10 September 2026, NIICE Commentary 12721
Jayjeet Bajra Lama
In today’s postmodern society, most nations worldwide appear to be shifting toward the right and seeing the left decline. Whether in Central America, Europe, or even Asia, countries across these continents have been experiencing this political shift. This raises a broader issue about what influenced vis-à-vis the world to shift towards the right, and why this change appears to be taking place so suddenly. In many of these nations, the left was already in power, yet voters and citizens have increasingly turned away from it. This shift reflects the failure of the left to address the concerns of its own people; it may be linked to immigration, the excessive problems citizens face, or growing disillusionment with left-wing politics and their failed promises. It also may suggest that the ideology itself has become too quixotic, failing to realise and respond to the needs of its own people.
Right-Wing Politics is a political ideology characterised by a commitment to traditional values, nationalism, and a cautious approach to progressive reforms. It often emphasises maintaining cultural heritage, economic liberalism, and a strong national defence. Right-wing politics can vary significantly across different countries, reflecting unique historical and cultural contexts. Scholars of international relations argue that right-wing politics significantly impacts global governance by promoting national sovereignty and economic liberalism. This ideology often intersects with issues like immigration and global trade, influencing policy decisions worldwide.
Now, going on to the major reason why there is a global rise of the right: Firstly, Illegal and undocumneted Immigration remains one of the major political and social concerns. Immigrants are often perceived as competing with native populations or the ‘self-called locals’ for jobs, housing, public resources, and better opportunities. According to Our World in Data, the US stands out, with an estimated 22% of its immigrant population lacking legal status. In contrast, the UK the share is 7%, Germany 4%, France 3%, and 2% in the Netherlands. These percentages were calculated by dividing the estimates of irregular migrants by the total immigrant population based on UN DESA data. Similarly, there is also a growing emphasis on preserving National identity, local culture, and traditional social values, where right-wing populists frequently capitalise on the perception that immigrants strain public resources, housing, and jobs, or burden the social welfare system. Such perceptions have caused resentment and created a narrative that immigration comes at the expense of native citizens; whether such evidence exists or not is questionable. For instance, the campaign of President Trump’s election, ‘Make America Great Again,’ addresses immigration as the fault and influences citizens to show resentment and hatred towards immigrants.
Secondly, the high cost of living, inflation, and a lack of substantial economic growth, particularly across Europe, have left working- and middle-class populations financially insecure. Moreover, these are Areas where the left has failed to address growing concerns. The cost of living in Europe continues to increase and remains at historic highs. While peak inflation rates have slowed down from previous years, cumulative price levels, housing expenses, and utility costs are still climbing. Similarly, industrialisation, outsourcing, and the decline of domestic Industries have contributed to economic insecurity. For example, the major right-wing government has prioritised fuel for economic growth in its own country.
Third is political disillusionment and the normalisation of the far right, where many voters in postmodern societies increasingly view traditional centre-left and centre-right parties as ineffective, corrupt, or out of touch when institutions fail to resolve issues and public services deteriorate; right-wing voters often seek radical alternatives. The crucial thing in our postmodern society is that it favours populist leaders, where social media are seen as a tool to influence and enforce ideologies. Social media has helped normalize nationalist ideas among younger demographics, allowing right-wing populists to portray themselves as anti-establishment and counter-cultural.
The shift toward the right is no longer concerned with one particular region. From Europe to the Americas, Asia, and Australia, electoral politics increasingly reflects the growing influence of nationalist, conservative, and right-wing movements. On the latest movement, in Germany, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured a historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt, winning 43.8% of the vote and moving closer to becoming the first far-right party to lead a German state government since World War II. The party’s emphasis on immigration, deportation, and “reimmigration” reflects the party’s increased hard-line position. Similarly, in Italy, the 2022 general election brought Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy to power at the head of a centre-right coalition with Forza Italia and the League, producing what Reuters described as Italy’s most right-wing government since World War II.
Furthermore, in the United States, Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential victory and Republican control of both chambers of Congress highlight another major turn towards the right, particularly on immigration and citizenship. The stronger enforcement of ICE (United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and mass deportation was the major outcome of this victory. The Department of Homeland Security reports that the U.S. government has deported approximately 985,000 people during the second Trump administration’s ongoing enforcement push. Similarly, in Argentina, the 2023 election ended the previous Justicialist Party’s tenure, a left-wing party, and brought Javier Milei to the presidency, representing another dramatic shift in political direction, forming a right-wing coalition government called ‘La Libertad Avanza’.
Few countries in Asia have shown the domination of political parties representing right-wing values and ideologies. For instance, India has been governed by the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) since 2014, with its Hindu nationalist and conservative ideology remaining dominant through the NDA coalition. Japan, meanwhile, has seen the LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) retain power under Sanae Takaichi, alongside growing influence from conservative and right-wing forces. However, unexpectedly, Australia is also witnessing a surge in right-wing populism, with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation reaching between 23% to 30% in a recent poll, influenced by concerns over migration and cost of living.
Now, the global rise of the right-wing should neither be celebrated as inevitable nor dismissed as harmful. Right-wing governments can respond to genuine public concerns over immigration, global security, economic insecurity, and national identity. However, the risk remains that these concerns are exaggerated or politically exploited. Immigrants are not necessarily the root cause of unemployment, inflation, housing shortages, or pressure on public services; these problems have deeper institutional and structural causes. The principle against the idea of immigration can therefore become a political tool for winning votes by directing public frustration towards a visible group. Additionally, whether the right will dominate in the long term remains uncertain. Political movements rise and fall according to economic conditions, public trust, governance, and the ability of governments to deliver results. If the right fails to address the problems that fuelled its rise, voters may again turn elsewhere. Ultimately, the future may not belong permanently to the right or left, but to whichever political force most convincingly responds to citizens’ needs.
Jayjeet Bajra Lama is a second-year BBM-LLB student at Kathmandu University School of Law, Nepal.
