Preventing violent extremism : a delicate balance

Abstract

Violent extremism poses a serious challenge for many countries. In Europe, two types of violent extremism dominate policy discussions: right-wing and jihadist. A variety of strategies are employed to prevent these kinds of extremists from engaging in violent acts. At the same time different methods are used to make communities more resilient to extremism. This brief explores such CVE (Countering Violent Extremism) and PVE (Preventing Violent Extremism) policy approaches in ten European countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, and the United Kingdom. We flag ones that have proved problematic and highlight those regarded as most promising. We identify options for making interventions against violent extremism more effective and efficient while avoiding common pitfalls. Our recommendations are aimed at helping governments, civil society actors and other stakeholders to design and implement more successful CVE and PVE programmes.