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Prior to the fatal shooting, few figures of Europe’s resurgent far right had spoken of Charlie Kirk. After the incident, though, political value of his death is clear to all.

The Incident

Kirk, an influential voice within the former president’s political base, was hit by a bullet while speaking to a crowd in the US state on 10 September. Tyler Robinson has been charged, though his alleged motives are still unknown.

Political Exploitation

Despite this, far-right figureheads from across Europe seizing on the killing to criticize “the left”, framing Kirk’s death as an inevitable result of what they call a long-running smear effort designed to muzzling them.

“It’s time to halt the divisive left!” declared Viktor Orbán. Spain’s Vox leader went further: “Suppression is not enough for them – so they resort to murder.”

Jordan Bardella argued that inflammatory language of the left … encourages political violence”. Germany’s AfD figure remarked the activist had been shot by “a fanatic who hates our way of life”.

Martyrdom Narrative

The objective, experts say, is to raise him to the status of a symbol for the right-wing ideals, and a target of ideological hostility – at the same time giving more credibility to the right’s positions, and inflicting damage on the left.

“Martyrdom is a narrative tool to transform a morally unacceptable act of violence into a story,” noted a historian. “In this case, the far right is creating a narrative of targeting, with one executioner: the left.”

Several on Europe’s far right were surprisingly candid about making use of the killing. “We should not be ashamed in ‘politicising Kirk’s death – or turning it to our advantage,” stated an adviser associated with the French right-wing circle.

Mobilising the Base

At a far-right gathering hosted by Vox in the capital, a emotional montage to the activist wowed the audience. Amid applause, Abascal told thousands that the left “do not kill us for our beliefs – they call us fascists in order to kill us”.

André Ventura said the act showed that “debate” had given way to “hostility, persecution and killing”. Italy’s prime minister addressed the crowd, stating that his “death … demonstrates clearly which side the violence and intolerance are on … Our fight tirelessly for our people’s freedom.”

Across the channel, a significant demonstration organized by a British activist – including far-right figures from France, Belgium, and Germany – held a minute’s silence for Charlie Kirk.

A Continent on the March

This might matter less if Europe’s far right were not gaining ground. Populist and conservative parties are holding power in Italy, Eastern Europe, Belgium, and Slovakia, and are the most popular parties in multiple states, the Holland, the Czechia, and the United Kingdom.

Up north and Croatia, they are signed-up members of right-leaning coalitions, and in Scandinavia, they provide backing to another. In Spain, a party is surging in the polls, and in Portugal, Chega is in the lead ahead of local elections.

Worryingly, strict positions – on migration, religion, the environment, European unity, social norms – are gaining acceptance across Europe as mainstream parties copy their approaches in a failed effort to maintain their electoral support.

Holding the Line

In a passionate op-ed, a French MEP – who received intimidation after rejecting calls for a tribute for Kirk – said that while Kirk’s killing was an abomination, he had “glorified racial segregation, advocated women stay at home, demonised homosexuality, blamed Jews for supporting migration … and compared abortion to the genocide”.

She was the only one to speak out and insist that a difference be made between condemning the killing and supporting the victim’s views.

“They do not seek honoring the deceased they want; it’s the justification to attack the living who do not resemble them … This isn’t freedom of speech they defend, it is the normalisation of their radical views. In America, as in the EU.”

Today, resisting the organized effort for Kirk’s martyrdom – “keeping our heads, remaining true to our principles” – is of paramount importance.