The Transnationalisation of the Far Right and Terrorism Across the Atlantic

Far-right ideologies are gaining strength and visibility in Europe and in North America. The 2007-2008 financial crisis and the 2015 refugee crisis have seemingly had important repercussions on both continents, reenergizing sentiments and parties that were dismissed as marginal and negligible until then. Contrary to the past, far-right parties would be willing to cooperate and find a common stance on major issues. With a little help from Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon, the European far-right seems to have found a set of issues it can unite around, becoming a transnational force. Right-wing extremist groups have apparently undergone a similar revival, with far-right political violence accounting for the majority of terrorist incidents in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this trend. In this article, we assess the narrative of the cross-national, even cross-continental links between far-right parties. To this end, we first conduct a literature review to highlight the transnational nature of extreme-right parties and movements. Then we analyze how the European far-right may have spurred negative sentiments against migrants to unleash the feeling of ontological insecurity and foment the “us” vs. “them” dichotomy. In particular, we discuss the tactics employed by the Hungarian government and explain why Italy risks becoming the epicenter of a new far-right earthquake.