For much of the post-war era, the political stability of Western Europe was often regarded with admiration in countries such as Türkiye, where political life is typically marked by greater intensity. Episodes that might otherwise be interpreted as dysfunction—such as extended periods without a functioning government or persistently low voter turnout—were instead valorised as signs of institutional resilience and democratic maturity. Low participation rates, for example, which in more authoritarian settings might suggest disillusionment with politics, were reframed in the Western European context as indicators of public trust in the continuity of governance regardless of electoral cycles.
In recent years, however, this image of Western Europe as a bastion of political equilibrium has been unsettled by the accelerating rise of far-right movements. This development has introduced a new layer of volatility into political systems long perceived as stable, reshaping public debates and exposing structural vulnerabilities in the European democratic model. What was once admired as a sign of calm endurance is now giving way to a more contentious and polarised political landscape, with implications not only for domestic governance but also for the broader trajectory of European integration and liberal democracy. This phenomenon has reverberated in many different corners of the world.
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