National conservatism

National conservatism is a variant of conservatism that prioritizes the defense of national and cultural identity, often based on a theory of the family as a model for the state. It is oriented towards upholding national sovereignty, which includes opposing illegal immigration or immigration per se and having a strong military. National conservatism departs from economic liberalism and libertarianism and takes a more pragmatic approach to regulatory economics and protectionism. It opposes the basic precepts of enlightenment liberalism such as individualism and the universality of human rights, and in America and Europe is majoritarian populist. National-conservative parties often have roots in rural environments, contrasting with the more urban support base of liberal-conservative parties.

In Europe, national conservatives usually embrace some form of Euroscepticism. In post-communist central and eastern Europe specifically, most conservative parties since 1989 have followed a national conservative ideology. Most notable is Viktor Orbán in Hungary, who has explicitly described his Fidesz's ideology as being national conservative in character and whose government is involved in the funding and spread of national conservative institutions across Europe and the United States, such as the Danube Institute, the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, The European Conservative magazine and the National Conservatism Conference. In the United States, Trumpism can be considered a variety of national conservatism, which also gives its name to the National Conservatism Conference, organised by the Edmund Burke Foundation.

Ideology

National conservatism focuses on "threats to moral order and the loss of moral bearing due to liberalism's relativism".^: 1089 It rejects the basic precepts of enlightenment liberalism, such as individualism and the universality of human rights. In America and Europe, national conservatives are majoritarian populists and advocate for fewer limits on the power of elected representatives to "smash the liberal state". It opposes modernity, secularism, liberalism, socialism, communism and anarchism, instead valuing Europe’s Christian heritage and "defending" Western civilization.^: 1099^: 1093 National conservatism is silent on classical conservative thought expressed by Michael Oakeshott and Edmund Burke.^: 1099 In The Virtue of Nationalism, Yoram Hazony criticizes Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke for creating a "dream world" in which the "Jewish and Christian world" have "no place to exist". National conservatism disagrees with liberalism and socialism over the interpretation of key historical developments, such as the Enlightenment, modernization, and emancipation, and key political events like those that occurred in 1789, 1968, and 1989. Patrick Deneen argues that the "current elite" should be replaced with "a better aristocracy brought about by a muscular populism" to advance the "common good", with the common good loosely defined as "integration" that includes the reunification of church and state. In his 2022 book Conservatism: A Rediscovery, Hazony wrote that "in the political arena, conservatism refers to a standpoint that regards the recovery, restoration, elaboration, and repair of national and religious traditions as the key to maintaining a nation and strengthening it through time." National conservatism distances itself from fascism, viewing it—along with liberalism and socialism—as aspects of modernity that "disconnect human designs from normative order", instead calling for the "restoration and order" of social, moral, and political structures.^: 1099

Social policies

Ideologically, national conservatism is not uniform; adherents have broadly expressed support for nationalism, patriotism, cultural assimilationism, and monoculturalism. At the same time, there is expressed opposition to internationalism, racial politics, multiculturalism, and globalism. National conservatives adhere to a form of cultural nationalism that emphasizes the preservation of national identity as well as cultural identity. As a result, many favor assimilation into the dominant culture, restrictions on immigration and strict law and order policies. National conservative parties support traditional family values, gender roles, and the public role of religion, being critical of the separation of church and state. According to the Austrian political scientist Sieglinde Rosenberger, "national conservatism praises the family as a home and a center of identity, solidarity, and tradition." It opposes the "1968 agenda" of gender-related emancipation.^: 1099

