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Coincidence, or maybe Fediverse is experiencing a growth spike?
Coincidentally we're also both European, unable to grasp why Americans can't understand the mechanics for why people are willing to vote for Trump, Farage or the AFD.
Their bases are fairly similar, middle aged white men whom lost a job with good benefits to internationalism. Mostly through outsourcing production of goods.
Simultaneously they suffered a loss of status, which arguably is a good thing. As status is more even today across the sexes than ever, but it can be hard for some to cope through.
Furthermore the political system of all three mastodons highlighted here, are designed to ignore the few. So when the few yell foul about an issue, and nothing is done. More and more will eventually turn/agree with the issue and demand it solved.
Most other parties are to some degree in favour of a status quo, but when the status quo means the world around you is continuously getting worse - You're willing to aim for any silver linings that challenge the status quo. Even if it most likely will accelerate society downwards, just at the off chance it won't.
In systems that let's small parties show up, you're going to see most small parties die out again within a term or three. Because they're too extreme and the commoner will have seen them exposed before they get all the power. Well in the US and UK, there's nothing to expose before you have all the power.
Germany should be better, but the no collaboration with AFD stance completely fucked it, as even more people were mad a huge chunk of society essentially got ignored. By the time anyone were willing to talk to AFD, they were already the largest party in the country - Just like the MAGAs were.
If the Republican party had engaged the MAGAs when they had 2% support among the population, tackled their 2 biggest concerns and generally exposed their extreme ideologies - We would never have had a relevant MAGA movement. But ignoring the issues, gives extremism a chance to grow out of control.
Extremism doesn't show up out of nowhere, often they have a few good points for anyone willing to listen.