The German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitutional Order (BfV) declared the Alternative for Germany (AfD) a “verified right-wing extremist” party in early May. The AfD is fighting this through legal means. The office has therefore temporarily put the classification on hold, but is still maintaining its assessment. However, the classification has reignited the debate about banning the AfD.
What is the situation with similar parties in other European countries? There is no mention of bans there. On the contrary, in some countries such parties participate in government or even head the government.
Austria: Freedom Party of Austria
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker of the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) does not consider Herbert Kickl's Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) to be a right-wing extremist party and is not aware of any "firewall" towards that party - a term often used in Germany when discussing the attitude of other parties towards the AfD.
Such a situation in Austria is not surprising, considering that the ÖVP has already been in a coalition government with the FPÖ twice, the first time in 2000. At the time, this caused a scandal in the European Union, and other member states reduced contacts with the Viennese government to a minimum for several months.
The FPÖ is a relatively old party in Austrian parliamentary history. It was founded in 1955 by former Nazis, but has since undergone moderate changes. Like the AfD, the FPÖ is against immigration, globalization, and is critical of the EU. Perhaps because it has been in power several times, the FPÖ now presents itself as a party willing to compromise and less ideological.
In the last parliamentary elections, it became the strongest party for the first time. However, it failed to form a coalition with the ÖVP again. According to current polls, it is now even more convincingly in the lead than it was in the elections.
France: National Rally
The National Rally (RN) has come a long way since its founding in 1972. Marine Le Pen, the daughter of party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, renamed it the National Front and moved the party somewhat toward the political center. Her party continues to criticize immigration and Islam, but has moved away from anti-Semitism. This shift has brought her new voters. Le Pen has run for president three times – and although she has lost in the second round each time, she has consistently increased the number of votes she has won.
For now, the conviction for embezzlement of public funds excludes Marine Le Pen from running for election for the next five years. If she were to run again, or if party president Jordan Bardella were to run, polls suggest she has a good chance of winning, perhaps in the first round. In the 2024 parliamentary elections, the RN has already become the strongest force.
The RN's propensity for protectionism and statism, or the belief in the state as the main problem solver, is a very French characteristic – and there is a difference with the German AfD. And Marine Le Pen has distanced herself from the AfD anyway – she allegedly finds the German party too radical. However, this could also be just a tactical move on the domestic front to make it look more serious.
Italy: Brothers of Italy
The Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d'Italia) party is, paradoxically, led by a woman: Giorgia Meloni – arguably the most successful radical right-wing prime minister in Europe. Many members of her party still view fascism, Italy's version of Nazism, positively. Giorgia Meloni once said that she had a "relaxed attitude towards fascism", and called the former fascist leader and Hitler's ally, Benito Mussolini, "a good politician".
In the 2022 election campaign, which brought her party to power, the slogan was: “God, family and homeland.” Meloni and her party are particularly radical right-wing on social issues: they attack abortion, homosexuals and LGBTQ people, and of course migrants.
But unlike many similar politicians in Europe, Meloni has taken a clear stance against Russia in the war in Ukraine. That is why she has stated that there are “irreconcilable differences” between her and the AfD. At the same time, Meloni maintains close relations with US President Donald Trump, and is therefore valued in Brussels as a transatlantic mediator.
Sweden: Sweden Democrats
The Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) have their roots in the far-right movement "Let Sweden Remain Swedish" (Bevara Sverige Svenskt). Shortly before the turn of the millennium, the party attempted to distance itself from its old surroundings and adopt a more moderate stance. The current party leader, Jimmy Åkesson, continued in this direction, and the Sweden Democrats became the second largest party in parliament in the 2022 elections. Since then, they have supported the minority government of conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
Their main issue is – as in many other countries – immigration. They have particularly enjoyed great success in the elections due to the widespread criminal activity of gangs in large Swedish cities, which have a high percentage of people with a migrant background. Unusually for a party of this orientation, they now support environmental protection and the fight against climate change.
Netherlands: Party for Freedom
After the 2023 parliamentary elections, Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom (Partij voor de Vrijheid, PVV) became the strongest force and leads a coalition government with three other parties. Since Wilders's views were too radical for his partners, Dick Schoof, who is not a member of any party, was appointed Prime Minister. The PVV is unique in that Wilders is its only member – and the MPs and ministers are officially only supporters of the party. Wilders can thus determine the party's program and nominate candidates for elections.
The PVV's main theme is the fight against immigration, and especially against Islam. Wilders goes as far as to ban the Koran and the construction of new mosques. However, just before the last election, he declared that he would "put his views on Islam on hold" in order to govern. He otherwise opposes climate protection measures and is harshly critical of the EU, which he sees as "too intrusive".
Great Britain: Reform Party
The Reform UK Party has undergone several transformations: it was formed as a separate part of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), whose main goal was Brexit, the exit of Great Britain from the European Union. After achieving this goal, it was renamed the Brexit Party, and then the United Kingdom Reform Party. A key role in everything was played by Nigel Farage – the nightmare of the British political elite.
Today, the party is primarily committed to drastically reducing the number of immigrants – thereby putting pressure on the ruling Labour Party, as well as the Conservatives. Farage accuses both parties of inefficiency on the issue.
And with success: Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently promised to sharply reduce both illegal and labour immigration – just days after the Reform Party performed well in local elections. According to the latest polls, the Reform Party is even slightly ahead of Labour and the Conservatives. The official British goal of being climate neutral is called “absurd” by the deputy leader of the Reform Party, Richard Tice.
Bonus video:
