News & Analysis

Spain after the June elections: will blocking the right be enough?

For the moment, it seems that the extreme right is not gaining that many institutional positions at the state level. But it has achieved a lot of institutional power in municipalities and regions. In a state where the autonomous regions have important powers, it is conceivable that four years of regressive public policies will follow in many autonomous communities.
However, at state level, the progressive block is holding.

It remains to be seen how the balance of power will develop in the coming months.

Podcast Episode on the European Far-Right by Trademark Belfast

Our friends at Trademark Belfast have produced this podcast episode on the European far-right – worth checking out! Médb McDaid & Stiofán Ó Nualláin of Trademark joined by Yolanda Gil of Spanish Union CCOO and  Mojca Zerak from Slovenian trade union Sindikat Mladi Plus talking about the threat of the far right and authoritarian drift …

RDK claims responsibility for the attack on villages in the Bryansk region of Russia

A neo-Nazi unit of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) led by Denis Kapustin has claimed responsibility for an attack on villages in the Bryansk Region. This follows a video posted on the RDK channel. The recording shows Kapustin in white camouflage standing at the entrance to the Lyubechanskiy paramedic and midwife station. On 2 March, …

A Decade of Right-Wing Radicalization

Ten years after its founding, the Alternative für Deutschland shows no sign of moderating its politics By Gerd Wiegel The rise of Germany’s leading right-populist party, the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) or “Alternative for Germany”, is unprecedented in the German political system. The AfD won 10.3 percent in the autumn 2021 elections, securing it seats …

The Far-Right in the European Parliament

This ePaper is a publication by transform!europe and written by Pierre Balas. Download the full version here. transform!europe is a European Left Think Tank and Network. The European Parliament (EP) is yet another institution where we are able to see the rise of the far-right and its influence on policies and political agendas. This global …

Making Russia Great Again? How the Kremlin suppressed Russian nationalists, but ended up pursuing their greatest ambition

Written by Alexander Tushkin. He is a Russian anti-fascist journalist and visiting researcher at the Berlin School of Economics and Law. Currently, he is a fellow of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation’s International Research Group on Authoritarianism and Counter-Strategies. When Russia’s long-running conflict with Ukraine escalated into a full-blown invasion on 24 February 2022, Russian nationalists …

Raid Against ‘Reichsbürger’: Mad in Germany

In the early morning hours of the 7th of December 2022, 3.000 police officers conducted 130 house searches and arrested 25 individuals. All of this took place in 11 Federal States including Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Thuringia, Lower Saxony, as well as Kitzbühl (Austria) and Perugia (Italy). Out of the 25 …

Giorgia Meloni Is a Global Phenomenon

Italy’s new prime minister belongs to a transnational network of far-right groups, of which she is now the most powerful representative. This article was first published in the Croatian weekly Novosti, 24 October 2022. Written by Hrvoje Šimičević. In the wake of the recent Italian general election, which saw the far-right Brothers of Italy party …

Golden Dawn Is Back on Trial

Loukas Stamellos reports on the criminal proceedings against the Greek neo-Nazi organization. He is a co-founder of the Greek media collective, OmniaTV. Translated by Danai Kapranou. On October 2020, the news that a Greek court had convicted leading members of the neo-fascist Golden Dawn party of running a criminal organization travelled around the world. The …

Russian Volunteer Corps: Denis “WhiteRex” Kapustin is Back in Business

A new unit consisting of Russian volunteers has appeared on the Ukrainian side. It calls itself the Russian Volunteer Corps. Antifascist Europe has concluded that the group is made up of neo-Nazis from Russia, who were organized by the well-known far-right entrepreneur Denis “WhiteRex” Kapustin. A short overview of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) The …

Putinisher Beobachter – Documenting How Nazis and far-right journalists in Russia Engage in War Propaganda

Originally published on 06/08/2022 via The Left Berlin written by Antifacist Europe New Research from Russia shows the extent of Nazi Influence on State Media President of Russia Vladimir Putin declared denazification was the aim of the war in Ukraine – or, the liberation of Ukraine “from Nazi-minded people and Nazi ideology“. Many Nazis and far-right media work …

Research Project: “Cultures of Rejection”

“Cultures of Rejection” brings together research teams from five European countries. Its objective is to comprehend the polarization and radicalization of society that has recently taken place, as well as the accomplishments of right-wing movements and parties in Europe. Find out more details via their website: Cultures of Rejection The wave of migration to Europe …

Hammerskins: What German “security services” (don’t) say

This article is part 7 of 7 in the Hammerskins Series. This series was originally published in German via Exif – Recherche & Analyse, and gives us an in-depth look into one of the oldest and most stable neo-Nazi organisations worldwide. This final part of the series focuses on the failure of German intelligence services …

