April 20, 2024 | The Rise of the Far Right

PEGIDA: Disadvantaged through Globalization?

PEGIDA supporters in Dresden © Sean Gallup/Getty Images PEGIDA was started through a Facebook page called Friedliche Europäer gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes (Peaceful Europeans against the Islamization of the West) by Lutz Bachmann in October 2014. Soon after it, it came to weekly protests in Dresden, Germany that over time attracted an increasing number of participants. The movement used the same chant “We are the People” that was used during the Monday demonstrations that took place between 1989 and 1990 in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). This blog post will – matching the theme of our blog – focus on...

Far-Right Narratives

The Victimhood Narrative: Justifying Racism and Gaining Supporters

Emili has focused her research on the implications of the so-called victimhood narrative of the far right on justifying racism. To exemplify this, she has chosen to trace the characteristics of the narrative about the Roma minority in Bulgaria since 2017, when an alliance of far-right parties entered the government by forming a coalition.

Far Right in Time and Space

Sverigedemokraterna: how to label them and why?

Jimmie Åkesson - Leader of SD (theconversation.com, 2018) How did a party go from a 2,93% result in the 2006 Swedish general election to reaching as far up as 17,53% in the latest general election, in 2018? That is the principal question being asked by academics when reflecting on the rise of the Swedish far-right political party, the Sverigedemokraterna (the Sweden Democrats). SD's Establishment and Growth The party itself has existed since early 1988, yet its rise into prominence on the Swedish political stage only began taking place towards the beginning of the 2010's. How could this be? What role...

Far-Right Narratives

The Jackpot of the Far-right: How to Win the Popular Vote with One Argument 101

What screams far-right more than strong demagogic rhetoric? Persuasion is a natural and organic part of all political campaigns, but the far-right has been especially successful in reiterating certain subjects, almost like a creed. Themes are often based on hatred, taking the form of 'anti-' arguments. 'xenophobia provided the European far-right with one of its most effective rhetoric, even more so since the start of the migration crisis in 2015' Undoubtedly, the anti-immigrant narrative derived from xenophobia provided the European far-right with one of its most effective rhetoric, especially since the start of the migration crisis in 2015. It proved...

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

How is the Migration Crisis Linked to the Success of the Rassemblement National?

The importance of France The rise of the far-right has been present in many European countries and it is becoming an increasing problem. Throughout the years, right-wing parties have gained more and more support. This is also the case in significant states, like France. Located in the center of Western Europe, France has been of important influence in shaping the European identity. In terms of religion, France has been a catholic country throughout history and it has obtained a significant relation with the Church, which made it even more powerful. Furthermore, many significant events that greatly affected Europe and the...

far-right observer

Favorable times for Rassemblement National

Photo by Delpixart on unsplash.com In a recent conversation with a French childhood friend, she confessed me that in the next 2022 election she was going to vote for the leader of Rassemblement National (RN), Marine Le Pen. I was shocked. It was one of the first times that somebody so close to me decided to vote for a far-right political party. Moreover, I could not understand how a woman could vote for such traditionalistic policies. When I got home, I could not stop thinking about what she told me, and I asked myself the reasons that led her to...

far-right observer

Estonia: Immune to far-right Parties?

Right-wing parties are on the rise in Europe. After assessing the situation in France, a Western European country, it is time to move to Eastern Europe. After the decline of the Soviet Union, right-wing parties were very successful in these newly independent countries. Located in the northeast of Europe, Estonia is a former Soviet republic. Surprisingly, right-wing parties were not very successful there until recently. In this blog post, I will explain when a success for right-wing parties is expected and apply it to the situation of Estonia. I will analyse the reasons for missing support of right-wing parties in...

Globalization,Posts

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...