September 20, 2024 | The Rise of the Far Right

Love Actually – Are ‘Losers of Globalization’ and the AfD a Perfect Match?

Alice Weidel: Leader of the AfD; Image by Rolf Vennenbernd from Neue Züricher Zeitung From almost making the leap into the German parliament in its foundation year 2013, over pulling almost 7% in the following European elections and eventually entering the German Bundestag in 2017, the AfD caught global attention. The reasons behind the remarkable rise of the German far-right party have often been discussed by scholars. Already long before the existence of the AfD, Betz introduced the thesis that 'losers of globalization', meaning people left behind by modernization and the accompanied change in the labour market, tend to vote...

‘Us v. Them’: the Strategic Use of Religion in Far-right Parties

How Anti-Migration and Identity Politics Work? The Case of the Dansk Folkeparti

Denmark is one of the happiest countries in the world and it might be surprising to hear that the country where our beloved Lego comes from might not be so liberal after all. In Denmark like in other European countries far-right parties have been gaining more support. The party I am going to discuss is the Dansk Folkeparti (DF) and how they utilise identity politic and anti-migration in tandem with religion. Christianity and Islam are the two most heavily used religions in the rhetoric of the DF. Scholars have shown that the party ties Christianity to the national identity of...

‘Us v. Them’: the Strategic Use of Religion in Far-right Parties

The Contradictory Use of Religion in Salvini’s Lega Nord

It has been widely agreed by researchers that Matteo Salvini has greatly influenced the Lega Nord party during his mandate as party's secretary. In the past, Lega Nord used to focus its hatred rhetoric on Southern Italians. Now, especially after the migration crisis, the party has found its new enemies: immigrants, particularly if they are Muslim. The perfect background for such a rhetoric Indeed, the migration crisis that started in 2013 heavily influenced the political rhetoric of far-right parties in Italy, as they started emphasising their anti-migration stances more than ever. The crisis was perceived as a problem throughout the...