For a generation like mine, born in a Western country and having never known war, democracy feels like a given — solid, unquestionable, as though nothing could ever strip us of our freedoms. That’s wrong.
Trump, Weidel, Meloni, Orbán, Le Pen, Erdoğan… All over the world, the far right is emerging from the cracks in the system and slowly eating away at our democracies from the inside. Meanwhile, we stand by and watch the neighbor’s house burn, thinking the fire will never reach our cozy little home. So, how is the far right managing to convince people (even those who took history classes)? In what ways is it threatening democracy — and more importantly, how can we still fight back against this rise?
The far right thrives on democracy’s flaws
The far right, always and everywhere, uses the same recipe to win over voters. It plays on fear, frustration, and resentment. In short, when things go bad, the far right rubs its hands with glee. Economic crises, climate anxiety, fear of immigration, rejection of elites, disinformation — people losing faith in democratic procedures and start demanding radical solutions.
The 2008 financial crisis, COVID-19, the war in Ukraine (and the resulting energy crisis) have all contributed to an atmosphere of uncertainty. Unemployment rises, the gap between rich and poor widens, and distrust in elites grows. Add globalization and rising migration flows, and you get an identity crisis on top of it. People fear for their national identity — and the far right seizes the opportunity. They stigmatize immigrants, fantasize about a “great replacement” and convince you they’re to blame for everything. Immigrants are stealing your jobs, your identity, and are responsible for rising crime. Their solution? Closing borders, “remigration,” and an exclusive nationalism. They revive national populism, claiming to speak for the “real people,” though they themselves belong to upper classes, far removed from real struggles.
Their strategy is to weaponize your fears by pretending they have the answers and offering you a scapegoat: it’s the elites, the migrants, the feminists, the lefties, the LGBTQIA+ community. The far right clings to the idea that “things were better before,” bringing back an anti-progressive narrative. They sell you a rose-tinted past that never really existed — “pure” and “stable”. They idolize “strong figure” like Putin, claiming this is the only way to fix things. And the worse things get, the more convincing they become.
How the far right destroys our democracies
The problem with far-right parties — beyond the hateful rhetoric — is that they often have an illiberal view of power. That means the government maintains the appearance of democracy, but slowly chips away at individual freedoms, press freedom, judicial independence, and minority rights. What does this look like in practice?
Challenging fundamental rights & passing repressive laws
The first rights to be questioned are always those of minorities, and in recent years, repressive laws have piled up in democratic countries:
- In January 2024, the French Parliament passed the “Asylum and Immigration” law, removing State Medical Aid for certain categories of foreigners.
- In March 2025, Hungary’s Parliament adopted a law constitutionally banning legal gender recognition, acknowledging only biological sex. This violates Article 2 of the EU Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
- In Belgium, Vlaams Belang frequently votes against social rights despite its populist image: raising retirement age, freezing wages…
Attacking checks and balances
To restrict fundamental freedoms without resistance, the far right makes sure to dismantle all institutional safeguards that could push back.
Undermining judicial independence:
- In 2017, the Polish government passed laws giving the Justice Minister power to appoint court presidents and vice presidents — tightening political control over the judiciary.
- In Turkey, judges are directly appointed by the Erdoğan’s executive branch, ending judicial independence and giving Erdoğan free rein.
Controlling education:
Changing laws is one thing — but changing minds is even better. Education is the perfect institution to shape young generations. The far right knows this well.
- Florida’s “anti-woke” law bans topics like racism and LGBTQIA+ issues in schools.
- In Hungary, since 2021, discussing homosexuality or trans identity is banned in schools. It’s more effective to erase minorities than to debate them.
- In the US, Trump froze $2 billion in federal funds to Harvard after the university refused to comply with his demands to oversee admissions, hiring, and curricula. More broadly, the American right sees elite universities as hotbeds of progressive dissent.
Controlling the media:
“If you’re not careful, the media will have you hating the oppressed and loving the oppressor.” — Malcolm X
The far right monopolizes the media and spreads hate speech. They use the media to normalize their ideas, gradually shifting the window of acceptable public discourse (the Overton window). By pressuring journalists or firing dissenting voices, they induce widespread self-censorship. The result: less democratic debate, more polarization, and ultimately a single dominant narrative.
- In Hungary, a government-controlled media council has turned nearly all media into pro-government or self-censoring outlets. Finding real journalism is a miracle.
- In France, Article 24 of the 2021 “Global Security” law bans sharing images of police under certain conditions — posing a serious threat to press freedom and limiting coverage of police violence, a central issue in France.
