German Right-Wing Dictating the Political Agenda, Study Reveals

Mainstream parties in power are more and more enabling the far right to set the political agenda, according to a new study carried out in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Researchers discovered that this phenomenon has inadvertently benefited radical parties by validating their viewpoints and spreading them more widely.

Analysis Drawing from Over 20 Years of Media Reporting

The results, published in the academic journal on political studies, utilized an automated text analysis of over 520,000 news pieces from six national publications.

Capital-based researchers observed that as the radical faction moved from fringe issues in the late 1990s to core themes like integration and immigration, mainstream political groups increasingly adjusted their communication in response.

This adaptation boosted the spread of these concepts and indicated to the electorate that such positions were legitimate.

Implications for Democratic Systems

"Public communication by established political groups is crucial in the electoral success of the far right," explained a expert in political behavior involved in the research.

"This element has been underestimated," she added.

The effect was evident even when conventional groups were criticising the radical faction. "They still receive focus," the researcher remarked. "The main point is that because we live in such a struggle for visibility, this attention is crucial."

Normalisation Effect Across the Continent

While the research was centered around the German context, this mainstreaming phenomenon is probable to affect countries across the European continent.

"This is frequently observed in European news outlets," said another researcher. "The far right makes a statement and everyone begins discussing it for one week."

"Even if you're opposing it, you're repeating it," he added.

Hardening of Political Rhetoric

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

In a recent interview, a then national leader called for widespread expulsions and pushed for them to happen "more often and faster."

Comparable instances can be observed across the continent, as politicians from countries including the United Kingdom to France adopt the rhetoric of the far right, particularly on immigration.

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

Central Issue: Who Dictates the Agenda?

"{If you're a centrist political group and you are talking about societal topics – immigration, integration – in a way that is determined by the rhythm of the radical right, that's the essence of agenda setting," clarified a researcher.

Other parties have gone one step further, attempting to emulate the hardline agenda of the radical right, despite studies suggests that doing so leads the electorate to cast their ballot for the radical faction.

Gradual Impact and Voter Awareness

The extent of information gathered revealed that the impact of far-right groups had been progressive and had increased with the passage of time.

"Voter awareness doesn't change from one day to another," commented a researcher. "However, when you hear this negative framing around immigration frequently, and it is being disseminated not only by radical groups but also, for example, by mainstream political organizations, then of course this narrative travels further."

Requirement for Established Parties to Develop Their Own Narratives

The research highlighted the need for mainstream political parties to carve out their distinct narratives, especially on topics such as migration and assimilation, rather than continuously trailing after the radical right.

"It resembles a choreography," said one author. "When the leader is far-right and you're reacting to it, you cannot decide which music should be heard."