Economic policies

National conservatives in different countries do not necessarily share a common position on economic policy. Their views may range from support of corporatism, mixed economy, and protectionism to a more laissez-faire approach. In the first, more common case, national conservatives can be distinguished from liberal conservatives, for whom free market economic policies, deregulation, and tight spending are the main priorities. Some commentators have indeed identified a growing gap between national and economically liberal conservatism: "Most parties of the Right [today] are run by economically liberal conservatives who, in varying degrees, have marginalised social, cultural and national conservatives." National conservatism developed its economic alternative to liberalism through political representatives in post-communist Europe, most notably Poland and Hungary, and the emergence of "pro-worker conservatism" in the United States.^: 1095 Throughout the 1990s, economic positions of national conservatives were largely fusionist.^: 1097 The works of Leo Strauss and Eric Voegelin have served as building blocks for the modern national conservative movement's socio-economic policies. Strauss's indictment of capitalism as 'economism' through the reduction of individual needs to consumption plays a role in national conservative thought, which argues for solidarism and an increased statist role in the economy to bring about a moralizing "financial nationalism" in opposition to communism and the individualism of liberalism.^{: 1097–1098} Depending on the country, this can include increased support of protectionism; increased state social spending for "pro-worker" and "pro-family" conservatism; the re-nationalization of banks and strategic enterprises; and opposing tax breaks.^{: 1098–1099} It supports "social nativism" in East Asian state-led development as a socio-economic policy paradigm.^: 1093

Foreign policy

National conservatives usually support a foreign policy that upholds the interests of their nation. They lean towards militarism, unilateralism, and isolationism. They reject the internationalism and multilateralism that have characterized the modern age. They often have a negative view of the United Nations, feeling that its multinational agenda erodes their unique national identity, as well as the European Union and other international organizations.

Geography and demographics

National conservatism has gained ground across the Western world in recent decades, but has been particularly strong in certain countries and among certain demographic groups. Costas Panayotakis has argued that the economic inequality engendered by neoliberalism contributed to the rise of national conservatism.

In the 2020s, national conservatism was described as causing a "new global divide", particularly in the Western world. Several very close elections pitted a national conservative candidate against a liberal candidate, with national conservative candidates sometimes winning. These included the 2024 United States presidential election (Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris by 1.5%) and the 2025 Polish presidential election (Karol Nawrocki defeated Rafał Trzaskowski by 1.8%). On the other hand, in the 2025 Romanian presidential election centrist Nicușor Dan defeated the far-right national conservative George Simion by 7.2%, though the Financial Times still described this as a close election.

National conservatism has gained notable ground in post-communist Eastern Europe (east of the former Iron Curtain). The national conservative and far-right Alternative for Germany is strongest in former East Germany. The Law and Justice party in Poland is strongest in Poland B, with Poland considered a post-communist European country. Russia, under the rule of Vladimir Putin, has waged an irredentist invasion of Ukraine since 2022. Putin has implemented and espoused national conservatism through his affiliated United Russia party.

Regional or regionalist parties can be nationalist or national conservative, without aligning with the country to which the region belongs. South Tyrol is a notable example, as "national conservative" parties there represent its German-speaking majority and identify with neighbouring Austria, with which South Tyrol shares cultural and historical ties.

List of national conservative political parties

Current national conservative parties, or parties with national conservative factions

The following political parties have been characterised as being ideologically influenced by national conservatism:

