The 2024 European elections have underscored deepening political divisions across Europe, confirming the ascendance of troubling nativist, authoritarian, and populist trends both within Europe and globally.
Historically, far-right parties in Western Europe have held a relatively minor role, averaging a vote share of 12.5% in national elections up to 2017. However, their recent surge has propelled them into the mainstream political arena.
These parties are projected to claim nearly a quarter of the 720 seats in the European Parliament, a substantial increase from one-fifth in 2019.
While radical right movements often present themselves as democratic alternatives to neoliberal globalization, their resurgence is centered around neonationalism, authoritarianism, and populism.
Their rise is characterized by a shift towards exclusionary practices, advocating for strict societal order and challenging societal openness.
The impact of these changes is already visible in countries where such parties have gained significant influence, including Hungary, Italy, and Poland. Together, these ideologies challenge the inclusive and liberal approaches established post-World War II.
Mainstream Influence
The presence of far-right parties in European governments has doubled from seven in 2000 to 14 by February 2018. The traditional barrier between far-right and center-right parties is eroding in several countries, leading to shifting political alliances and ideological spillover from the extreme right into mainstream policies.
Populist and radical right parties often reject labels such as ‘populist’ or ‘radical,’ instead emphasizing their anti-establishment stance, critique of neoliberal globalization, and commitment to representing popular will.
In response, center-right and center-left parties increasingly adopt positions traditionally associated with far-right populism, particularly concerning immigration, minority rights, and law enforcement, resulting in a blend of ‘liberal-authoritarian’ policies.
Factors like the asylum crisis, debates over multiculturalism, and fears of Islamic fundamentalism further fuel authoritarian, neonationalist, and anti-liberal sentiments.
According to Markus Wagner and Thomas Meyer (2018), “the mean position of the mainstream left today is about as authoritarian as the mean radical right position in the 1980s.”
While there is speculation that far-right parties may moderate once in power and that their populist rhetoric aimed at public consumption may not challenge prevailing neoliberal economic policies, significant threats to universities persist in this evolving political landscape.
Impact on Universities
Below, I delineate how universities may be affected by the strengthening alliances and movements of populist right-wing governments, spanning from concrete operational areas to broader concepts like academic freedom and institutional autonomy.
Migration Policies
Far-right alliances prioritize tightening migration controls, potentially impacting the influx of international students to universities. These students not only contribute financially but also enrich academic institutions culturally.
In regions like the Netherlands, Switzerland, Flanders, and Denmark, debates have surfaced questioning the increasing number of international students. In Denmark, policies were implemented under the influence of the Danish People’s Party to restrict and reduce university courses taught in English.
Policy measures may include stricter visa requirements, limitations on work opportunities for students, and higher bureaucratic costs, posing challenges for universities seeking to attract and retain international students, researchers, and academics vital for maintaining educational quality and research excellence.
Although primarily targeting low-skilled migrants, the broader anti-immigration rhetoric and growing social authoritarianism could deter students and academic staff, impacting perceptions of welcoming environments in affected regions.
International Collaboration
Scientific norms like communalism, universalism, disinterestedness, and organized skepticism promote the open sharing of knowledge, essential for global scientific progress.
However, far-right concerns often prioritize national security over these norms, viewing foreigners suspiciously and fearing intellectual property theft and academic espionage.
Instances such as Trump’s 2017 National Security Strategy highlight these concerns, proposing restrictions on STEM students from certain countries to prevent intellectual property transfer.
Universities, therefore, face pressures to safeguard against espionage while navigating international collaborations vital for scientific advancement.
Research Interference
The rise of far-right alliances poses risks to research agendas and funding across various fields, including medical research, climate science, and social sciences.
Political interference in research, as seen in Brazil under Jair Bolsonaro, where policies were enacted bypassing scientific consensus for political motives, threatens scientific autonomy and evidence-based decision-making.
Such actions undermine the credibility of scientific institutions and perpetuate a global trend of dismissing established scientific knowledge, detrimental to societal progress and policy formulation.
Knowledge Politics
Far-right movements challenge the legitimacy of universities as bastions of liberal or leftist ideologies, aiming to redefine academic curricula and restrict certain fields like gender studies and climate change research.
Efforts to establish new institutions aligned with far-right values reflect a broader agenda to reshape knowledge production and dissemination in alignment with nationalist and authoritarian principles.
Academic Freedom and Institutional Autonomy
As far-right ideologies threaten academic freedom, safeguarding institutional autonomy becomes critical. Attacks on universities, including regulatory interference and attempts to discredit scientific findings, undermine their role as centers of knowledge and societal progress.
These challenges highlight the need to protect universities as democratic spaces for rigorous inquiry and debate, essential for advancing knowledge and confronting authoritarianism in the contemporary political landscape.
The 2024 European election outcomes underscore the urgency of defending academic freedom and institutional autonomy against rising nativist, authoritarian, and populist trends across Europe and beyond.
Dr Vassiliki Papatsiba, Reader in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University, UK, provides insight into these challenges. This commentary reflects her views and does not necessarily represent those of University World News.
