The recent rise of far-right parties across Europe has highlighted significant challenges confronting the continent’s liberal democracies, with analysts pointing to a combination of internal political shifts and external influences as key factors. While far-right movements have gained traction partly due to ideological messaging and foreign backing, some experts argue that the evolution of the liberal centre itself has played a critical role in setting the stage for this development.

Historically, the weakening of trade unions and workers’ bargaining power under the leadership of figures such as Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom and Ronald Reagan in the United States marked a turning point. These changes were largely sustained by subsequent centre-left administrations, which, instead of reversing the trend, adopted policies under the so-called “third way” that further entrenched labour market insecurity and financialisation. Such policies have allowed private interests greater access to public services, contributing to widening social and economic inequalities.

This environment of economic uncertainty, coupled with diminishing democratic engagement and eroding trust in established institutions, has fostered fertile ground for far-right groups to expand their influence. Protest movements over the past decades—including anti-globalisation campaigns, anti-austerity demonstrations following the 2008 financial crisis, and recent pro-Palestinian mobilizations—have increasingly been met with responses involving heightened policing, surveillance, and legal restrictions. Critics contend that these measures have often served to suppress political opposition rather than address underlying grievances.

Experts also highlight the impact of Kremlin-backed funding and the spread of MAGA-style populism as exacerbating factors, enabling far-right movements to gain momentum. However, some contend that such external elements amplify, rather than initiate, the conditions created by the centrist political establishment’s policies.

The electoral successes of parties such as Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in Germany are viewed by commentators as a warning signal of deeper systemic issues. They stress that addressing the far right’s growth requires a reevaluation of the liberal centre’s approach to economic policy, social inequality, and democratic participation. The convergence of economic, political, and social factors suggests that without substantive reforms, far-right ideologies may continue to pose a significant challenge to Europe’s democratic stability.