A breakthrough moment or false dawn? The great recession and the radical right in Europe

Followers of radical and extreme right parties often believe that a crisis will bring them to power. As the old economic and political order breaks down they will be propelled into office by insecure and anxious voters, who are looking for parties that project discipline, strength and a nationalist ethos. In 2009, the onset of the Great Recession and a wider financial crisis seemed to present Europe’s radical right with the much anticipated moment of opportunity. While academics have long argued that latent support for these parties exists in most (if not all) Western democracies, largely because some voters will always feel ‘left behind’ by rapid social and economic change and angry toward perceived out-groups, the sudden economic downturn seemed to present a perfect storm for these parties in three ways...