Chauvinist Threat

Sabine Fischer is a political scientist and Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin.

• PrefaceIntroduction1. What is chauvinism?Chauvinism as an aggressive form of nationalism and imperialismChauvinism as sexismChauvinism and autocracyWhy did Russia declare war on Ukraine?2. Chauvinism in RussiaNationalism and imperialismSexismAutocracy2020: a dire turning point3. Russia's warsRussian warfare after the collapse of the Soviet UnionChechnyaRussia and the Syrian Civil WarRussia's war against UkraineReservoirs of violence in a neverending state of war4. Russia's futureRussia at warRussia's potential futures5. Europe's vulnerabilityA brief history of EU-Russian relationsGermany's roleRussia and right-wing populism in the WestThe weaknesses of the EUHow do democracies die?Weaknesses to the EastThe global fight for narratives6. Europe's responseYet more chauvinismUkraine's futureThe future of the EU's eastern neighboursWhere next with Russia?Dealing with the war in a complex worldReconsolidating liberal democracyReconsolidating civil societyConclusionAcknowledgementsWorks citedNotesIndex

A Financial Times Best Books of 2025: Politics"Russia's aggression against Ukraine isn't a war in Europe, but rather a war against Europe. If doubts about this remain, read Sabine Fischer's powerful book about the causes and consequences of Putin's chauvinistic and revisionist politics."Ivan Krastev, chairman of the Centre for Liberal Strategies, Sofia"Sabine Fischer's book undoubtedly stands out among the numerous publications of recent years dedicated to Putin's Russia. In order to counter the threat posed by Putinism, it is essential to describe its nature. To tackle this challenging intellectual task, Fischer chooses the concept of chauvinism, which has a long-standing tradition in Russian history. Her detailed analysis of chauvinism in relation to Putinist ideology today is crucial to understanding not only nationalist and aggressive foreign and domestic policies, but also the dangerous virus that Putinim seeks to spread throughout the rest of the world."Irina Scherbakova, historian and chair of the Zukunft Memorial, Berlin"Fischer, an authority on modern Russia, argues that the reassertion of violent male chauvinism in Russia — in opposition to the weak and supposedly feminised EU — is central to understanding Putinism. This argument applies more widely to the new generation of strongman leaders around the world."Financial Times, Best Books of 2025: Politics