Mimi Mihăilescu
In an unexpected twist to Romania’s 2024 presidential election, Călin Georgescu, virtually unknown a year ago, has emerged as a serious contender. Georgescu's ascent has been marked by antisemitic rhetoric, anti-Western discourse, and a sophisticated disinformation strategy. This, argues Mimi Mihăilescu, reveals the vulnerabilities of modern politics to social media manipulation. Read more
Camil Ungureanu
We often link denialism and opposition to environmental issues to far-right parties, yet this is an oversimplification. Camil Ungureanu, Marc Sanjaume-Calvet and Balsa Lubarda argue that some centre-right parties, by downplaying ecological concerns and framing ecology as 'the new communism', paved the way for far-right climate denialism. Read more
Mimi Mihăilescu
Online memes have evolved from satirical messages to powerful ideological tools. Recently, the far-right 'Dark MAGA' movement has harnessed memes for political messaging and identity-building. Mimi Mihăilescu describes how Elon Musk has emerged as an anti-establishment symbol: revered, weaponised, and transformed within these radicalised online communities. Read more
Odelia Oshri
How do national stories shape voting behaviour? Odelia Oshri, Eran Amsalem, and Shaul Shenhav reveal that voters who view their nation through an exclusionary lens are more likely to support populist radical-right parties, especially those marginalised in society. Their findings highlight the powerful role of national narratives in driving political polarisation. Read more
Baris Cayli Messina
Far-right violence in the UK threatens democracy. Baris Cayli Messina argues for repressive state power to counter this threat. Recognising that democracy is fragile, he calls for action against organisations and people that fuel extremism. Cooperation between state institutions and non-state actors is essential to combat fascist violence and ensure peaceful coexistence Read more
