A Surge in Euroscepticism is Fueling a Rise in Right-Wing Governments in Europe
Key Highlights :
The recent rise in Euroscepticism in Europe is leading to a surge in right-wing governments across the continent. This phenomenon is being driven by a combination of factors, from the Russian invasion of Ukraine to the increasing popularity of populist and nationalist parties in many countries. The election of the right-wing Law and Justice party in Poland in 2015 and the Brexit vote in the UK in 2016 ignited the first wave of right-wing governments, followed by the re-election of Viktor Orban in Hungary. Now, Europe is seeing a second wave of right-wing governments, with France’s National Rally party increasing its seats from eight to 89 between 2017 and 2022, and Giorgia Meloni being elected as Italy’s first female Prime Minister last October.
The surge in right-wing governments has had a significant impact on the gender balance of European leadership. Veteran leader Angela Merkel stepped down from her post in Germany 18 months ago, while Britain has lost two female leaders in the form of Liz Truss and Nicola Sturgeon. Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin will also be leaving office later this year after losing the last election. While Giorgia Meloni’s victory saw her become the country’s first female Prime Minister and Mette Frederiksen the youngest Prime Minister in Danish history at 41 in 2019, the gender balance across Europe is increasingly uneven.
The rise in Euroscepticism is also fuelling a growing anti-EU sentiment in Eastern Europe, with polls in Romania showing that more than two-thirds of citizens believe the country should defend its interests if they go against EU rules, even if that would mean leaving the Union. Meanwhile, a 2016 report by Eurobarometer showed that a third of Bulgarians were against being in the EU, and support for the EU in Hungary has declined by around 12%.
The EU has attempted to address this Euroscepticism by creating a system that allows for the suspension of funds over systemic rule-of-law problems, which it triggered against Hungary in 2018 to suspend €6.3 billion in funding. However, this has only resulted in a political backlash in the EU and accusations from the Hungarian government that the EU is blocking funds for “political reasons”.
The increase in Euroscepticism and right-wing governments in Europe is a worrying trend, with many experts believing that it could result in further fragmentation of the continent. As Dr Anna McKeever, lecturer in political science at the University of the West Scotland, says: “When Europe needs a unified response, to the Ukrainian war, for example, it becomes really complicated because of the different ideological positions European governments have. Different governments are leaning in different directions, so it becomes much more difficult to reach an agreement.”
It is clear that Europe is facing a turbulent time, with the rise in right-wing governments and Euroscepticism having a significant impact on the continent’s politics. It remains to be seen how the EU will address this issue in the coming years, and how it will ensure that the continent is able to remain united and move forward.
