Patriotism has taken on a partisan tone.
Despite people from various ideological backgrounds equally affirming their own patriotism, new international polling indicates that when it comes to visible expressions of patriotism, these are perceived as leaning towards the right.
The POLITICO Poll highlights the success of right-wing populist parties that have long embraced nationalism as a core part of their political identity, resulting in increased power and popularity.
The poll found that the most right-leaning political parties in several major Western democracies are more commonly linked with national pride than other parties. For instance, 29 percent of U.K. adults expect someone who claims to be “proud to be British” to support Nigel Farage’s right-wing populist Reform U.K., significantly more than the 13 percent who associate such a statement with the center-right Conservative Party. Similar patterns are observed in France with Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National, or National Rally (30 percent); in Germany with Alternative for Germany, or AfD (35 percent); and in Spain with Vox (29 percent).
In the United States’ two-party system, individuals are 15 percentage points more likely to expect someone who says they are proud to be American to be Republican (38 percent) rather than Democratic (23 percent).
These findings underscore how parties — from Donald Trump’s “America First” movement in the U.S. to the far-right’s rise in Europe — are claiming the language and symbols of patriotism, including national flags.
Right-wing parties have made significant gains by addressing voters’ growing concerns over border security and the cost of living. Over the last decade, they have reshaped debates on conservatism, sovereignty, and national identity, sometimes pushing major parties like America’s GOP further to the right.
Nevertheless, even as patriotism’s political alignment shifts to the right, the poll shows that national pride itself is largely nonpartisan.
Large majorities in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Spain express pride in their countries. In the U.S., 68 percent of adults — including most Trump 2024 voters and Vice President Kamala Harris voters — express pride in being American.
The survey conducted in June by London-based Public First reveals the challenge for centrist and left-leaning parties in deciding how to reclaim or redefine the symbols of patriotism.
Kevin Madden, a seasoned GOP communications strategist in Washington, noted that the findings reflect a growing hyper-partisanship.
“Political polarization is coloring views through a left-right, us-versus-them political lens,” he commented. “That lens changes based on whether [people’s] preferred party is in charge or not.”
Far-right parties embrace politics of national pride
Debates over immigration, sovereignty, and cultural issues in the West are increasingly becoming battles over national identity — who defines it and who belongs.
In the U.S., Trump’s “America First” agenda and “Make America Great Again” initiative have explicitly tied national identity to Republican messaging. The president has pledged to secure the southern border, carry out widespread deportations, and pursue assertive trade policies to boost the U.S. economy.
The POLITICO Poll revealed that Trump’s rhetoric is well-received among the European right. Far-right respondents in countries such as Reform U.K. (70 percent), France’s National Rally (68 percent), Germany’s AfD (66 percent), and Spain’s Vox party (77 percent) indicated they would view a candidate more positively if they promised to “Make [their country] Great Again.”
These parties also focus their campaigns on immigration, borders, and cultural identity, positioning themselves as protectors of their nations.
In Germany, national pride is often viewed through the lens of the country’s Nazi history. For many years after World War II, overt displays of patriotism, like flying the German flag, were considered distasteful, especially on the political left, where patriotism was seen as valid only when rooted in rejecting nationalism and confronting the Holocaust.
However, the far-right AfD party has initiated a movement to restore national pride and a sense of historical glory. In Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD leads in the polls for an upcoming regional election in September, the party’s platform calls for ending “the perpetuation of a guilt complex” among Germany’s youth and advocates for a renewed “call for patriotism.”
The POLITICO Poll shows that 44 percent of AfD supporters believe Germans should be prouder of their history, a sentiment significantly stronger than that of other parties. AfD voters are also more likely to view someone who says they are “proud to be German” positively.
In France, the battle over patriotism sees Le Pen and her party focusing on anti-immigration and French national identity. The National Rally has become so linked with the French tricolor flag that leftist candidates, as next year’s presidential campaign begins, argue they need to reclaim national symbols from populists who have appropriated them.
In the U.K., under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the centrist left Labour Party won a decisive election victory in 2024 by deliberately rebranding as a patriotic movement. The Union Jack was incorporated into all party communications, and members were required to sing the national anthem at Labour’s annual conference. The strategy targeted 40 percent of the electorate termed “hero voters,” typically middle-aged, working-class individuals who supported Brexit, were patriotic, and felt ignored by mainstream politicians.
However, within a year, Starmer’s Labour saw a decline in support among this demographic, dropping below Nigel Farage’s populist nationalist Reform U.K. in the polls. A year later, following a disastrous performance in local elections in May, Starmer resigned.
Meanwhile, the far right continues to gain momentum. British nationalist activist Tommy Robinson, known for his “Unite the Kingdom” marches draped in flags and anti-Islamic rhetoric, is generally viewed negatively by British voters but enjoys considerable support among Reform U.K. supporters, according to Public First polling earlier this year.
Can the left reclaim patriotism?
The issue for left-leaning parties is not a lack of patriotism among their voters.
Most adults across the surveyed countries express pride in their nation, and they are more likely to respond positively rather than negatively to a political candidate who expresses love for their country.
In the U.S., for instance, a 45 percent plurality of Harris voters would feel more favorable toward such a candidate. In the U.K., 47 percent of Liberal Democrats and a 53 percent plurality of Labour supporters share this sentiment.
The challenge lies in the fact that overt symbols of patriotism, such as displaying a national flag, have become more associated with conservative parties.
“While these results show the right’s success in claiming patriotic language, they also highlight that left parties are missing a potential message,” said Seb Wride, head of polling at Public First. “The pride we observe is broader than party leaders might think.”
Across several of the world’s major democracies, a movement is underway to reclaim patriotism from far-right parties.
England’s St. George’s flag, traditionally a symbol of support for the national soccer team, has been linked with nationalism and racist political movements in the U.K.
Recently, some football fans have started displaying the flag with the viral phrase “Football not Farage,” aiming to express their displeasure with right-wing politicians co-opting the symbol for political purposes during the nation’s celebration of the World Cup.
In the U.S., Democratic lawmakers and candidates are increasingly embracing patriotic themes, though they emphasize them differently than Republicans. Instead of focusing on flags and traditional imagery, they spotlight military service and civic duty. Several Democratic House candidates, who are also veterans, emphasize their service and dedication to the country in ads and on campaign websites.
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a prominent progressive figure, told TMZ that the focus should be more on unity as Americans, rather than associating the nation’s flag with a particular party.
“America is not defined by who is in power at any given moment. My view of our country includes all the great people and movements within it,” she said, adding: “The immigrant story is one of the most American stories we have.”
Tim Ross, Joshua Berlinger, James Angelos, and Hanne Cokelaere contributed to this report.
