Shaping the political future

This public event marks the culmination of a three-part FEPS initiative examining the transnational far right in Europe. Following two closed-door expert roundtables in Brussels and Lisbon, focused on far-right influence within European institutions and the growing cross-border coordination of far-right actors, this panel opens the conversation to a wider audience. It provides an opportunity to reflect on the broader political implications of these developments and to consider how progressive actors can recalibrate their own strategies, with clarity, confidence, and strategic coherence in a time of profound political uncertainty.

The initiative is led by FEPS in cooperation with Res Publica Foundation, ETERON, and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. Across Europe, the far right is no longer confined to national political arenas. Political parties, think tanks, media outlets, influencers, and affiliated organisations increasingly operate within dense transnational ecosystems where narratives, tactics, and resources circulate rapidly across borders. Amplified through digital platforms and reinforced through international networks, these dynamics are reshaping debates on migration, gender equality, sovereignty, and Europe’s global role.

Against this backdrop, the normalisation of far-right ideas has emerged as one of the defining political challenges of our time. Positions that once sat at the margins of political debate are increasingly entering the mainstream, supported by sophisticated communication strategies and digitally driven mobilisation. These developments raise urgent questions for democratic actors: how can progressive forces respond effectively while remaining faithful to their values? And how can they regain political initiative in an increasingly polarised political landscape?

The discussion will feature contributions from leading scholars and policymakers, including

• Efi Gazi (University of the Peloponnese),
• Lefteris Papagiannakis (Greek Council for Refugees),
• Pedro Silva Pereira (President of the Res Publica Foundation and former Vice-President of the European Parliament),
• Philippe Marlière (University College London)

Opening remarks will be delivered by

• Antonis Galanopoulos (ETERON)
• Uwe Optenhögel (Vice-President, FEPS)

The public event will be preceded by a full-day closed-door roundtable with progressive political stakeholders and FEPS members from across Europe. The discussion will focus on the mainstreaming of far-right rhetoric and parties, and on two key questions: how progressives can avoid contributing to this normalisation, and how they can recalibrate their strategies in a political landscape shaped by the far right by offering a credible progressive alternative on socio-economic, cultural issues, and fight for them effectively in parliamentary settings and beyond. It will also address strategic communication, especially on social media, as well as the medium- and long-term challenge of reforming and reinventing digital ecosystems currently dominated by oligarchic, profit-driven platforms based outside Europe, some of which display clear far-right political leanings.

For more information regarding the project and this publication, please do not hesitate to contact Matteo Dressler, Policy Analyst on Democracy and Participation, FEPS (matteo.dressler@feps-europe.eu) and Julia Wild, Project Officer, FEPS (julia.wild@feps-europe.eu).