Event: Antifacist Matinee on 3.7.2022

Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Place: Red Salon in the Volksbühne at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz in Berlin Free admission – The event will be held in English. In the Red Salon of the Volksbühne, the anti-fascist research project Antifascist Europe will present itself. Antifascist Europe comprises activist initiatives, journalists and academics from all over Europe and …

A marginal phenomenon for now

Original text by Damian Lawlor, Offaly and Dieter Reinisch, published in German by junge Welt on 24 April 2022. Translation by Joshua Rahtz Historical reasons, apart from a brief episode in the 1930s, a fascist movement has never been able to establish itself in Ireland. Currently the National Party is seeking influence—but with limited success. …

“Copy-and-Paste” Terrorism in Buffalo

By Bjørn Ihler for Antifascist Europe In the week since the terrorist attack that unfolded in Buffalo, New York on 14 May, we’ve dissected manifestos, combed through chat logs, and studied the background and development of yet another terrorist who was driven to kill by the same kind of hatred that has already driven so …

Germany’s anti-Covid Protests: Dangerous Self-Victimization

This article takes a look at the protests against the Corona restrictions and vaccine mandates in Germany during the Covid-19 pandemic and explains the affective dynamics behind them. After identifying far-right actors as central agitators and promoters of Covid-related conspiracy narratives and introducing the concept of affect for a general audience, it points out how self-victimization is the central affective dynamic behind the anti-covid movement in Germany.

Presidential Elections in France

The timing couldn’t be more fortuitous: as the war in Ukraine unsettles political certainties across Europe and Emmanuel Macron seeks to assert himself in the diplomatic arena, voters will head to the polls for the first round of France’s presidential election on 10 April. The second round is scheduled for two weeks later. In the …

Putin claims that he wants to “denazify” Ukraine. Yet, the Kremlin’s best friends in Europe for many years have been the far-right.

Original text by Dmitriy Vachedin, posted on Meduza on 13 March One of the Kremlin’s declared goals in attacking Ukraine is the “denazification” of that country. According to the official version, the Ukrainian authorities have been under the influence of neo-Nazis for the past few years. Meanwhile, since the annexation of Crimea, the Moscow government …

The European Far-Right and the Ukraine war: some early observations

This is an overview of the initial reactions of some European far-right voices on the Ukraine war as expressed in a sitting of the European Parliament (EP) on 1 March 2022, which opened with a speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Hammerskins Worldwide

This article is part 6 of 7 in the Hammerskins Series. This series was originally published in German via Exif – Recherche & Analyse, and gives us an in-depth look into one of the oldest and most stable neo-Nazi organisations worldwide. The sixth part of the series delves into the transnational aspect of the organisation …

The Hammerskins in the context of the ‘NSU Complex’

This article is part 5 of 7 in the Hammerskins Series. This series was originally published in German via Exif – Recherche & Analyse, and gives us an in-depth look into one of the oldest and most stable neo-Nazi organisations worldwide. The fifth part of the series sheds light on the role of Hammerskins in …

Russian anti-fascists oppose the war in Ukraine

On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine and a few days later adopted a law establishing criminal liability for spreading information about the use of Russian Federation Armed Forces or their discrediting. In fact, the law is used to suppress the freedom of speech and press, to terminate the activities of many media, to block …

Hammerskins’ cashflows and business operations

This article is part 4 of 7 in the Hammerskins Series. This series was originally published in German via Exif – Recherche & Analyse, and gives us an in-depth look into one of the oldest and most stable neo-Nazi organisations worldwide. This fourth part of the series analyses how all of their activities are funded …

Terror, violence and race war

Article 3 of 7 in the Hammerskins Series

Racially motivated brutal attacks, manslaughter and murder are commonplace throughout the 30-year history of the Hammerskins. Many members have been convicted for assault, illegal firearms possessions or similar offences.

