The recording of the panel discussion titled “The Rise of Illiberal Challengers in Western Europe” organized on January 26, 2026 is now available on AUTHLIB’s YouTube channel.
Illiberal and far-right forces have moved from the political margins to the center of power in Europe, shaping agendas, influencing policy, and, in some cases, governing. Yet their position within national political systems varies, creating different challenges for democratic resilience. Austria, Italy, and France illustrate three distinct trajectories. In Austria, the far-right Freedom Party came first in the 2024 parliamentary elections but was kept out of government through cooperation among mainstream parties, raising questions about the durability of containment strategies. In Italy, illiberal forces have been in government for years, reshaping politics ahead of the 2027 elections. In France, the far-right National Rally leads opinion polls ahead of a fragmented mainstream, making the 2027 presidential election a potential turning point. As the Neo-authoritarianism in Europe and the Liberal Democratic Response (AUTHLIB) project concludes, these cases offer key insights into how illiberal challengers operate and what this means for democratic guardrails and response strategies in Western Europe.
How do the positions of illiberal actors—excluded from power, governing, or poised to govern—shape their impact on democracy and public policy? Which institutional, party-system, and societal vulnerabilities are most exposed in each case? How do illiberal actors influence political agendas, norms, and policy depending on their position in the political system? What lessons can be drawn from these three contexts for strengthening democratic resilience ahead of critical European elections in the coming years?
This panel brought together experts to examine Austria, Italy, and France as contrasting Western European cases of illiberal challenge. Drawing on AUTHLIB research, the discussion compared how these forces operate from opposition, within government, and on the brink of power. Panelists assessed the strengths and limits of mainstream-party strategies, identified key democratic vulnerabilities, and reflected on what these cases reveal about the future of liberal democracy in Western Europe.
🎙️ Speakers:
- Batuhan Eren, Research Fellow, Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, Scuola Normale Superiore
- Caterina Froio, Associate Professor, Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics, Sciences Po
- Sylvia Kritzinger, Professor, Department of Government, University of Vienna
🎙️ Chair: Zsuzsanna Végh, Program Officer, The German Marshall Fund of the United States
📒 The country papers discussed are available HERE.
🇪🇺 This event took place in the framework of the “AUTHLIB – Neo-authoritarianisms in Europe and the Liberal Democratic Response” project.
