10 European Right-Wing Parties Poised To Exploit Post-Paris Attacks Fears At The Polls

These Are The Rising Right-Wing Parties Poised To Exploit Paris Attacks Fears
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The aftermath of the terror attacks in Paris which left at least 130 people dead has seen a raft of criticism of the European Union's immigration policies, and calls for borders to be closed entirely.

In France itself, National Front leader Marine Le Pen has swiftly sought to frame the country's state of emergency as having been borne out of its open European borders and continued acceptance of those fleeing from Syria.

A statement from the party said its "fears and warnings of the possible presence of jihadists among the migrants entering our country" had become a reality.

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Marine Le Pen has reiterated her anti-immigration stances following the Paris attacks.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has made clear his position in wake of the near-simultaneous attacks, telling the country's parliament both that "we don't think that everyone is a terrorist" and that "no one can say how many terrorists have arrived already".

The rise of the Right in Europe

The rise of right-wing politics in response to the pressures caused by the migration crisis is beginning to be played out in recent elections.

From Poland to Switzerland, Norway to the Netherlands, far right and anti-immigration parties are enjoying relative success at the polls and are securing prominent positions within coalition governments - if not governing alone. As this chart shows...

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Click here for a zoomable version of this graph, produced for HuffPost UK by Statista

With all of the above elections taking place in the past year, here are the rising right-wing parties which look set to make the most of rising anti-immigration sentiment - and subsequent fears over security.

Rise Of The Right In Europe
Finns Party - Finland(01 of10)
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Finland's Finns Party secured 17.7% of the vote in the most recent national election in April 2015, securing the second-highest number of seats in parliament.

The party's populist, Eurosceptic agenda is complimented by anti-immigration rhetoric.

Despite firmly representing the right of Finnish politics, the party entered into the current coalition, led by the Centre Party.

Leader and co-founder Timo Soini is pictured far right above. He is Foreign Minister in the coalition, and has been quick to respond to the terror attacks in Paris by advocating swift combat involving all Western nations.
(credit:ANTTI AIMO-KOIVISTO via Getty Images)
Danish People's Party - Denmark(02 of10)
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Last year, the Danish People's Party won the country's European Parliamentary elections with 21.1% of the vote.

The party is known for its tough stance on Muslim immigration - holding a significant place in Danish politics since 2001.

As with many of the other right-wing parties of Europe, People's Party's success lies in its ability to appeal to moderate voters on either side of the political spectrum.

Leader Kristian Thulesen Dahl, above right appeals to younger voters and is seen as being less divisive than his predecessor. A broader appeal to moderates has been a signature of his leadership so far.
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Law and Justice Party - Poland(03 of10)
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The Law and Justice Party, also known as PiS, secured the strongest position of any party in post-communist Poland when it secured 51.6% of the vote in the October 2015 general election.

Having gained a majority parliamentary seats, the party need not make compromises as it enacts its radical policies, including lowering the retirement age and increasing taxes on large corporations and banks.

Law and Justice’s chairman, Jarosław Kaczyński, above left, told his supporters on election night: "We will not kick those who have fallen... We need to show that Polish public life can be different."

In the wake of the Paris attacks, the incoming PiS government confirmed it would curb migration.
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Swiss People's Party - Switzerland(04 of10)
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Switzerland's People's Party (SVP) swept to power in October 2015 with 29.4% of the vote.

Commentators described the Swiss political outlook as "Rechtsrutsch" - or "slide to the right"- upon the party's election, which saw it take an extra 11 seats in the country's lower house.

Leader Toni Brunner framed the victory as a sign that the people of Switzerland were "worried about mass migration to Europe".
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Golden Dawn - Greece(05 of10)
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Greece's Golden Dawn was founded three decades ago yet its most recent performance during Greece's snap election in September saw it gain over 500,000 votes and gave it 19 MPs.

The stridently anti-austerity and anti-immigrant party attracts voters angry with the prospect of continued austerity under a third international bailout, despite the party's leadership and dozens of its members being on trial for a slew of offences.

“Golden Dawn is a movement of power, it is not a protest movement any more,” the party’s Swastika-sporting spokesman, Ilias Kasidiaris, said after the latest election.

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National Front - France(06 of10)
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France's National Front (FN) has long-since instilled a message of Islamophobia, fear of migrants and of open European borders. It holds most power in the European Parliament - representing 23 out of France's 74 seats.

These messages appear to be taken on greater resonance in the wake of the migration crisis, and now the multiple terror attacks on the French capital.

“France and the French are no longer safe,” Le Pen said in a speech which called for tougher penalties for radical Islamists and a complete end to immigration while the crisis ensues.

The latest terror attacks came as campaigning for crucial regional elections, due to be held next month, began in earnest.

The FN is hoping to increase its political power, and is well-placed to capitalise on tensions over waves of migrants in Europe this year and recent events in Paris.

The first round of the regional elections will take place on Dec. 6, 2015.
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UKIP - United Kingdom(07 of10)
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The UK's Independence Party gained 12.6% of the vote at this year's general election, the right-wing party failed to increase its number of MPs.

Its deputy leader wasted no time in suggesting that those responsible for the Paris attacks were in some way linked to Europe's migration crisis. "Does France closing borders imply terrorists are not 'home grown' but incomers taking advantage of current migrant crisis?" she tweeted.

Meanwhile leader Nigel Farage told reporters that the EU was "seriously imperiling our security" as he called for the European border-free zone to be scrapped.
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Party for Freedom - the Netherlands(08 of10)
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The Dutch Party for Freedom won 11.7% of the vote at the 2014 European Parliament election - winning 4 seats. It has since risen to record popularity in polls, as a result of the ensuing migration crisis.

The party's leader Geert Wilders was cleared of inciting hatred against Muslims after campaigning against Islam in public life. He is pictured above holding a "No Hate Imams in the Netherlands" sign outside a center for Islamic studies.

Wilders issued a statement int he wake of the Paris attacks saying: "Prime Minister Rutte, I say to you: Close the Dutch borders. Now! Protect the Dutch people. Stop turning away and denying."

Now polling puts Wilders' party 19 points clear of its closest opposition, on track for a majority at the next election.
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Progress Party - Norway(09 of10)
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Norway's Progress Party suffered its worst performance at the polls since 1991 in local elections this year.

Nonetheless, with 16.3% of the national vote in 2013, the party forms part of the country's coalition government.

Leader Siv Jensen, also Norway's finance minister, has been outspoken on the need to help Syrians in their home region, rather than allowing them to travel into western European countries.

The party has largely avoided comment around the Paris terror attacks, with Jenson commenting only on the horror of the incidents.
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HDZ - Croatia(10 of10)
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Despite early polls suggesting the ruling social democrat coalition would retain power in Croatia last week, the HDZ party successfully won a majority of votes.

Leader Tomislav Karamarko, second from left above, will lead a right-wing conservative coalition in government, and promoted a programme of policies including tougher measures to control migration, including deploying the army to patrol Croatia’s borders.

However, it was also the country's stagnating economy which provided ground for the HDZ to capitlise upon. The tiny Adratic nation has seen its economic fortunes plateau since joining the EU in 2013.
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