ABSTRACT
The significance of the extreme right in west European countries has grown since the chapters in this book were first written, looking in particular at Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Netherlands. Some earlier parties and leaders have gone, a few still remain, and new ones have emerged. In most west European countries, the extreme right is in 2020 a far-greater political threat than it was in the 1990s. As well as the immigration issue that was always a strong dynamic of extreme-right support, the more recent literature about the phenomenon and about related political developments since may be presented under five macro-political categories; an increased emphasis on culture; changes in political systems associated with growing political cynicism; the greater popularity of invoking populism as a general explanation; an increased focus on narrow nationalisms; and the new social and political divisions arising from failures of neoliberalism in contemporary capitalism. Other newer micro-themes include: changes in the extreme right’s social base; arguments about its possibly increased support from women; emerging urban processes that have fuelled its support; and new types of activism.
