European Right-Wing Dictating the Political Agenda, Research Reveals

Mainstream parties in power are increasingly enabling the radical right to dictate the political agenda, as per a new study conducted in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Academics found that this trend has unwittingly helped radical groups by legitimising their ideas and disseminating them more widely.

Analysis Drawing from Over 20 Years of Media Reporting

The findings, published in the European Journal of Political Research, relied on an computerized content review of more than 520,000 articles from six German publications.

Capital-based scholars observed that as the far right shifted from fringe issues in the late 1990s to central subjects like integration and migration, mainstream parties progressively adjusted their communication in reaction.

This adjustment amplified the dissemination of these ideas and signaled to voters that such positions were legitimate.

Consequences for Democracy

"Political discourse by mainstream political groups plays a central role in the electoral success of the radical right," explained a expert in political behavior involved in the research.

"This factor has been underestimated," she added.

The effect was noticeable even when conventional groups were criticising the far right. "You're still giving them attention," the expert commented. "The main point is that because we live in such a battle for attention, this attention is key."

Mainstreaming Effect Across Europe

While the research was centered around Germany, this normalisation effect is likely to apply to nations across the European continent.

"You see this a lot in European media," explained another co-author. "The far right says something and everybody begins discussing it for one week."

"Although you're countering it, you're echoing it," he added.

Toughening of Political Discourse

At certain points, leaders have also toughened their discourse to align with that of the radical right.

In a recently published interview, a then national leader advocated large-scale deportations and urged them to happen "more frequently and rapidly."

Similar examples can be observed across the continent, as elected officials from countries including the United Kingdom to France embrace the rhetoric of the radical right, particularly on immigration.

This has created an feedback loop that was unthinkable a ten years prior.

Central Problem: Who Sets the Narrative?

"{If you're a moderate party and you are discussing societal topics – migration, assimilation – in a way that is determined by the pace of the radical right, that's the whole idea of agenda setting," explained a researcher.

Some parties have gone one step further, seeking to copy the strict platform of the radical right, despite research indicates that doing so leads voters to vote for the radical faction.

Progressive Influence and Public Perception

The scope of data gathered showed that the influence of far-right groups had been progressive and had grown over time.

"Voter awareness doesn't change from day to day," stated a researcher. "However, when you encounter this negative framing around migration frequently, and it is being spread not only by radical groups but also, for instance, by established parties, then of course this storyline gains more traction."

Need for Mainstream Parties to Develop Their Own Narratives

The research emphasized the need for established parties to carve out their own narratives, particularly on topics such as migration and integration, rather than constantly trailing after the far right.

"It resembles a choreography," said one author. "If the conductor is far-right and you're responding to them, you cannot decide which tune should be playing."