European politics shifts rightward in 2024 with rising influence of far-right parties

London [UK], December 24 : The political landscape in Europe has shifted to the right in 2024, with the rise of right-wing and far-right parties observed in European elections as well as national elections in countries like Portugal and Austria, as reported by Euronews on Tuesday.
According to Euronews, this trend, which has been developing over nearly two decades, is largely attributed to growing support for radical right-wing parties, with many voters feeling marginalised and expressing concerns about immigration, which they believe drives down wages.
Pascal Delwit, a political science professor at the Universite libre de Bruxelles, stated that this shift is not a temporary phenomenon but a long-term political movement, as radical right-wing parties gain ground; some have even entered government or provided support to certain administrations.
"These voters also express concerns about immigration, with some feeling that 'migratory flows are now too great' and contribute to keeping wages too low," Delwit said as quoted by Euronews.
"This is a movement that has been evolving for almost twenty years, and it's showing a steady upward trend. More radical right-wing parties are either in government or supporting certain administrations," he added.
According to Euronews, in the June 2024 European elections, the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) secured 188 out of 720 seats in the European Parliament, followed by the Social Democrats (S&D) with 136 seats and the far-right Patriots for Europe with 84 seats. This shift has moved the European Parliament towards the right, with parties like the EPP, European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR), and the far-right Patriots for Europe increasing their influence.
The long-standing "cordon sanitaire" aimed at preventing far-right influence in European politics has largely collapsed, as per Euronews. As a result, the EPP is now in a position to form alliances with the Social Democrats, Liberals, and even far-right groups. The new European executive, which took office in December, also has a right-leaning majority, with 12 out of 27 European Commissioners, including President Ursula von der Leyen, being affiliated with the EPP, Euronews reported.
Alongside the European elections, right-wing and far-right parties made notable gains in national elections. In Austria, the far-right FPO, led by Herbert Kickl, achieved the best result for the far-right since World War II. In Belgium, the conservative N-VA party topped parliamentary elections, followed by the far-right Vlaams Belang. Portugal also saw a shift rightward with the centre-right opposition's victory in March, while in France, the far-right National Rally (RN) emerged as the leading party in both European and parliamentary elections, as reported by Euronews.
Although the left has lost ground in many European countries, it remains in power in Denmark, Spain, Lithuania, Malta, Romania, Slovenia, and Slovakia. Romania's left-wing government secured a parliamentary victory, despite a strong far-right showing, though the presidential election was annulled amid allegations of foreign interference.
The political developments in Europe mirror the rightward shift seen in the US, particularly with Donald Trump's victory, though each region's dynamics are shaped by different factors. All eyes are now on Germany, where the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition may lead to early elections, marking a potential turning point for European politics in 2025.