THE ROLE OF MASCULINITY IN EXTREMIST MOVEMENTS: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EUROPEAN POLICYMAKERS

Drawing on comparative evidence from six EMMELO country profiles covering France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Slovakia and Sweden, this document examines how anti-gender narratives, misogyny and gendered constructions of masculinity contribute to extremist mobilisation across interconnected online ecosystems. Although these dynamics are shaped by distinct national contexts, their underlying narratives, actors and digital infrastructures increasingly operate across borders. The policy recommendations therefore call for a coordinated European response that combines context-sensitive national action with stronger cooperation in prevention, education, platform governance, research and regulation. They also highlight the need to make fuller use of existing European legal and institutional frameworks to address the gendered dimensions of extremism and support policymakers, practitioners, researchers, educators, civil society organisations and digital stakeholders in developing effective, evidence-based and gender-sensitive responses to online extremist mobilisation across the EU.