From local mobilisation to foreign policy: Italy as a ‘hub’ for the transnationalisation of far-right and populist politics

The transnationalisation of the far-right has emerged as a significant and evolving phenomenon, characterized by dense cross-border networks, coordinated action, and shared ideological frames. While existing scholarship has examined the domestic and international opportunity structures underlying transnationalisation, the interaction between domestic political dynamics and foreign policy agendas remains underexplored. Focusing on Italy as a case study, this article addresses this gap by analysing how their interplay enables and structures transnational far-right cooperation. Drawing on secondary literature on the foreign policy agenda of the Meloni government and original empirical research based on a triangulated methodology including protest event analysis, social network analysis, and in-depth interviews with leading far-right actors, this study investigates the key actors, forms of interaction, and mechanisms driving contemporary far-right transnationalisation. Based on our findings, we argue that Italy functions as a ‘hub’ for the transnationalisation of the far-right and populism in Europe. Governing parties contribute through foreign policy positioning and diplomatic initiatives, while movement-parties and non-party actors such as civil society organisations and grassroots movements operate as ‘brokers’, organising transnational events and sustaining cross-border networks. Together, these actors generate mobilising resources and political leverage, demonstrating how the interconnection between domestic politics and foreign policy facilitates far-right transnationalisation.