Last year, we saw a number of countries in the European Union swing to the far right including Italy, Sweden, Germany and France.    

This was followed by EU leaders announcing tougher border control measures to keep out asylum seekers –amid conflict in surrounding regions. 

More recently, the head of Finland’s conservative National Coalition Party (NCP), which came first in the April elections, said he would start negotiating a centre-right coalition government that would mean power-sharing with a far-right anti-immigration party.

The Wire speaks with Flinders University Professor of International History and Future Fellow Matt Fitzpatrick to find out more about what is propelling this trend, and the potential consequences. 

Image: Håkan Dahlström via Wikimedia Commons

Produced By: Anisha Pillarisetty

Featured In Story: Flinders University Professor of International History and Future Fellow Matt Fitzpatrick

First aired on The Wire, Thursday 04 May 2023