Urgent Note on Our Reporting on Russia & Ukraine

Ukraine has since February 24th, 2022 been under siege. Due to the conditions of war resulting from the Russian invasion, we cannot at this time provide accurately validated and verified data and information on the current situation in neither Ukraine nor Russia. The Russian regime is through warfare, crackdowns and legislation suppressing all independent and …

Brief statement condemning the war in Ukraine

As anti-fascist activists and researchers from across Europe, including Ukraine and Russia, we condemn the war in Ukraine. We stand together against the Russian invasion, and the cynical abuse of antifascist and humanitarian rhetoric by Russian state-media and propagandists to justify imperialist aggression. As anti-fascist researchers, we are painfully aware of the role far-right activists …

Putting an all-male brotherhood on the map

Article 2 of 7 in the Hammerskins Series

Hammerskins wanted to stand out as an elite and present themselves as a “purifying” force. In their imagery, they reproduce their self-understanding as a superior collective, as a soldierly, hyper-masculine formation. ‘We are healthy people in a sick world’, Forrest Hyde describes the role of the Hammerskins…

Brothers Keep Silent – The secret Hammerskin network

Article 1 of 7 in the Hammerskins Series

The anti-fascist research platform Exif began publishing the largest German-language research on the “Hammerskins” in mid-2021. The publication, Exif wrote in its introduction, was based on many years of anti-fascist work. The documentation and processing of regional findings by research networks, individuals or independent archives, which have been carried out for decades, have made it possible at all to record and illuminate the Hammerskins as a neo-Nazi organisation.

The Antifaschistisches Infoblatt (AIB) dedicated a focus to the research in issue no. 132/2021, which is now accessible to an English-speaking audience.

A Broken Mirror Yet to Speak

In the already distant 2003, the torchlight procession by the name “Lukovmarch” seemed to be a harmless and at the same time somewhat supreme crown of the Transition’s creation. The initial impetus came from the entirely flattened, one-dimensional right-wing political life in Bulgaria that proved unable to hold together the onslaught of its own making. …

#SayTheirNames #Hanauistüberall #Hanau1902

After the attack of Hanau, which marks its second anniversary, public discourse about racist violence in Germany changed. One on hand it was preceded by little to no prevention attempts, and followed by usual failures of authorities: poor investigative work, cold and disrespectful treatment of the families of the victims, and the ritualized indignation of politicians without any serious consequences. Moreover, Hanau triggered an old trauma of non-white people living in Germany: the racist othering, the daily insults and threats, ultimately violence, and the experience that their lives are less worthy of protection or grief.

Video of the ENAM/Antifascist-Europe Launch

It was with great pride we launched the European Network for Antifascist Monitoring (ENAM) and the web-portal Antifascist Europe on the 19th of January.

Holocaust Memorial Day

Today it’s important not only to remember the victims of the Holocaust but also that the Holocaust didn’t start with the concentration camps. It started with cultures of hatred, driving fear which in turn drove policy, over time leading to murder. As European antifascists, we must therefore spend today not only remembering, but continuing, as we must every day, to resist!

Yellow Triangle – Christy Moore

We are honoured to have a range of prominent supporters and patrons. You can read more about the patrons here. One of the patrons is Irish musician and songwriter Christy Moore. Christy Moore is one of Ireland’s most cherished and successful artists. His career as a performer across seven decades has seen him develop generations …

Far-right social media usage in Europe

The use of social media platforms by the far right has exploded over the last decade. From hate-filled youtube channels, to encrypted broadcast lists provoking violence, fascists across Europe have been quick to realise the potential of these widely-used platforms in disseminating their message, building their movement and mobilising their supporters. But how far has this spread, and what responsibility should the huge tech multinationals take for the hate spread on their platforms? In this article James Poulter charts the rise of fascist social media, in the UK, and then across Europe, and speaks to antifascist organisations trying to contain this new threat.

A Brief History of Far-Right Movements in Russia

The first far-right groups, and specifically the neo-Nazis, appeared in the USSR back in the 1950s. Schoolchildren and kids from the families of party officials became involved in neo-Nazi groups, as they were attracted to the aesthetics of Nazism with its parades, the cult of the beautiful body and neoclassical architecture. For this, they were called “stilyagi”. Researchers also distinguish a group of “politicians” – adult far-right dissidents who were attracted specifically to the cult of Adolf Hitler.

Antifascist Europe: Launch event on 19 January

Antifascist Europe is a network of antifascist research projects spanning activist initiatives, journalists, and researchers from around Europe who monitor the development and transnational networks of far-right and right-populist parties, along with white supremacist, Neo-Nazi, and fascist groups. Please click here to register for the launch event on 19 January 2022 at 11 am. CET. …

Utøya: Ten Years Later

Ten years ago, on 22 July 2011, 77 people fell victim to the violent attack perpetrated by a far-right extremist in Norway. Today, the bombing in Oslo’s government quarter that claimed eight lives, and the massacre of 69 members of the Workers’ Youth League on the holiday island of Utøya two hours later, serves as a positive point of reference, whether direct or indirect, for a number of far-right imitators and admirers executing their own terrorist attacks.

