Right-Wing Populism Surges, Reshaping Global Democracies Across Continents

Recent elections across Europe and Latin America reveal a significant surge in right-wing populism and a corresponding decline of traditional centrist and left-of-center parties. In the Netherlands, the collapse of the political center has led to gains for both populist nationalist parties and the left, while social democratic parties face diminishing influence and a vanishing white working-class base that once supported them. Latin America has witnessed the rise of populist nationalist leaders such as Argentina’s Javier Milei and Bolivia’s Movement for Socialism facing a dramatic collapse, signaling a broader shift away from leftist movements that once seemed resurgent. Globally, right-wing populism has transformed from a fringe movement to a dominant political force, characterized by narratives of elite betrayal and national sovereignty, with leaders like Donald Trump, Viktor Orbán, and Jair Bolsonaro reshaping democratic norms. This shift challenges the post-Cold War liberal democratic consensus, emphasizing cultural traditionalism and majoritarian rule, often at the expense of pluralism and democratic institutions. The phenomenon is complex, involving varying degrees of extremism from 'hard right' to 'far right,' with the latter rejecting democratic institutions altogether and sometimes evolving into fascist movements.