Following a comprehensive investigation by The Guardian and other media outlets, a very disturbing picture has been exposed.
Across Europe, a deeply troubling pattern is emerging. Far-right movements are no longer simply campaigning on immigration, nationalism or culture-war slogans. Increasingly, they are turning their fire on something far more fundamental: democracy itself.
The rule of law, judicial independence and public trust in democratic institutions are being deliberately undermined by political forces whose ultimate aim is power without accountability. Europe is already paying the price. Britain must not make the same mistake by handing power to parties such as Reform UK or Restore Britain.
The evidence from across the continent is stark.
In France, Marine Le Pen reacted to a court ruling that found her guilty of embezzlement by immediately portraying herself as the victim of a conspiracy. Rather than respect the judicial process, she denounced the verdict as a “political decision”, a “denial of democracy” and a “political assassination”. Her rhetoric did not merely criticise a judgement, it attacked the legitimacy of the courts themselves.
The consequences were immediate and dangerous. Judges were threatened online. Personal addresses were shared. Public faith in the independence of the justice system was deliberately eroded for political gain.
This is the far-right playbook in plain sight: whenever institutions hold them to account, they do not accept responsibility. Instead, they attack the institutions.
We have seen the same pattern elsewhere.
In Hungary, Viktor Orbán has spent years systematically weakening judicial independence, packing courts with loyalists and rewriting constitutional rules to consolidate power. What was once a democratic system has been hollowed out from within.
In Poland, the previous Law and Justice government pursued sweeping judicial reforms inspired by Orbán’s “illiberal democracy”, bringing the country into repeated conflict with the European Union over rule-of-law breaches. Even after the government changed, reversing the damage has proved extraordinarily difficult.
This is the key warning Britain must heed: once democratic safeguards are weakened, restoring them is far harder than protecting them in the first place.
Italy offers another clear lesson. Giorgia Meloni’s government repeatedly clashed with the judiciary, attacking judges as politically motivated whenever courts blocked government actions. Judicial reforms presented as “modernisation” were widely criticised as attempts to weaken judicial independence and centralise political control.
The pattern is unmistakable.
When authoritarian-minded movements gain power, one of their first targets is always the judiciary.
That is because an independent court system stands in the way of arbitrary power.
Far-right politics often thrives on grievance, victimhood and the creation of enemies: migrants, minorities, journalists, campaigners, academics and, increasingly, judges. Once courts become the enemy, democracy itself is in danger.
Germany, a country with strong democratic traditions forged in the shadow of its history, is also facing rising pressure from the far-right Alternative for Germany. Attempts to obstruct judicial appointments and undermine constitutional institutions have already raised alarm among democratic leaders.
The warning signs are everywhere.
This is not simply about Europe. It is about Britain too.
Here in the UK, parties such as Reform UK and fringe groups like Restore Britain increasingly mirror the rhetoric seen across the continent. They position themselves as insurgents against the “establishment”, painting institutions, courts, civil servants, the media and even Parliament as enemies of “the people”.
That language should ring alarm bells.
Democracy is not just about winning elections. It is about accepting limits on power, respecting the rule of law and protecting institutions that prevent any one faction from dominating the country.
When politicians begin attacking judges, undermining courts, or encouraging public distrust in democratic checks and balances, they are not defending democracy, they are weakening it.
The British public should be especially wary of parties that offer simplistic solutions to complex problems while encouraging anger towards democratic institutions.
The NHS crisis, the cost of living, housing shortages, stagnant wages and public frustration are real and legitimate concerns. But history shows that the far right exploits economic hardship to turn anger into division.
Instead of offering practical solutions, they often redirect blame towards immigrants, minorities or political opponents while quietly eroding the very institutions that protect everyone’s rights.
Once trust in the courts, the civil service and Parliament is broken, the door opens to something much darker: government by intimidation, populist decree and arbitrary power.
Europe’s recent history shows how quickly this can happen.
The erosion of democratic norms is rarely dramatic at first. It begins with rhetoric. Judges are called biased. Courts are dismissed as political. Journalists are labelled enemies. Opponents are demonised. Minority groups are scapegoated.
Then the attacks become structural.
Appointments are politicised. Legal safeguards are weakened. Public trust collapses.
By the time the public realises what is happening, the damage can already be severe.
Britain has long prided itself on its democratic traditions, independent judiciary and rule of law. Those values must never be taken for granted.
Voting is not simply about frustration with the status quo. It is about the future character of the country.
The examples from France, Hungary, Poland, Italy and Germany should serve as a warning to every voter in the UK.
Far-right politics does not strengthen democracy. It tests its limits, weakens its foundations and, when given the opportunity, seeks to reshape institutions to serve its own ends.
The question Britain must ask is simple: do we want to preserve democratic accountability, or do we want to follow countries now struggling to undo years of institutional damage?
Europe is already being pulled apart by forces that thrive on division and authoritarian instincts.
We must not let it happen here.
