Several European leaders have advocated for a more stringent approach to migration and a rejection of globalist and progressive policies.
Right-wing leaders from across Europe have called for a renewed commitment to defending the continent’s traditional values and cultural identity, criticizing the EU’s immigration policies. At a Madrid rally, leaders including Santiago Abascal of Spain’s Vox party, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and Marine Le Pen of France’s National Rally party, gathered under the theme “Make Europe Great Again.” The conference focused on combating Islamic influence, EU bureaucracy, globalism, and what they termed “woke” policies and diversity.
The concept of a “Reconquista,” recalling the historical Christian reconquest of Spain, was central to the event. Abascal drew parallels between the historical campaign and current political challenges, expressing a readiness to counter what he described as an “Islamist advance” and “global dictatorship” from Brussels. Martin Helme of Estonia’s Conservative People’s Party similarly called for a “new Reconquista” to counter what he claimed was an attempt by globalist elites to undermine Christian civilization.
Orbán, a vocal critic of the EU’s migration policies, asserted that the replacement of Europe’s population is not a conspiracy theory but an ongoing reality. He credited Donald Trump’s victory with a significant setback for liberal ideology. Le Pen echoed similar sentiments, advocating for a “European renaissance” achieved through unity among right-wing forces.
The rise of right-wing parties across the EU in the last decade reflects public dissatisfaction with increased immigration from Africa and the Middle East, along with economic instability.