Nearly 25% of Europeans now back far-right parties
Nearly a quarter of voters in Europe now support far-right parties, according to a study of more than 150 political scientists, with their share of the vote rising to over 23% and nearly quintupling since the mid-1990s.
Almost 25% of voters in Europe currently vote for far-right parties, with their share increasing nearly fivefold since the mid-1990s. This is according to an analysis by more than 150 political scientists across 31 countries, tracking the rise of radical political forces in Europe.
According to the PopuList project, the share of votes for far-right parties in the most recent national elections has risen to over 23%, compared with around 10% a decade ago and roughly 5% in 1995. At the same time, nearly 30% of Europeans now vote for anti-establishment parties, marking a historic high.
The most significant surge in far-right support was recorded between 2023 and 2025. During this period, such parties strengthened their positions across key European countries. In Austria, the FPÖ increased from 16% to 29%, in France the National Rally rose from 19% to 37%, and in Portugal Chega grew from 7% to 18%. In the United Kingdom, Reform UK increased its support from 2% in 2019 to 14% in 2024, while in Germany the AfD doubled its result to 21%.
In several countries, far-right parties are already participating in government or influencing it through coalitions — including Croatia, Czechia, Italy and Finland — and are also supporting the government in Sweden. At the same time, they have suffered setbacks in some states, such as the Netherlands, where they lost a portion of their seats, and Hungary, where opposition forces have strengthened.
Researchers explain the rise in support through three key factors. First, issues such as migration and identity have become central to voters’ political decisions. Second, far-right parties have become increasingly normalised in the political and media landscape. Third, they have significantly improved their communication strategies, using emotional narratives and simple messaging.
The PopuList project, which classifies European political parties, defines far-right parties as those combining nativism and authoritarianism. Nativism refers to prioritising “native” populations and expressing distrust toward migrants, while authoritarianism emphasises strict order and harsh punishment of violations.
The authors of the study note that although the rise of such parties partly reflects public dissatisfaction, their influence may pose challenges to liberal democracy, particularly when they enter government and shift institutional balances.