Resurgent Far-Right Populism in Romania

Disenchantment and Hope at Europe’s Periphery

Mihaela Mihai author Camil Ungureanu author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Publishing:3rd Nov '26

£171.99

This title is due to be published on 3rd November, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

Resurgent Far-Right Populism in Romania cover

Camil Ungureanu and Mihaela Mihai unpack the current resurgence of the far right in Romania, revealing how it emerged from complex domestic and international interactions across overlapping fields of power and discourse at Europe's periphery.

Avoiding one-sided explanations – whether demand- or supply-side, internal or external, cultural or economic – the book situates the far right within a dynamic geopolitical configuration, shaped by tensions and convergences between political, economic, and cultural forces. It argues that far-right expansion is driven by three mutually constitutive drivers: material, ideational, and affective. Economic polarisation, demographic decline, entrenched corruption and democratic fragility create the conditions for far-right mobilisation, whose entrepreneurs filter growing discontent though religiously-inflected nationalism.

Resurgent Far-Right Populism in Romania will be of interest to researchers of the far right, populism, new authoritarianism and democratic resilience, European and Romanian history and politics.

“The book offers a rigorous and timely account of Romania’s far-right resurgence, tracing its material, ideational, and affective roots with analytical depth and clarity. By connecting institutional fragility, socio-economic transformation, and territorially differentiated patterns of discontent, it illuminates a broader democratic crisis at Europe’s Eastern periphery.”

Cristian Pîrvulescu, The National School of Social and Administrative Studies, Bucharest

“A timely and insightful contribution to far-right studies, this book combines deep contextual understanding with a sophisticated analysis of the interaction between economic and cultural dynamics. By focusing on the under-explored Romanian case, it offers important new perspectives on the diversity and evolution of the far right across Europe.”

Sofia Vasilopoulou, Professor of European Politics, King’s College London

This remarkable book combines detailed empirical research with rigorous conceptual analysis to explain the rise of the far right in Romania within the broader European context. Drawing on a transdisciplinary perspective inspired by world-systems analysis, it challenges culturalist and liberal myths about Eastern European immobility and authoritarianism. Written in a crisp and engaging style, it offers a timely and original intervention into current political debates. A timely and essential reading for scholars of European history, sociology, political science, intellectual history, populism studies, and political theory.”

Benoit Challand, Professor and Chair of Sociology, The New School for Social Research

ISBN: 9781041194842

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

224 pages