RIGHT-WING POPULIST SENTIMENTS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES, ELEMENTS OF THE POLITICAL CRISIS, AND EXPECTED CONSEQUENCES

LASA BAGHATURIA; EDISHER JAPHARIDZE

LASA BAGHATURIA International Relations, Ph.D student Georgian Technical University Tbilisi, Georgia http://orcid.org/0009-0004-0097-9228
EDISHER JAPHARIDZE Doctor of Political Science, GTU Associate Professor, Tbilisi, Georgia http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9239-4785

Abstract

In recent decades, right-wing populism has emerged as one of the most influential and disruptive political currents in the European Union (EU). Although populist ideologies have long existed on the margins of European politics, their resurgence—particularly in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis—has brought them into the mainstream (Akgün & Memiş Karataş, 2021). Economic dislocation, disillusionment with political elites, concerns over migration, and frustrations with EU bureaucracy have all contributed to the rise of populist movements that challenge the liberal democratic consensus and question the legitimacy of supranational governance. Events such as the 2015 migration crisis, Brexit, and the COVID-19 pandemic have, in turn, strengthened populist narratives and translated into an environment conducive to anti-establishment sentiment.

Right-wing populist movements are characterized by their Manichean worldview, dividing society into a virtuous, homogeneous "people" and a corrupt, self-seeking elite. This ideological framework tends to position populist leaders and parties as the authentic voice of the people against not only national elites but also transnational institutions like the European Union. The EU is typically described as a distant and unaccountable bureaucracy imposing policies on the member countries without adequate public consent or accountability.

These movements routinely advance themes of national sovereignty, cultural protectionism, and firm immigration control (Johnston, 2023). They appeal to voters who feel economically or culturally left behind by globalization, technological change, and rapid demographic shifts. Populist discourse, in this case, often appeals to nostalgia, invoking a golden past when national identity, values, and borders were perceived to be safe and unchallenged. While the expression of right-wing populism varies by country—ranging from the Euroscepticism of Italy’s Lega to the authoritarian tendencies of Hungary’s Fidesz—the underlying grievances and narratives show remarkable consistency across the EU.

The heightened involvement of right-wing populism poses existential challenges to the future of European integration, with short-term worries about democracy, unity, and the resilience of the EU project.

Key Words: EU politics, Political crisis, right-wing populist sentiments, Euroscepticism