Introduction

In preparation for the discussion on Thursday (15 January 2026), I asked an AI for a list of current right wing leaders of democracies.  This is what was generated.  You may notice that Donald Trump is not included in the list.

Details

Current examples of leaders of democracies associated with the extreme or far-right include:

Europe

Hungary: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán The leader of the Fidesz party, Orbán has been in power since 2010 and describes his system as an "illiberal democracy," which has led to clashes with the European Union over the rule of law, the justice system, and human rights.

Italy: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni As the leader of the Brothers of Italy party, Meloni heads a right-wing coalition government that came to power in 2022. The party has roots in Italy's post-fascist movement, though Meloni has moderated some positions to be more centrist and pro-EU while maintaining hardline stances on migration and social issues.

Netherlands: Geert Wilders His Party for Freedom (PVV) won the most seats in the November 2023 election and subsequently formed a government. Wilders is known for his strong anti-Islam and anti-immigration stances.

Austria: Herbert Kickl The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), led by Kickl, secured the most votes in the 2024 general election and entered into coalition talks to form a government, following a similar trajectory to other far-right parties in Europe.

France: Marine Le Pen The leader of the National Rally (RN) party, which has become a major political force and the largest opposition party in France, advocating for strong anti-immigration measures and nationalist policies.

Americas

Argentina: President Javier Milei In office since December 2023, Milei is a right-wing libertarian and populist who supports anarcho-capitalist principles and drastic free-market reforms, with socially conservative views on issues like abortion.

Brazil: Jair Bolsonaro The former president (2019-2022), Bolsonaro is widely considered a far-right populist who aligned himself closely with Donald Trump and faced criticism for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and his rhetoric on social issues.

Asia

India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi The leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Modi has been in power since 2014 and is associated with the rise of right-wing populism rooted in Hindu nationalism.

Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu The long-serving Prime Minister of Israel, Netanyahu's government has been described as having right-wing populist elements.

These leaders have gained prominence by leveraging public concerns over immigration, economic insecurity, and a general distrust of established political institutions. 

Further Reading

 A more comprehensive list can be found in the Wikipedia Right Wing Populism article.

The most helpful summary I have found is on the website of the European Center for Population Studies, Right Wing Populism.