Across Europe, a dramatic surge in ethnonationalist sentiment is transforming political discourse and policy. Recent months have witnessed mass demonstrations in London featuring chants of “send them home,” while prominent British politicians have openly criticized the visibility of non-white faces in media and advocated for deporting long-term residents born abroad.
This overt demonization of immigrants and those with immigrant heritage has gained momentum as migration dominates political agendas and right-wing parties achieve unprecedented popularity. Parties advocating mass deportations and framing immigration as a threat to national identity—including Britain’s Reform UK, Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD), and France’s National Rally—now lead or feature prominently in opinion polls across the continent.
The phenomenon appears emboldened by international influences, particularly former U.S. President Donald Trump’s characterization of Somali immigrants as “garbage” and his administration’s national security strategy portraying European nations facing “civilizational erasure” due to immigration.
Experts identify multiple drivers behind this trend: economic stagnation following the 2008 financial crisis, the rise of charismatic nationalist leaders, and social media algorithms that amplify divisive content. According to Bobby Duffy, Director of the Policy Unit at King’s College London, these factors have created “a frightening increase in the sense of national division and decline” that pushes societies toward political extremes.
The consequences are tangible. UK government statistics show over 115,000 recorded hate crimes in England and Wales through March 2025, representing a 2% year-over-year increase. Violent incidents, including anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim attacks, have erupted following tragic events exacerbated by online misinformation.
Mainstream political parties increasingly adopt hardened immigration stances, with Britain’s Labour government announcing policies to restrict permanent settlement rights and several European nations seeking to weaken legal protections for migrants. Human rights advocates warn that appeasement strategies only fuel more extreme demands, creating a dangerous cycle of escalating rhetoric and policy.
Despite condemnation of racist conspiracy theories like the “great replacement” narrative, centrist politicians face criticism for occasionally adopting far-right terminology. As Kieran Connell, lecturer in British history at Queen’s University Belfast, observes: “What were once dismissed as being at the far extreme end of far-right politics has now become a central part of the political debate.”