July
UK police clash with far-right protesters after fatal stabbing
The crowd was believed to consist of English Defence League supporters, with the unrest inspired by speculation about the arrested teenage boy.
- Jill Lawless and Brian Melley
- Opinion
- World politics
Why does France’s far right get stronger with each election?
The Western nation has not responded well to the challenges of globalisation, which is a problem that also applies to the whole of Europe.
- Adrian Blundell-Wignall
- Opinion
- US election
Donald Trump goes for broke with Vance
Vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance is more evidence of how confident the Trump campaign feels about its election prospects.
- Jennifer Hewett
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Australians need a sharp reminder of how well off they are
A new study is an objective demonstration of why Australians have no cause to mimic the populist rhetoric that has poisoned politics in the US and Europe.
- The AFR View
- Updated
- World elections
France faces political gridlock after shock election result
France faces fresh political uncertainty and weeks of wrangling, with an intractable hung parliament carved up between three blocs, after a shock election result.
- Updated
- Hans van Leeuwen
- Analysis
- World elections
How it all went wrong for Le Pen’s National Rally
The second round of the election was framed as a referendum for or against the hard right party, and the French clearly came out against.
- Henry Samuel and Rebecca Rosman
French candidates bow out in bid to block far right
More than 200 have confirmed they will not stand in Sunday’s second round voting for France’s 577-seat national parliament.
- Updated
- Sudip Kar-Gupta and Dominique Vidalon
- Opinion
- Opinion
When the numbers just don’t add up
MAGA in the US and National Rally in France are both making voters big economic promises, but their ideas have some massive holes, writes Paul Krugman.
- Paul Krugman
June
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Europe’s populist tide hits new and dangerous high
The overarching danger of the governing failures by European elites that have fostered populism is a weakening of the Western alliance’s support for Ukraine.
- The AFR View
- Analysis
- World elections
The women shaking up world’s second-biggest election
Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and France’s Marine Le Pen are hoping this week’s EU elections, the world’s second-largest, ramp up their burgeoning, Europe-wide momentum.
- Updated
- Hans van Leeuwen
May
- Opinion
- Opinion
Populism is yet to peak globally
It’s a mistake to analyse the presidential election in America-only terms. Joe Biden and Donald Trump are being tossed about by global political climate extremely favourable for right-wing populists.
- David Brooks
November 2023
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Despite the populist backlash, the world needs technocrats
Elite experts have become the scapegoats for stagnating post-GFC economic prospects. The best thing they can do is to start listening to the public.
- Diane Coyle
Trump tells Milei he plans to visit Buenos Aires
Argentina’s president-elect, Javier Milei, earlier this year called on the former US president to “continue with his fight against socialism”.
- Daniel Politi
Europe’s far-right populists buoyed by Wilders’ win in Netherlands
There is hope in the air again for nationalist conservative populists, especially with a European Parliament election coming up in June.
- Raf Casert
September 2023
- Opinion
- US politics
All bets are off if Trump returns to the Oval Office
It’s hard to imagine free societies hanging on globally against an emboldened group of dictatorships if Team Democracy loses Uncle Sam as its key player.
- Misha Zelinsky
- Opinion
- Culture wars
Australian establishment should learn a lesson from Qantas
If corporate elites want to prosper, they need to get back to their core business of providing quality goods and services to the punters and get out of the virtue signalling game.
- Alexander Downer
August 2023
- Analysis
- Giorgia Meloni
Meloni’s ‘crazy’ bank tax harms Italy’s credibility
The right-wing government’s surprise windfall tax on banks is branded a “major miscalculation”.
- Amy Kazmin
Meloni’s new Italian populism puts investors, Beijing on notice
The prime minister’s nine-month-old far-right coalition government is doubling down on a state-led approach to managing prosperity.
- Updated
- Alessandra Migliaccio and Sofia Gerace
October 2022
- Opinion
- Opinion
Is nostalgia killing conservatism?
The libertarian policies of Liz Truss look weirdly out of step. Until you consider the failings of both centrists and right-wing populists in Europe.
- Ross Douthat
April 2022
- Opinion
- Opinion
Centrists need to fight toxic populists with sincere populism
Emmanuel Macron’s likely defeat of Marine Le Pen is a striking example of why the political centre needs to acknowledge the legitimacy of the complaints that draw voters to fringe candidates.
- Clive Crook