Europe on the Edge: Rise of the Far Right and Political Fragmentation Ahead of the 2025 European Elections

Just weeks before the European Parliament elections, the continent is experiencing one of its most tense moments since the creation of the EU project. The rise of far-right parties in countries such as France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Sweden has raised alarms about a possible ideological reconfiguration of European power.

Recent polls show a sustained growth of parties promoting openly anti-immigration, Eurosceptic, and nationalist discourse, some of which already lead governments or are part of influential coalitions. Meanwhile, traditional center-left and center-right parties are losing ground, caught between the need to contain radical discourse and the fear of appearing disconnected from the “street.”

Issues driving this political shift include border management, the renewed migration crisis fueled by conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, the rising cost of living, loss of competitiveness compared to China and the U.S., and the questioned role of Brussels in key decisions such as support for Ukraine or common energy policy.

In France, the far right led by Jordan Bardella, protégé of Marine Le Pen, tops the polls with a platform focused on “restoring national sovereignty.” In Germany, Alternative for Germany (AfD) has gained ground even in traditionally moderate regions, challenging postwar consensus. In Spain and Italy, movements that were once marginal are now shaping the public agenda, while in Eastern Europe, anti-EU and pro-Russian rhetoric is resurging strongly.

Analysts warn that a European Parliament with a strong ultra-conservative presence could block key policies on climate change, digitalization, social rights, and territorial cohesion. There is also concern that Euroscepticism could become a vector of silent disintegration—not through immediate rupture, but via gradual erosion from within.

Is Europe facing a new reactionary wave with real capacity to transform its institutions? Or is this a protest vote that will be contained by institutional balance?

At Laboratorio360, we view this phenomenon as a symptom of a deeper crisis: the exhaustion of liberal governance models in the face of global challenges without clear answers. Treaty-based Europe is confronting its greatest test of legitimacy since its founding.