Dr. Spasimir Domaradzki, Assistant Professor, University of Warsaw & Senior Researcher, Institute of Central Europe

CEP-GLOBSEC Webinar: Violent Right-Wing Extremism in Bulgaria and Hungary | Nov 14, 2023

Right-wing extremist groups and networks have been growing substantially in many European countries in recent years, including in Central Europe. Many of these movements espouse new right-wing extremist narratives, have a pro-Russian stance, and reject globalization as well as what they call “western” values. All of these movements reject human equality and try to institutionalize inequality. In both Hungary and Bulgaria, the far-right scene consists of a diverse set of actors: from political parties to paramilitary groups to networks outside the formal political structure, such as football clubs. 

Sources of financing are as diverse as the actors themselves, and usually include many different streams, such as cultural platforms, for income. In both countries, online media platforms and social media are misused by the extreme right for propaganda and recruitment. In both Bulgaria and Hungary, government reactions are in many instances not decisive enough to effectively contain these movements.