Established political parties are increasingly allowing the far right to dictate the public discourse, as per a recent study carried out in Germany.
Researchers found that this phenomenon has inadvertently helped far-right groups by legitimising their ideas and spreading them to a broader audience.
Analysis Drawing from Two Decades of Media Coverage
The findings, published in the academic journal on political studies, utilized an automated text analysis of more than 520,000 news pieces from a half-dozen national publications.
Capital-based researchers noted that as the far right shifted from marginal topics in the 1990s era to core themes like assimilation and migration, mainstream parties progressively adapted their messaging in reaction.
This adjustment amplified the dissemination of these ideas and indicated to voters that such positions were legitimate.
Implications for Democratic Systems
"Political discourse by mainstream political groups plays a central role in the voting performance of the far right," explained a political sociologist involved in the study.
"This factor has been underestimated," she noted.
The impact was noticeable even when conventional groups were criticising the radical faction. "They still receive focus," the expert commented. "Our core argument is that because we live in such a struggle for visibility, this attention is crucial."
Normalisation Effect Throughout Europe
While the research was centered around Germany, this normalisation effect is probable to apply to nations throughout Europe.
"You see this a lot in European news outlets," explained another co-author. "Radical groups says something and everybody starts talking about it for several days."
"Even if you're opposing it, you're repeating it," he stated.
Hardening of Public Discourse
At certain points, political figures have also toughened their discourse to match that of the radical right.
In a recent interview, a then national leader advocated large-scale deportations and urged them to happen "more frequently and rapidly."
Comparable examples can be found across the continent, as elected officials from nations including the United Kingdom to France adopt the language of the radical right, especially on immigration.
This has formed an echo chamber that would have been inconceivable a decade ago.
Central Problem: Who Sets the Narrative?
"{If you're a moderate party and you are discussing cultural issues – immigration, assimilation – in a way that is determined by the rhythm of the far right, that's the essence of narrative control," explained a researcher.
Other parties have taken additional measures, seeking to copy the strict platform of the radical right, despite research indicates that doing so leads the electorate to cast their ballot for the radical faction.
Progressive Impact and Public Perception
The extent of information collected revealed that the impact of far-right groups had been progressive and had grown with the passage of time.
"Voter awareness doesn't change from one day to another," stated a researcher. "But if you hear this pessimistic narrative around migration every second week, and it is being disseminated not only by far-right parties but also, for instance, by mainstream political organizations, then of course this storyline gains more traction."
Need for Established Parties to Carve Out Their Own Narratives
The research emphasized the necessity for established parties to develop their distinct narratives, particularly on subjects such as immigration and assimilation, rather than continuously trailing after the radical right.
"It resembles a choreography," explained one researcher. "If the conductor is far-right and you're reacting to it, you lose the ability to choose which music should be heard."
