Stijn van Kessel

🎉 New publication 😍 The 4th wave of the #farright is marked by #mainstreaming & #normalisation - but how can we distinguish between them? In our new article, @gefjonoff.bsky.social and I map the existing literature, introduce a conceptual framework & outline research avenues. doi.org/10.1017/S147...

We @qmulsse.bsky.social have a vacancy: a one year Lectureship in Public Policy (Teaching & Scholarship). Please see details below.

Members of our @populisminaction.bsky.social team will be presenting our work at 2 conferences in the near future:

The Political Studies Association 2026 Annual Conference in Oxford (30th March-1st Apr) and the 32nd International Conference of Europeanists in Dublin (16-18 June).

Details below.

For an international audience: Forum for Democracy (FvD) is showing its true colors in many ways recently, amongst others by having candidates from extremist extraparliamentary organisations on its local lists

Beware of ‘anti-woke’ liberals: they attacked the left and helped Trump win | Jan-Werner Müller So-called ‘reactionary centrist’ pundits proclaimed that there was a global ‘vibe shift’ in favor of the right. They were wrong

Great intervention by @jwmueller-pu.bsky.social on reactionary centrism, anti-wokeness, and the tendency to interpret the success of the right as backlash instead of as its own political project

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Dutch far-right PVV falls apart, seven MPs form new party - DutchNews.nl Seven MPs from the far-right PVV have left the party in a dispute over strategy with its leader, founder and only member, Geert Wilders. A document drawn up by the dissidents shows the group demanded ...

Seven MPs of Geert Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV) quit the party and start their own parliamentary party group in the Dutch House of Representatives. They refer to the fact that Wilders is the only party member of the PVV and the lack of results. www.dutchnews.nl/2026/01/dutc...

Radical right parties in Europe have not moderated. Their positions and rhetoric have entered the mainstream. They have become normalized and legitimized. Unless we understand this, we have little chance of countering their success.

This is a brilliant piece on the restructuring of political competition in Western Europe and goes far beyond the question of populism. Great also for teaching.

Back at Bologna's Alma Mater today to discuss the book below with Politics postgrads... Looking forward to it....

The book is open access -free to read and download. See link below.

The core thesis of our Brextinction paper, beautifully (or morbidly?) summarized in one flowchart (also based on YouGov data).

@simonhix.bsky.social @juhoharkonen.bsky.social

ejpr.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

📣 #MilitantDemocracy out in #OpenAccess @routledgebooks.bsky.social!

📝 Offers one of the first comprehensive theories of #democraticselfdefence. Great to see it’s still relevant to current debates.

🎂 This month marks the 10th anniversary of the Dutch edition!

www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-mon...

European progressives must tackle housing crisis to beat far right, say researchers Centre left can win broad support by addressing soaring house prices and rents, according to data analysis

For the Guardian, @jonhenley.bsky.social reports on our new research briefs on the politics of housing. Current policies too often treat housing as an asset. Housing as a social right has nearly disappeared from the agenda of even progressive parties.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

The ‘Danish model’ is the darling of centre-left parties like Labour. The problem is, it doesn’t even work in Denmark | Cas Mudde This week’s local elections are the latest reminder that when social democrats move rightwards, they’re making a mistake, says academic and author Cas Mudde

After more than 10 years of “the Danish Model”, nativism is hegemonic in the country, the far right polls near level highs again, and the Social Democrats lost Copenhagen and poll at historic low.

European Social Democrats should look at the facts, not the myths!

Me in @theguardian.com

The ‘Danish model’ is the darling of centre-left parties like Labour. The problem is, it doesn’t even work in Denmark | Cas Mudde This week’s local elections are the latest reminder that when social democrats move rightwards, they’re making a mistake, says academic and author Cas Mudde

Cas Mudde spells out what has become largely the consensus among researchers: moving right on immigration will not weaken the far right nor strengthen social democracy. If your reaction is "but in Denmark" please at least familiarize yourself with Danish politics

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Labour is desperately trying to appeal to Reform supporters. In October, we asked people in the UK if they perceive a party as a "party for someone like them". Only very few people say this for both Labour and Reform. The correlation is negative. Labour is chasing an electorate that does not exist.

@dralbertazziuk.bsky.social
@jsijstermans.bsky.social
@adrianfavero.bsky.social
@mattiazulianello.bsky.social
@qmulsse.bsky.social
@qmul-sse-cgd.bsky.social

Our book launch is still planned for next Thursday, November 20th, 5PM at Queen Mary University of London. Catering has also been booked 🍷🫒. Register via: tinyurl.com/382xbuy5

@qmul-sse-cgd.bsky.social
@qmulsse.bsky.social @dralbertazziuk.bsky.social
@jsijstermans.bsky.social @adrianfavero.bsky.social
@mattiazulianello.bsky.social

Andrej Zaslove and I wrote down our thoughts on the recent Dutch election results, noting the continuing relevance of the far right and the hollowing of the (liberal) centre. 👇 @qmul-sse-cgd.bsky.social @qmulsse.bsky.social

My more elaborate take on why the Dutch election outcome does not represent a defeat of the far right

Many congrats, Matthijs 🙌

@qmul-sse-cgd.bsky.social @qmulsse.bsky.social

One observation re. the Dutch election is the enduring strength of the far right (I am not fully subscribing to the 'shift back to the centre' narrative). I should be on ABC Australia News channel at around 11 CET to talk about this and to show my plants (again). www.youtube.com/live/vOTiJkg...

🗳️ First exit polls from the Netherlands: Wilders’ PVV appears to shrink from 37 to 25 seats. Make no mistake — the far right remains strong. Support hasn’t disappeared; it’s shifted across parties. The Dutch political landscape is more fragmented than ever — and the far right is no exception. 🇳🇱

I confirm Tarik’s brag is not based on a lie

Tight race in Dutch election as anti-Islam populist Wilders' hope of power declines - BBC News Wilders was the clear winner last time Dutch voters went to the polls in November 2023, but this time the race is far tighter.

Election day also means a quick round up of my comments in the international media that have been published today. Pick your favorite language 🙂

www.bbc.com/news/article...

This is the final 'poll of polls' before the Dutch elections. Three parties at the same level, and two more not much smaller. Given the high percentage of late deciders and voters in doubt, the outcome is still very much uncertain. 🧵

Geert Wilders failed in government, but the far right retains its grip on the Netherlands | Cas Mudde A media in thrall to Wilders’ party ensures its agenda is entrenched in Dutch politics and will dominate Wednesday’s election, says political scientist Cas Mudde

Here is the Guardian piece, which worked off slightly different polls.

Laatste Peilingwijzer – Peilingwijzer De Peilingwijzer combineert de Tweede Kamerpeilingen van Ipsos I&O & Verian/EenVandaag

You think your elections are nail biters? In the last poll of the polls, the @peilingwijzer.bsky.social produced by @tomlouwerse.nl, before election day in the Netherlands tomorrow, three parties are tied for first place

peilingwijzer.tomlouwerse.nl

📣 Very timely: our @epsrjournal.bsky.social article on how populist radical right parties in the Netherlands have evolved organisationally is now officially published - with volume and page numbers and all! Check it out here if you’re interested:
doi.org/10.1017/S175... 🍿