Part VII – PR and the taming of the Populist Right
Scope: contrasts the rise of the Populist Right across Sweden, Finland, the NL, Italy, Austria and the UK and compares how FPTP and PR cope
Summary:
PR countries like Sweden, Finland, Austria, the Netherlands and Italy have all included far-right parties in government
PR systems have constrained extremism—forcing coalitions that dilute or block unconstitutional far-right demands
Only in Italy, where the far-right dominates, have socially regressive policies begun to pass
In contrast, the UK’s FPTP system lacks guardrails—leaving it exposed to unchecked Reform UK extremism if it wins power
Conclusion:
PR contains the far right through negotiation and balance; FPTP risks handing them unchecked power with no moderating brake.
