A Northern Outlook on the Russia–European Far Right Nexus: The Rise of Right-Wing Parties in the Nordic Countries

Abstract

The growing affinity between the European far right and Russia has found ideological grounding in Putin’s embrace of conservative values. Russia’s hardline stance on immigration and national sovereignty has positioned it as a model for many far-right movements in Europe. Following the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Russia began to support far-right parties to counter Western sanctions strategically. However, the relationship between these parties and Russia is far from uniform, varying according to historical experiences and geopolitical contexts. In Nordic countries, far-right parties adopted a distinctly anti-Russian stance after the invasion of Ukraine, strongly backing NATO membership and gaining significant political traction. These parties maintained their traditional populist rhetoric while reframing Russia as the new "other" in their narratives. Their anti-Russian position, combined with anti-immigration and Eurosceptic messages, resonated with voters. In sum, Russia is simultaneously empowering the European far right—through ideological inspiration and fueling security anxieties, especially in Eastern and Northern Europe.

Keywords

• Russia
• Radical Right
• Sovereignty
• Conservatism
• Nordic Countries

Rusya ile Avrupa Radikal Sağı Arasındaki İlişkiye Kuzeyden Bir Bakış: Nordik Ülkelerde Yükselen Sağ Partiler

Abstract

Avrupa’da radikal sağ ile Rusya arasındaki yakınlaşma, Putin’in muhafazakâr değerleri sahiplenmesiyle ideolojik bir zemin kazanmıştır. Rusya’nın göç ve ulusal egemenlik konularındaki sert tutumu, Avrupa’daki radikal sağ için bir model oluşturmuştur. 2014 Kırım işgali sonrasında Rusya, radikal sağ partileri Batı yaptırımlarını kırmak için stratejik olarak desteklemeye başlamıştır. Ancak bu partilerin Rusya ile ilişkileri homojen değildir; tarihsel ve jeopolitik dinamiklere göre farklılık göstermektedir. Nordik ülkelerdeki radikal sağ partiler, Ukrayna işgali sonrası Rusya karşıtı bir pozisyon alarak NATO üyeliğini desteklemiş ve siyasi güçlerini artırmıştır. Bu partiler, klasik popülist söylemlerini koruyarak Rusya tehdidini yeni bir "öteki" figürü olarak kullanmışlardır. Rusya karşıtı bu pozisyon, göçmen karşıtlığı ve AB eleştirileriyle birleşerek seçmen nezdinde karşılık bulmuştur. Sonuç olarak, Rusya hem muhafazakarlık ideolojisi üzerinden yarattığı ilhamla, hem de Doğu ve Kuzey Avrupa ülkelerinde yarattığı kaygıyla Avrupa radikal sağını güçlendirmektedir.

Keywords

• Rusya
• Radikal Sağ
• Egemenlik
• Nordik Ülkeler
• Muhafazakarlık

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