In recent years, Europe has witnessed a surge in support for far-right parties. These political movements, often characterised by xenophobic, divisive, and populist views, have been on the rise across countries like Italy, Finland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Croatia. Just a few weeks ago, Germany saw a far-right party win a state election for the first time since World War II. The far-right’s rise is deeply rooted in nostalgia, which some parties have managed to tap into by promising a return to a past where borders were secure and cultural homogeneity reigned supreme.
It explains why the far-right Freedom Party came first last weekend in Austria, winning 29.2% of the vote in national elections; its best ever result. The party’s ideology offers a path for patriotic values to make a return to the forefront of policy: policies that reinforce anti-immigration sentiments and prioritise welfare chauvinism.
This shift comes alongside the recently published International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistances’ Global State of Democracy 2024 report which finds that Democracy is on the decline for the eighth year in a row, due to the deterioration of election quality and credibility.
October will be a totemic moment to assess where Moldova and Georgia’s allegiances lie between two spheres of influence – Moscow and Brussels – as well as the tight race in the Uruguay presidential election that hinges on a controversial pension referendum. Lithuania has instilled a sense of hope in observers, with the Social Democratic Party winning the first round of elections against the radical right-wing Dawn of the River Neman party, by just over 6% of the votes.
Upcoming elections with less established democratic processes in Tunisia, Uzbekistan and Mozambique are proving to be more contentious. Previous elections in these countries have been marred by corruption and low voter turnout.
Stay informed about October’s election outcomes by subscribing to the Arden Global Services monthly newsletter.