Domino effect: when far-right movements feed each other globally
The rise of the far right isn’t just a series of national coincidences. It’s a global wave — coordinated, funded, and amplified by forces far more powerful than the ballot box. Today, ties between far-right actors, multinationals, and influence networks are more visible and more brazen than ever.
The new far-right international
Trump, Meloni, Le Pen, Orbán, Milei… They quote each other, invite each other, copy each other. The same narratives: woke decay, internal enemies, betrayed sovereignty. And most importantly: the same backers.
Elon Musk is no longer just a megalomaniac entrepreneur. He has become a political force of his own:
- In 2024, he spent over $120 million on a super PAC backing Trump, the RBG PAC, which he funds entirely.
- He uses his platform X (formerly Twitter) to amplify anti-immigration, anti-regulation, anti-woke rhetoric, and often boosts AfD figures in Germany.
- He also appears publicly with Giorgia Meloni, who’s been a guest of honor at his events to discuss investments… and “values.” Seriously.
But Musk isn’t alone. Other billionaires like Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen are on the same path: break rules, weaken states, and impose a world where money rules.
When wealth overpowers the ballot box
Democracy rests on the principle of “one person = one vote.” But when multinationals and ultra-wealthy individuals can fund entire campaigns or threaten to outsource factories if taxed — that’s not democracy, that’s economic coercion. And it’s happening everywhere:
France:
- Libertarian American think tanks (Atlas Network) fund French groups promoting anti-eco and anti-social policies.
- The Vivendi group (Vincent Bolloré) through CNews, Europe 1, JDD, he has shaped a media environment where far-right views are normalized.
Germany: Beyond Musk amplifying their messages, the AfD is backed by major local fortunes.
Belgium: In Brussels, think tanks like MCC Brussels, funded by Orbán’s Hungary, spread European far-right ideas.
Italy: Giorgia Meloni maintains ties with Musk and Trump. → Her party members are trying to take control of public media like AGI, changing public opinion before changing laws.
These far-right–corporate alliances are no accident. They are structural:
- The rich benefit: lower taxes, fewer regulations, fewer protests.
- The far right benefits: funding, influence, friendly media.
- The people lose: fewer rights, fewer choices, fewer checks and balances.
When a handful of billionaires can impose their ideas, fund parties, buy the press, and pressure governments, we’re no longer in a democracy. On paper, maybe — but in practice, we’re sliding into authoritarian oligarchy. This alliance between far-right forces and multinational wealth weakens democracy by concentrating political and economic power in the hands of a tiny elite.
How to resist the authoritarian drift
In times of uncertainty, people are scared and often ready to trade rights for security. You can’t really blame them — it’s easier to look away than fight back. But the far right plays by the rules, until the rules get in their way. Democracy dies slowly and quietly, before we even realize it. There’s still time to fight.
Don’t normalize authoritarian rhetoric
We must refuse to normalize far-right discourse. When extremist ideas enter public debate under the guise of free speech, we must call them what they are: rhetoric of rejection, hate, and exclusion.
In Belgium, the political “cordon sanitaire” against extremists kept parties like Vlaams Belang out of power for years despite their growing support. In France, by contrast, Marine Le Pen is now invited everywhere — her program treated like any other political option.
We cannot be tolerant of intolerance.
Defend checks and balances
Every time the press, justice system, NGOs, or universities are attacked, democracy trembles. It’s urgent to support independent media, whistleblowers, lawyers, and journalists — even when it’s uncomfortable. We must also oppose authoritarian laws disguised as “security” measures. Just because a law targets “terrorism” or “immigration” doesn’t make it neutral.
Develop critical (and collective) thinking
The internet has wrecked public debate. But that doesn’t mean we should believe everything. Fighting disinformation means building critical thinking: check sources, don’t share without reading, read the political history. Learn to spot populist rhetoric, analyze arguments, and verify their claims — far-right parties love twisting statistics.
Above all, talk with others. Democracy is collective. It’s a debate.
Vote, get involved, join movements (even a little)
We often hear it’s pointless — that politicians are all the same. That’s understandable, the system is exhausted. But not voting means letting others choose for you. And those who turn out in force are the extremists. You should vote, it’s your right and duty as a citizen. Get involved locally, even small actions matter. Join mobilizations, against racist laws, for climate justice, for women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, migrant rights, human rights… All these struggles are connected.
So no, it’s not hopeless. But nothing will change if we just watch from the sidelines. Democracy isn’t guaranteed for life: it’s a daily and collective fight.
