As the world grapples with the ramifications of the US-Israeli war against Iran and all the uncertainties that are accompanying it, some small but telling developments have passed almost unnoticed.

If anything, a glimpse of hope has emerged, at least in the Western world, as the previously ascending and emboldened extreme right has been humbled in local and general elections, as well as a referendum, in Europe in the last few weeks.

The brand of far-right, populist, toxic anti-other politics is, it seems, retreating, at least in Italy, Denmark and France, where the center and the left fared better in recent elections. And the large demonstrations that took place last weekend to oppose the rise of the far right and its toxic, divisive narrative offered another sign of respite. Can one now dare to think that the far-right bubble is bursting in some EU countries, in spite of America’s “Make America Great Again” movement, President Donald Trump’s backing of various populist figures and the obviously biased social media algorithm amplifying their messages?

Maybe it is still too early to dismiss the ultra-right in the EU and across the Western world, but it does seem that its initial pull is waning, as people have started to see the difference between their overly ambitious slogans, which are good for clicks, and their poor delivery in terms of policy and governance.

What also seems to be focusing minds is the performance of Trump, the arch-populist leader of the MAGA movement, and his cabal of tech bros who have warped their digital tools in a way that amplifies discontent, to the point of leading society to despair. This has encouraged people to throw away all the forms of civil existence that have been accepted for centuries, such as democratic representation, law and order, and national covenants as a conduit for an orderly and organized living.

Those who marched in their tens of thousands in London on Saturday tried to outdo last September’s march organized by the right, which was addressed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, a lieutenant of Trump who has called for the dissolution of the EU and supported far-right politicians in the UK and beyond. The latest march tried to underline the unity of the majority of British people in standing against hatred, division and racism — traits encouraged by the extreme right and its supporters across the Atlantic.

This spirit of optimism was clear to be seen elsewhere in Europe too, as the right fell short in remarkable events in France, Denmark and Italy.

In France, Marine Le Pen and her National Rally party — which hopes to win the Elysee next year — now look to have hit a ceiling after the municipal elections that witnessed tactical voting against them. The left, aided by the center, rose to deny them Paris, Marseille, Toulon and Nimes, leaving Le Pen and her party needing to do much better if they are to truly be contenders for the French presidency.

The left’s win in Paris was similar to the Netherlands’ success in booting out the Party for Freedom last year, when voters installed the optimistic, inclusive Rob Jetten rather than Geert Wilders, the hater, and his unworkable coalition.

Similarly, in Denmark, the ascendance of the far right made everyone expect its comfortable ascent to power at last month’s elections. But amid the upheaval the nation has witnessed due to Trump trying to annex Greenland, the right paid dearly and the center-left Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen scraped through and is likely to remain in office and form a new government. In Denmark, as in Italy, the right has paid for Trumpism.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s defeat in a referendum on constitutional reform of the judiciary has dented her image and the power of the far right that she represents. Italian voters refused to grant the government more powers over the courts, as the left campaigned on a ticket of preventing the accumulation of power in the hands of the PM, citing Viktor Orban in Hungary and his friend Trump in the US as examples.

What the demonstrators in the streets of London and the voters in France, Italy and Denmark have done is reflect the ability of other forces to claim center stage and highlight optimism against the scaremongering of the extreme right that has been dominant in recent years. The question now is whether this is sustainable across the board, especially amid the relentless attacks on the status quo spearheaded by an intrusive America and a biased digital realm, which is tilted to favor the right and boost its chances through normalizing populist mantras under the guise of freedom of expression.

People in Europe and the wider West have started to see the US as a threat to their security, according to many polls published since the end of last year. This was evident even before Trump’s National Security Strategy, published last November, painted a grim picture of Europe, warning of the prospect of “civilizational erasure.” This came on the back of the administration lambasting its European allies, praising Russia’s leader and his war in Ukraine, imposing tariffs and favoring unshackled social media and tech tools that are a key conduit of the extreme right in Europe. This was also before the war on Iran and all its impacts on finances, stability and peace.

The center and the left are showing resilience in France, Denmark, the Netherlands and Italy. The big test for Hungary is not far off, with the country’s elections set for April 12. For the UK, the local elections in May will also be a test for the forces from the center and the left and whether their voters are able to hold back the populist right’s advances.

Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years’ experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy.

© Eurasia Review