Energised by President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, Europe’s populist movements are on the cusp of sweeping far-right, nationalist and eurosceptic parties into power across the continent in a series of upcoming elections, CNN reports.
Once consigned to the fringes of the political scene, these parties now legitimately stand front and centre alongside their more traditional counterparts.
Here’s a look at the key European countries facing a political overhaul – and how they got there.
Italy
Italy is well-known for its fluid political spectrum, having seen a number of populist parties come and go over the years.
The revolving door swung against current Prime Minister Matteo Renzi Sunday, when voters rejected his proposed changes to the country’s constitution. He had promised they’d help revive Italy’s flagging economy, but voters used the opportunity to push him out, setting the scene for a general election. The parties who stand to gain most from the shift are far-right group Northern League and the radically populist Five Star Movement, led by Italian comedian Beppe Grillo.Austria
Austria looked at electing the EU’s first far-right head of state since the Second World War when it picked its next president on the same day as Italy’s critical constitutional reforms ballot.
Norbert Hofer of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) had ridden a populist wave to challenge for presidential power (albeit in a largely ceremonial role). The race had appeared close, but on Sunday Hofer conceded to left-wing independent Alexander Van der Bellen when early returns ran against him.
The far-right refugee-blocking candidate campaigned hard on the issue of migrants, calling for a complete end to immigration in a bid to preserve the country’s “ethnic culture.”France
The popularity of France’s National Front has soared in the wake of terrorist attacks and an influx of refugees fleeing Middle East unrest.
Marine Le Pen, leader since 2011, has tried to “detoxify” the party founded by her father Jean-Marie of its reputation for racism and xenophobia – and has seen its share of the vote rise to 27% in last year’s regional elections.
Le Pen is hoping that the recent rise in populist parties and politicians around Europe and the United States will continue in April and May 2017 when French voters go to the polls to elect a new president.Germany
German Chancellor Angela Merkel took a bold step by vowing to welcome one million refugees in 2015, and in 2016, she paid for it at the ballot box.
Formed in 2013, the anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany (AfD) was initially galvanised into action by what it saw as Merkel’s bungled handling of the eurozone crisis – specifically the multiple Greek bailouts. However, since then the party has assumed a more nationalistic platform strongly opposing the influx of migrants.
AfD contributed to defeats for Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union in Berlin and her home state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern during regional elections this year. Among the top issues for voters: rising rents, increasing gentrification and refugees.
With national elections due in the autumn of 2017, and following a poll suggesting that 82% of Germans were unhappy with her open door policy, Merkel admitted the country was not handling the influx as well as it should.
