The rise of the extreme right post-COVID in the Balkans

The COVID-19 pandemic has been successfully exploited by right-wing extremist actors across Europe. COVID-19 related conspiracy theories have been integrated in the right-wing extremist propaganda and these actors have taken a prominent role in demonstrations, protests, but also emerging episodes of violence. Our contribution documents the manifestations of the far right in 11 Balkan countries by focusing in particular on: narratives, emerging actors, repertoires of action and recruitment tactics. It documents the instrumentalization of specific social media tactics and contextualizes these manifestations within historical and political specificities, as well as geopolitical considerations, mis- and disinformation campaigns. Based on first case data collected online and offline, our case studies trace the emergence and development of right-wing extremist forces in a region usually dominated by other forms of extremism and identifies parallels and differences with right-wing extremist manifestations in Western Europe, such as for example with respect to the role of religion.