoritarianism, discrimination against minorities and racial supremacy.