European Right-Wing Dictating the Political Narrative, Study Reveals

Established parties in power are more and more allowing the far right to set the political agenda, according to a new research conducted in Germany.

Researchers discovered that this trend has unwittingly benefited far-right groups by legitimising their viewpoints and disseminating them to a broader audience.

Study Drawing from Over 20 Years of Media Reporting

The results, published in the European Journal of Political Research, relied on an automated text analysis of over 520,000 articles from a half-dozen national publications.

Capital-based researchers observed that as the radical faction moved from marginal topics in the late 1990s to core subjects like integration and immigration, mainstream parties increasingly adjusted their communication in response.

This adjustment amplified the spread of these ideas and indicated to voters that such stances were legitimate.

Implications for Democracy

"Political discourse by established political groups plays a central role in the voting performance of the far right," explained a expert in political behavior involved in the study.

"This element has been overlooked," she noted.

The effect was evident even when conventional parties were condemning the radical faction. "You're still giving them attention," the researcher commented. "Our core argument is that because we live in such a battle for attention, this focus is crucial."

Mainstreaming Phenomenon Throughout the Continent

While the research was focused on the German context, this normalisation effect is likely to affect countries across the European continent.

"You see this a lot in European news outlets," said another co-author. "Radical groups says something and everyone starts talking about it for one week."

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

Hardening of Political Rhetoric

At times, leaders have also toughened their discourse to match that of the far right.

In a recent interview, a former national leader advocated widespread expulsions and urged them to happen "more frequently and rapidly."

Comparable instances can be observed across the continent, as politicians from countries ranging from the United Kingdom to the French Republic adopt the language of the radical right, particularly on migration.

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

Core Problem: Who Dictates the Narrative?

"{If you're a moderate political group and you are talking about cultural issues – migration, assimilation – in a way that is dictated by the pace of the far right, that's the whole idea of agenda setting," explained a study author.

Other parties have taken additional measures, seeking to copy the strict agenda of the far right, even as studies suggests that doing so drives the electorate to cast their ballot for the radical faction.

Progressive Impact and Public Perception

The scope of information collected revealed that the impact of radical groups had been gradual and had increased over time.

"Public perception doesn't change from one day to another," stated a researcher. "However, when you encounter this negative framing around migration every second week, and it is being disseminated not only by radical groups but also, for instance, by mainstream political organizations, then of course this storyline gains more traction."

Need for Established Groups to Carve Out Their Own Discourses

The research highlighted the necessity for established political parties to carve out their own narratives, particularly on subjects such as immigration and integration, instead of constantly trailing after the radical right.

"It resembles a choreography," said one author. "If the conductor is radical and you're reacting to it, you lose the ability to choose which tune should be playing."