Presentation short abstract

This paper analyses the farmers protests in Europe in 2023-25 in light of the rise of right-wing populism. It examines the strategies employed by far-right groups to co-opt farmers' protests, as well as the farmers' responses to these co-optations.

Presentation long abstract

The farmers’ protests of 2023–25 were the largest in the history of the European Union. Starting sporadically in different countries across Europe, they soon spread and gained momentum, fuelled by common issues in the EU: falling farm incomes, rising production costs, unfair competition from non-EU imports, and mounting red tape and environmental regulations. The farmers’ protests would likely have remained solely about agricultural and trade policies if right-wing populist and far-right groups had not joined the protesters. Populists have exploited farmers’ discontent for their own political gain. Although farmers’ unions and other organisations taking part in the protests were against the involvement of far-right groups and tried to distance themselves from them, the farmers protests 2023-25 became associated with the rise of right-wing populism in Europe.

This paper aims to analyse the overlap in timing and demands between protesters and right-wing populists. It examines the strategies employed by far-right groups to co-opt farmers' protests, as well as the farmers' responses to these co-optations. The paper is based on discourse analysis of public speeches, slogans, and protest posters of both farmers (and their representatives) and right-wing populists. It discusses successful attempts by farmers to distance themselves from far-right groups, as well as failed attempts that led to co-optation and merger with populists. The paper concludes with a number of strategic recommendations for tackling populist involvement in protests from within.