Francois Burgat, former director of the French Institute for Near Eastern Studies, highlights the rising influence of the far right in Europe and the United States, driven by a refusal to accept 'the other'. He identifies a triad of forces that demonize Muslims, asserting that this hostility represents a new political generation negatively impacting democratic values. In Europe, he specifically points to the far right's rejection of traditional political institutions and its intention to withdraw from the EU as exemplified by French far-right movements.

Burgat further argues that the fundamental issue for the West is its inability to confront its historical colonial and imperialist dominance over other nations, creating a dichotomy that fosters resentment and tension. He perceives the far right as a legacy of this colonial mindset, suggesting that a failure to recognize the agency of other nations exacerbates the ongoing conflicts. This commentary comes at a crucial time as debates about nationalism and immigration policies escalate in Europe.

The rise of Donald Trump to the presidency in the United States is viewed by Burgat as a pivotal moment that emboldened European far-right movements, signaling that such ideologies could gain traction politically. He warns that if unchecked, this far-right ascendancy could undermine the fabric of American society, further entrenching divisions and perpetuating a cycle of exclusion and fear.