Emerging patterns of right-wing international populism in Central Eastern Europe and Latin America: let’s fight the globalists!

Abstract This article examines the emerging patterns of right-wing international populism through a comparative regional analysis of populist alliances in Central Eastern Europe and Latin America. It argues that the fight against ‘globalists’ constitutes a central organizing principle of right-wing populist cooperation beyond the nation-state. The article addresses two research questions: How is right-wing international populism implemented at the regional level? and How do right-wing populists use ‘globalists’ as an empty signifier to construct ‘international elites’? To answer the research questions, this study applies a comparative case study analysis. Emerging right-wing international populism in Central Eastern Europe (Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Czechia) and in Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, and El Salvador) are examined to explore the rhetorical tools, the substance of right-wing international populism in both regions and the constraints on deeper cooperation. The findings show that sustained populist rhetoric and polarizing identity constructions facilitate convergence around anti-globalist positions across regions. At the same time, variation in tone, style, and issue emphasis–ranging from relatively moderate to overtly confrontational–broadens the scope of cooperation while simultaneously constraining its institutional depth and durability.