Albania: Democratic Party of Albania,
Argentina: Democratic Party,
Austria: Freedom Party of Austria, Alliance for the Future of Austria
Australia: Pauline Hanson's One Nation
Belgium: Flemish Interest
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Party of Democratic Progress
Bulgaria: Union of Democratic Forces, Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria, Democratic Party,
Cambodia: Cambodian People's Party,
Croatia: Croatian Democratic Union,
Czech Republic: ANO 2011
Denmark: Danish People's Party, The New Right,
Estonia: Isamaa
Finland: Finns Party
France: National Rally, France Arise,^{[citation needed]} Action Française,
Germany: Alternative for Germany, The Republicans,
Greece: Greek Solution, New Right,
Hungary: Fidesz, Christian Democratic People's Party, Our Homeland Movement, Independent Smallholders Party, Jobbik
India: Bharatiya Janata Party, Hindu Mahasabha
Indonesia: Great Indonesia Movement Party, Golkar
Israel: Likud,
Italy: Brothers of Italy,^{[citation needed]} South Tyrolean Freedom
Japan: Liberal Democratic Party
Latvia: National Alliance,
Lithuania: Homeland Union,
Malaysia: United Malays National Organisation
Monaco: Monegasque National Union
Netherlands: Forum for Democracy,
North Macedonia: VMRO-DPMNE,
Norway: Progress Party,
Panama: Panameñista Party
Paraguay: Colorado Party
Philippines: Nacionalista Party
Poland: United Right, (Law and Justice and United Poland), Confederation Liberty and Independence (factions, mainly National Movement), Right Wing of the Republic
Portugal: CDS – People's Party, Chega
Romania: National Identity Bloc in Europe (Greater Romania Party and United Romania Party), Alliance for the Union of Romanians, People's Movement Party, Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party, Romanian National Conservative Party
Russia: All-Russia People's Front (United Russia and Rodina), Great Russia, Russian All-People's Union
Serbia: Democratic Party of Serbia,^{[citation needed]} Serbian Radical Party, Serbian Patriotic Alliance,^{[citation needed]} United Serbia, Serbian People's Party, People's Peasant Party, New Serbia, Better Serbia, Fatherland, People's Freedom Movement, Serbian Party Oathkeepers, Serbian Right, Obraz, Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia
Singapore: People's Action Party
Slovakia: Slovak National Party,^{[citation needed]} Republic, We Are Family^{[citation needed]}
Slovenia: Slovenian Democratic Party
South Korea: People Power Party
Spain: Vox^{[citation needed]}
Sweden: Sweden Democrats
Switzerland: Swiss People's Party, Federal Democratic Union^{[citation needed]}
Taiwan: Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party), New Party, Taiwan Solidarity Union
Thailand: Palang Pracharath Party, United Thai Nation Party
Turkey: People's Alliance (Justice and Development Party, Nationalist Movement Party and Great Union Party), Nation Alliance (factions, mainly Good Party) and Homeland Party, National Path Party, Key Party, Victory Party, Nation Party, New Turkey Party
Ukraine: Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists, People's Front,^{[citation needed]} Svoboda, National Corps, Right Sector
United Kingdom: Democratic Unionist Party,^{[citation needed]} Traditional Unionist Voice,^{[citation needed]} Reform UK, UK Independence Party
United States: Republican Party (factions)
Uruguay: Open Cabildo

Defunct or formerly national conservative parties, or parties with national conservative factions

Armenia: Law and Unity
Australia: Fraser Anning's Conservative National Party
Belgium: Rexist Party, Vlaams Blok
Brazil: Brazilian Integralist Action
Canada: Union Nationale
Czech Republic: Realists
Czechoslovakia: Czechoslovak National Democracy, Party of National Unity
France: Rally for the Republic
Germany: German National People's Party, Deutsche Rechtspartei, The Blue Party, German People's Union
Hungary: Hungarian Democratic Forum, Unity Party
India: Bharatiya Jana Sangh
Iran: Rastakhiz Party^{[failed verification]}
Israel: National Union (Hatikva), Union of Right-Wing Parties
Italy: National Alliance, The Right
Moldova: Șor Party
Norway: Fatherland League
Poland: National Democracy, League of Polish Families, Kukiz'15
Portugal: National Union
Romania: Conservative Party,
Slovakia: Slovak People's Party, Slovak National Party, People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, Conservative Democrats of Slovakia
South Africa: National Party
South Korea: Democratic Republican Party Democratic Justice Party, New Korea Party, Liberty Korea Party
Spain: CEDA, People's Alliance
Yugoslavia: Yugoslav Radical Union, Yugoslav National Movement

National conservative groups in the European Parliament

European Conservatives and Reformists Party, European Conservatives and Reformists
Patriots.eu, Patriots for Europe
Europe of Sovereign Nations, Europe of Sovereign Nations