---
title: "Is Italy a Foretaste of What’s to Come For European Populism?"
description: "Special to RealClearWorld Support for many populist parties is on the rise in Europe. Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) is now the third largest political party in Germany, with seats in the German Bundestag for the first time. Italy’s anti-immigrant League is the country’s third-largest party and became co-leader of the government after this spring’s national election. And in […]"
date: "2018-08-17"
authors:
  - name: "Bruce Stokes"
    job_title: "Former Director, Global Economic Attitudes"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/bruce-stokes/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2018/08/17/is-italy-a-foretaste-of-whats-to-come-for-european-populism/"
categories:
  - "International Political Values"
  - "Populism"
---

# Is Italy a Foretaste of What’s to Come For European Populism?

*Special to [RealClearWorld](https://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2018/08/17/is_italy_a_foretaste_of_whats_to_come_for_european_populism_112865.html)*

Support for many populist parties is on the rise in Europe. [Alternative fur Deutschland](http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/) (AfD) is now the third largest political party in Germany, with seats in the German Bundestag for the first time. Italy’s anti-immigrant [League](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_general_election,_2018#Results_for_the_Chamber_of_Deputies) is the country’s third-largest party and became co-leader of the government after this spring’s national election. And in last year’s presidential election, France’s [National Front](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_presidential_election,_2017) (since renamed National Rally) won a third of the vote, nearly double its results in [2002](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_presidential_election,_2002), the last time a National Front candidate reached the second round of voting.

Recent surveys by the Pew Research Center document the nativist attributes of this populist upsurge. The findings underscore that such views are still in the minority in most European nations, with one key exception: Italy.

*Read more at [RealClearWorld](https://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2018/08/17/is_italy_a_foretaste_of_whats_to_come_for_european_populism_112865.html)*