Act 3: Brexit and the EU Integration Crisis

The Brexit referendum outcome has fuelled increased engagement by the radical right across Europe, initially celebrating the UK’s decision as a collective victory, promoting anti-immigration and anti-EU sentiments and advocating for similar referendums in other countries. Brexit, as a crisis, has prompted reflections on EU integration, its institutional role, and its future, while the exploitation of this crisis, both before and after the referendum, has led to diverse responses within the radical right, shaping different versions. These dynamic shifts in crisis responses are the focus of this chapter.