CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE GROWING POPULARITY OF RADICAL RIGHT-WING POPULIST PARTIES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
Authors:   Zaporizhzhia National University, Kindrаtets O. 
Published: February 2025

The article examines the change in the political landscape in the member states of the European Union, the growing influence and popularity of the right-wing radical populist parties (PRPP). The problem is analyzed through the prism of elections to EU representative bodies. The causes and consequences of the "right turn" are shown.
It is noted that in conditions of uncertainty, there is a decrease in trust in the current political class, liberal-democratic, centrist parties. Using political technologies right-wing radical populists were able to get what they hoped for - an increase in the number of voters voting for them in national and local elections. Having received seats in representative government bodies, right-wing radical parties in some countries become partners of other parties in government coalitions. Such a partnership in a coalition strengthens the position of any party, as it enables influencing decisions and shaping policy. Often this path to success begins with local elections.
It is noted that the behavior and policy of right-wing radical populists is changeable, conjunctural, determined by the political situation, the problems society faces, society's demands, etc. Nowadays, this is also evident in their attitude to the Russian-Ukrainian war. Sometimes even those parties that are called "Putin's friends" resort to criticizing Russia's policy and condemning the war against Ukraine.
The article draws attention to the fact that objective processes contributed to the success of right-wing populist parties in the fight for voters' votes. The reasons for the weakening of the positions of the "traditional" parties and the strengthening of the right-wing radical populists were the migrant crises. They gave rise to complaints against the authorities, which were believed to have allowed them and failed to quickly eliminate the negative consequences of these crises. The PRPP is often also called "anti-immigrant" because of the consistency in their attitude towards immigrants. One of the factors in the success of the PRPP is nativism, which is called their hallmark and ideology. It is noted that nativists believe that, first of all, the rights, freedoms, and interests of the indigenous population should be protected, not foreigners, "strangers". In European society, a certain disappointment in the activity of the authorities appeared after it turned out that the problems accompanying immigration (increasing unemployment, crime, tax burden, terrorist threats, etc.) are solved slowly and not always sufficiently effectively. Migration crises have revealed problems in the relations between the states of the European Union, have given rise to disputes about the number of refugees that can be accepted by one or another EU member state.
Ukraine must take into account processes taking place in t EU member states since election results affect not only domestic but also foreign policy. These policies largely depend on which parties come to power. Our state must be ready for new challenges. This requires combining efforts of all political subjects to protect the interests of the state.
Key words: migration, immigration, democracy, party, right-wing radical populist parties, elections, voters.