YPS - Review

Political Extremism on the Rise in Europe

Jian Kwon

October 7th, 2024

This is a disturbing phenomenon, as political extremism has grown much in the last few decades throughout Europe, where far-right and far-left movements usually receive unprecedented prominence. Such a trend represents a complex phenomenon driven by various social, economic, and political factors leading to generally felt dissatisfaction and polarization. It is very important to understand reasons for such an upsurge of extremism, as it presents serious challenges to the stability and unity of European societies and the greater democratic framework in general.

Among the major reasons why political extremism gains momentum in Europe is socio-economic instability due to the global financial crisis in 2008. It brought unemployment, austerity measures, and economic inequality into being, thus leaving many Europeans feeling disfranchised and estranged from their mainstream political parties. As a result, all types of extremist groups, primarily of the far-right orientation, have benefited from such discontent through anti-establishment rhetoric and promises of radical solutions. The appeal to economic grievances thus allowed these groups to garner the widest base of support from people feeling cheated by globalization and neoliberal economic policies.

Another pivotal development in the extension of political extremism has been migration and demographic changes. Public feelings related to cultural displacement and economic competition were stirred-or catalyzed-by the unprecedented number of asylum seekers who entered Europe from conflict zones in the 2015 refugee crisis. The migrant issues have been manipulated by such far-right parties as the Alternative for Germany and the French National Rally, formerly National Front, positioning migration as an issue of national identity, security, and social cohesion. This story has resonated with that part of society who feel that multiculturalism and immigration are threats to their way of life.

Apart from the economic and migration-related issues, social media and digital platforms have also allowed extremist ideologies to spread. Online platforms facilitate the expression of opinions not tolerated in traditional discourse and provide the vehicle for extremist groups to spread their messages to a more extensive base. Echo chambers, where an individual is exposed to mostly information that confirms existing knowledge, have been enabled in digital space, thus having a further consequence of increasing radicalization. This has been particularly evident in the spread of far-right online networks that distribute xenophobic, anti-Semitic, and Islamophobic content.

Less marked has been the growth of left-wing extremism, which nonetheless constitutes an important feature in Europe's political landscape. It was in countries like Greece and Spain that left-wing movements such as Syriza and Podemos, respectively, enjoyed unprecedented success as a reaction against austerity measures and perceived neoliberal policy failures. Whereas these parties largely remained within the democratic frame, more radical groups-most famously Antifa-stand out for confronting perceived fascist threats with violence. The interactions between far-left and far-right groups in some instances have fueled political violence and societal divisions.

The overall consequence of the growth of political extremism across Europe has wide ramifications: it leads to increased polarization, which makes consensus and governance more complex. It gained representation in the national and European parliaments and thus influenced policy-making on issues of immigration, national sovereignty, and EU integration. The consequences of mainstreaming extremist rhetoric were the erosion of democratic norms, such as respect for minority rights, media freedom, and the rule of law.

Overcoming political extremism is the solution that requires a multidimensional approach-economical stability, inclusive political discourses, and regulation of online platforms to ban hate speech and misinformation. In this respect, for European societies, addressing the root causes of extremism is key while performing a balancing act for democratic principles to ensure social cohesion. Only through a multifaceted approach will Europe be able to stand up against the forces of extremism and safeguard democratic principles in an even more desolate era.