Nationalism is resurging, transforming the political landscape across the Western world. Over the past decade, right-wing movements have gained ground, challenging liberal democratic norms and reshaping agendas, from trade policy to cultural discourse. In the U.S., Donald Trump has led a powerful comeback, pushing the Republican Party toward nationalism and economic protectionism. But this isn’t just an American phenomenon. Across Europe, leaders like Marine Le Pen, Giorgia Meloni, and Germany’s Alice Weidel are capitalizing on anxieties over immigration and economic uncertainty. This shift is reshaping diplomacy, and trade, and even empowering figures like Elon Musk, making the future of international cooperation increasingly uncertain.
The Rightward Shift in Europe: What the 2024 EU Elections Could Reveal
For decades, the European Union symbolized centrist compromise, balancing social protections with open-market economics. But that middle ground is rapidly eroding, a reality made clear by the 2024 European Parliament elections.
In France, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally tapped into voter frustration over immigration, economic stagnation, and national identity. In Italy, Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy surged from the fringes to the mainstream, riding a wave of nationalist and Eurosceptic sentiment. In Germany, the once-fringe AfD, co-led by Alice Weidel, is now a powerful force, driven by hardline messaging on migration and sovereignty.
Even traditionally moderate nations aren’t immune. In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders and Thierry Baudet are pushing for stricter immigration controls and less EU influence. In Sweden, the Sweden Democrats, led by Jimmie Åkesson, have entered the political mainstream with a platform centered on national sovereignty.
The numbers paint a stark picture. As Raphaël Glucksmann warned, “The far right in France today represents 40% of the vote. Across Europe, we are witnessing a wave that is profoundly shaking our democracies” (Reuters). Scholars echo this concern. Political scientist Cas Mudde notes that “The radical right is no longer a fringe phenomenon, but increasingly part of the political mainstream” (ICCT), underscoring how normalized this rhetoric has become across Europe’s political institutions.
Many of these leaders share a sharp Eurosceptic streak. Le Pen once called the EU “an anti-democratic monster” (The Guardian), Meloni promotes a “Europe of nations,” and Weidel has dismissed the EU as a “failed project.” Their message is clear: less Brussels, more national control.
This shift became even more visible in March 2025, when Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hosted a high-profile summit with fellow nationalist leaders, including Viktor Orbán (Hungary), Mateusz Morawiecki (Poland), and Herbert Kickl (Austria). While united by Euroscepticism and hardline rhetoric, their approaches vary. Orbán’s Hungary is frequently cited as a case of democratic backsliding, marked by tightened media control and weakened judicial independence. In contrast, Austria and Poland continue to operate within more conventional democratic frameworks, though liberal institutions in both countries are facing growing political pressure.
Meanwhile, in Germany, the AfD is facing a major scandal. Reports linking senior party members to secret meetings about so-called “remigration” policies, a thinly veiled term for mass deportations, sparked protests across major cities and drew condemnation from EU leaders. Once mostly supported by older, rural voters in eastern Germany, the AfD is now gaining ground among younger men and segments of the middle class disillusioned with mainstream parties. In recent regional elections, the party saw record-breaking results in states like Thuringia and Saxony, signaling its growing hold on German politics.
But pushback is growing too. Progressive, youth-led movements like Fridays for Future and Volt Europa are mobilizing across Europe, calling for stronger climate action, social justice, and deeper European integration in response to the far right’s rise.
Still, this isn’t just a European story. A similar political battle is unfolding across the Atlantic.
The Right-Wing Dominance in the U.S.
In the U.S., the Republican Party has continued to shape the national political narrative, consolidating its position since the 2022 midterm elections. Now, with the 2025 election cycle approaching, Donald Trump is once again at the forefront, pushing the party further to the right. His return to the campaign trail has reignited focus on deregulation, economic protectionism, and a more isolationist foreign policy, echoed in past proposals like militarizing the Gulf of Mexico or even treating Canada as the “51st state”.
Much of Trump’s message still revolves around the familiar America First slogan, with promises to roll back environmental protections, tighten immigration rules, and revive economic nationalism through trade policies.
At the state level, Republican-led legislatures are following suit. In Texas, Georgia, and Arizona, lawmakers have expanded voter ID requirements, cut back ballot drop boxes, and shortened early voting periods, actions that civil rights groups say disproportionately affect low-income voters and communities of color. In March 2024, the Supreme Court upheld one such law in Arizona, a decision critics say could suppress voter participation even further.
The party’s shift has also reshaped social policy. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis, one of Trump’s closest allies, has banned diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in public universities and limited how race, gender, and sexuality are discussed in classrooms. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has backed laws giving local law enforcement the power to detain and deport undocumented migrants, an aggressive move that echoes Trump-era immigration tactics and has sparked heavy backlash.
On the economic front, Trump has reignited trade tensions, launching a renewed “war on tariffs” targeting U.S. neighbors and long-time trading partners. In early 2025, he announced a sweeping package of tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, including aluminum, steel, and agricultural goods, claiming the move would protect American industries and reduce trade deficits.
The announcement sparked immediate retaliatory threats from both countries and raised fears of a renewed trade war. Economists have warned of supply chain disruptions and rising consumer prices, while foreign policy experts view the move as another step toward economic isolationism.
At the same time, Trump has renewed his push to cut U.S. funding for NATO allies that fail to meet defense spending targets. The proposal has raised fresh concerns among European partners and reignited long-standing debates about America’s role on the global stage.
This political shift isn’t driven by governments alone. More and more, influential business leaders and tech moguls are shaping public opinion and steering political agendas once left to elected officials.
Elon Musk’s Role in the Political Landscape
Non-state actors, especially tech moguls and billionaires, are playing an increasingly central role in shaping political narratives, swaying public opinion, and even influencing election outcomes. One striking example is Elon Musk, whose influence now extends into politics.
Through his leadership at Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter), Musk has positioned himself as a key player in today’s culture wars, often aligning with libertarian and conservative ideals. Musk has become a loud critic of government regulation, climate agreements, and social justice policies, often framing his views as a defense of “absolute free speech.”
But his influence goes beyond rhetoric. In February 2025, Musk came under congressional scrutiny after X was found to be hosting a wave of coordinated political ads from far-right candidates, raising new concerns about the role of billionaires in shaping elections and steering public discourse. His close ties to prominent Republican figures and frequent clashes with progressive leaders have only fueled the controversy.
The reach of Musk’s platform has also given increasingly extreme voices a bigger stage. Under his leadership, X has become a space where controversial, and often far-right, figures have resurfaced and gained traction. While Musk maintains that he doesn’t support extremist ideologies, critics argue that his hands-off approach to moderation and constant push for “absolute free speech” have contributed to the normalization of radical views and symbols. One of the most controversial moments came during Trump’s 2025 inauguration when Musk made a gesture that was widely debated online, with some interpreting it as a Hitler salute. Musk denied it, but the controversy raised concerns about how tech leaders become entangled in extremist narratives.
At the heart of it, all is a growing concern: when powerful digital platforms are left largely unregulated, they can amplify dangerous voices under the guise of free expression, a line that’s becoming harder and harder to draw.
Edited by Zoé Pelen.
I am a second-year student at McGill University, majoring in Political Science with double minors in Anthropology and Sociology. My academic interests lie at the intersection of politics, society, and culture, with a focus on global development, social justice, and international relations.