European Far-Right Setting the Public Narrative, Research Finds

Established political parties are increasingly enabling the radical right to set the public discourse, as per a new research carried out in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Researchers found that this phenomenon has unwittingly helped far-right groups by validating their ideas and spreading them more widely.

Study Drawing from Two Decades of News Reporting

The findings, published in the academic journal on political studies, utilized an automated text analysis of more than 520,000 news pieces from six national newspapers.

Berlin-based scholars noted that as the radical faction shifted from marginal topics in the 1990s era to core themes like assimilation and immigration, mainstream political groups progressively adapted their communication in reaction.

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

Consequences for Democracy

"Public communication by mainstream parties plays a central role in the electoral success of the far right," stated a expert in political behavior involved in the research.

"This factor has been underestimated," she noted.

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

Normalisation Effect Throughout the Continent

While the study was focused on Germany, this mainstreaming phenomenon is probable to apply to countries across the European continent.

"This is frequently observed in German and British media," explained another researcher. "Radical groups makes a statement and everybody starts talking about it for several days."

"Even if you're countering it, you're echoing it," he added.

Hardening of Public Rhetoric

At times, leaders have also hardened their discourse to align with that of the radical right.

In a recent discussion, a former national leader called for widespread deportations and urged them to happen "more often and faster."

Comparable examples can be observed throughout Europe, as politicians from nations including the United Kingdom to the French Republic adopt the rhetoric of the far right, particularly on immigration.

This has formed an feedback loop that would have been inconceivable a decade ago.

Central Issue: Who Sets the Narrative?

"{If you're a centrist political group and you are discussing cultural issues – migration, integration – in a way that is determined by the rhythm of the far right, that's the essence of agenda setting," explained a study author.

Other political parties have taken additional measures, seeking to copy the hardline agenda of the far right, despite research suggests that this approach leads voters to vote for the far right.

Gradual Influence and Voter Awareness

The scope of data gathered showed that the influence of radical groups had been gradual and had grown over time.

"Voter awareness doesn't change from day to day," commented a co-author. "But if you hear this negative framing around migration every second week, and it is being spread not only by far-right parties but also, for instance, by established political organizations, then of course this storyline gains more traction."

Need for Mainstream Parties to Carve Out Their Own Narratives

The research highlighted the necessity for mainstream parties to carve out their own discourses, especially on subjects such as immigration and assimilation, instead of constantly following the radical right.

"It's like a dance," said one author. "If the conductor is radical and you're reacting to it, you cannot decide which music should be heard."