German Right-Wing Setting the Political Agenda, Research Reveals

Established political parties are more and more enabling the far right to set the public discourse, as per a new research conducted in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Researchers found that this trend has inadvertently helped radical groups by legitimising their ideas and spreading them to a broader audience.

Analysis Based on Over 20 Years of Media Coverage

The findings, published in the academic journal on political studies, relied on an automated text analysis of over 520,000 articles from a half-dozen national newspapers.

Capital-based researchers noted that as the radical faction moved from fringe issues in the 1990s era to central subjects like assimilation and migration, mainstream parties increasingly adapted their messaging in response.

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

Consequences for Democratic Systems

"Political communication by mainstream political groups plays a central role in the electoral success of the radical right," stated a political sociologist involved in the study.

"This element has been underestimated," she added.

The effect was noticeable even when mainstream parties were criticising the radical faction. "They still receive focus," the researcher remarked. "Our core argument is that because we live in such a battle for attention, this focus is crucial."

Normalisation Phenomenon Throughout Europe

While the research was centered around the German context, this normalisation effect is likely to apply to nations throughout the European continent.

"You see this a lot in European media," explained another researcher. "Radical groups makes a statement and everyone starts talking about it for several days."

"Although you're opposing it, you're echoing it," he stated.

Hardening of Political Discourse

At certain points, leaders have also toughened their language to match that of the radical right.

In a recent discussion, a former national leader called for large-scale expulsions and urged them to happen "more frequently and rapidly."

Similar instances can be observed across the continent, as elected officials from countries ranging from the UK to the French Republic adopt the rhetoric of the radical right, especially on immigration.

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

Central Problem: Who Dictates the Narrative?

"{If you're a centrist political group and you are talking about cultural issues – migration, assimilation – in a way that is determined by the pace of the radical right, that's the whole idea of agenda setting," clarified a researcher.

Some political parties have taken additional measures, seeking to copy the hardline platform of the far right, even as studies indicates that doing so leads voters to cast their ballot for the radical faction.

Gradual Impact and Voter Awareness

The scope of information gathered revealed that the influence 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. "However, when you hear this pessimistic narrative around migration every second week, and it is being disseminated not only by radical groups but also, for instance, by established political organizations, then of course this storyline gains more traction."

Need for Mainstream Groups to Carve Out Their Own Discourses

The study emphasized the need for established parties to develop their distinct discourses, especially on topics such as immigration and assimilation, instead of continuously following the far right.

"It resembles a choreography," explained one researcher. "If the conductor is far-right and you're reacting to it, you cannot decide which tune should be heard."