How Europe’s Conservative Parties Face Pressure From the Populist Right

Conservatives face a choice

Millbank Tower in London, once the Conservative Party’s headquarters, stands close to the Houses of Parliament. Its changing occupants reflect a broader political upheaval affecting major European democracies.

Immigration and identity in Britain

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has attacked Conservative governments for failing to reduce immigration. Net migration reached nearly one million in the party’s final years in power, and a September poll found 44% of Britons saw immigration as a leading national issue.

Research cited in the article found growing support for ethnicity-based definitions of citizenship. A speaker also said some local areas in his constituency had seen white residents become minorities; census data supports that claim in parts of Wycombe, but not across the constituency as a whole.

New challengers and German gains

In Germany, a political firewall has kept established parties from cooperating with the AfD. The party has been designated extremist by some regional authorities, while it defines “remigration” as the lawful return of foreigners required to leave the country.

Economic frustration behind shifts

The European Commission forecasts EU growth of 1.1% in 2026, down from 1.5% in 2025. Baker linked the wider political shift to frustration with institutions, pointing to Donald Trump’s election in the United States as evidence of a similar trend.