The driving force behind this monstrous crime was the ideology of white supremacy, which sees itself as engaged in a defensive struggle against the spectres of “cultural Marxism”, Islam, and “foreign infiltration”. Friedrich Burschel, a researcher on neo-Nazism and structures and ideologies of inequality for the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, spoke with survivor Bjørn Ihler about the attack itself, what has happened in the field of right-wing terrorism since then, and what society can do about it.

Turkish extremist group Grey Wolves finds a favourable climate in Germany

Since the 1970s, largely unnoticed by the general public, a network of Turkish ethnonationalists known as the Grey Wolves has established itself in Germany, targeting Armenians, Kurds, Jews and political opponents. Today, the group constitutes a major domestic security threat, but one that has been consistently underestimated and neglected.

How Germany’s Far Right Is Building Up Anti-Immigrant Parties in the Balkans

The continued electoral success of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has heightened the probability for that its affiliated Desiderius Erasmus Foundation will use public funds to conduct political education promoting authoritarian national radicalism – both in Germany and abroad. In his article, Aleksandar Matković outlines the various contacts and relationships between the AfD and right-wing parties in South-Eastern Europe, especially in Serbia and Croatia. Should the Desiderius Erasmus Foundation” were to receive public funding in the near future, it would be engaged in political education that directly contradicts the original purpose of political foundations in Germany – namely, the promotion of fundamental democratic values to prevent a new fascism.

Nazi Exodus: How Russian Nazis Ended Up In Ukraine

Russian Nazis play a significant role in the Ukrainian far-right movement, even though Ukraine is at war with Russia. The Marker has talked to experts in the field of far-right extremism—journalists, researchers and activists of the anti-fascist movement—and found out which of the Russian Nazis have fled to Ukraine and why.

The Many Afterlives of Golden Dawn

Despite the fact that Greece suffered a violent history in the twentieth century, with its fair share of military dictatorships, a vicious civil war that led to the persecution of thousands of left-leaning citizens, and a peculiar post-war regime that systematically resorted to the violent repression of political dissenters, by the 1980s it seemed that far-right ideology and practices had been left behind for good. In that sense, witnessing the emergence and rapid spread of a far-right in the 2010s came as a great shock to the country. What we are witnessing in Greece, which may be instructive of broader general developments in the European context too, is a general shift to the right, in what has been described as “droitisation”. This is taking place simultaneously on two different levels: not only does it concern society at large but also the liberal centre, which is moving further and further towards the right.

The “Anti-gender” Movement: The Repressive Sexual and Gender Politics of the Far Right and Christian Fundamentalisms in Europe

Yes, feminism is the vaccine against fascism. It is a bulwark against fascism and challenges it. Because if there is something that unites and gives structure to the various extreme right-wingers apart from their misogynist agenda and their anti-feminism, it is their attempt to change the framework of this massive movement that has arisen across the planet and to convince a section of those that the movement appeals to adopt their agenda. Yes, feminism is undoubtedly the workhorse of the so-called “post-fascist reactionary international”.

“X them out! The Black Map of Racist Violence”

“X them out! The Black Map of Racist Violence” initiative arose from the need to reveal the organised hate crimes connected with the Golden Dawn neo Nazi organisation in order for the wider public to realise the extent of its criminal activity.

A Portrait of a Modern Anti-Fascist Movement: A Closer Look

The prevailing political trends are currently putting antifascists worldwide under mounting levels of pressure; taking a cue from the Cold War tradition, this politics is increasingly branding antifascism and antifascist activity as an “underestimated danger” and “left-wing extremism”. It is time we countered this ludicrous distortion of the reality of the modern antifascist movement.

The normalization of racist rhetoric

The narrative that has been created on Roma – as Cayetano Fernández writes – is a white construct that produced the legitimization of white identity.

Post-fascism and new authoritarianism in Europe

The Italian historian Enzo Traverso defines post-fascism as the contemporary form of the fascist phenomenon: an ongoing phenomenon with continuities (legacies of classic fascism) and ruptures (loose ideology, a mixture of populism and xenophobia). In Europe, the new post-fascist nationalism no longer targets – as it did in the 1930s – other nations, and in particular European nations, but rather immigration and Islam. Populist demagogues are seizing power with a bigoted agenda. Xenophobic, nationalist and racist parties are being reinforced.

United Against Hate: A Kilo of Information on the Spanish Far Right

De los neocón a los neonazis (From Neocons to Neo-Nazis), the collective volume edited by Miquel Ramos and Nora Rodríguez, was launched in October 2021 with a presentation that turned into a ceremony to celebrate the union of the publications El Salto and La Marea, in their converging paths to unmask the Spanish far right.