Established parties in power are increasingly enabling the far right to dictate the political agenda, according to a new research carried out in Germany.
Researchers discovered that this trend has unwittingly benefited far-right parties by validating their ideas and disseminating them to a broader audience.
The results, published in the academic journal on political studies, relied on an computerized content review of over 520,000 news pieces from a half-dozen German newspapers.
Berlin-based researchers observed that as the radical faction moved from fringe issues in the late 1990s to core themes like integration and immigration, established political groups increasingly adapted their messaging in response.
This adjustment boosted the spread of these ideas and indicated to voters that such stances were acceptable.
"Public discourse by established parties plays a central role in the voting performance of the radical right," explained a political sociologist involved in the study.
"This element has been underestimated," she added.
The impact was evident even when mainstream groups were condemning the radical faction. "They still receive focus," the expert commented. "The main point is that because we live in such a battle for attention, this focus is key."
While the study was focused on the German context, this mainstreaming phenomenon is likely to apply to countries across the European continent.
"This is frequently observed in German and British news outlets," explained another researcher. "The far right makes a statement and everyone starts talking about it for several days."
"Although you're countering it, you're echoing it," he stated.
At times, political figures have also hardened their language to match that of the far right.
In a recently published interview, a then national leader called for large-scale expulsions and pushed for them to happen "more often and faster."
Comparable instances can be found across the continent, as elected officials from countries including the UK to the French Republic embrace the language of the far right, particularly on migration.
This has formed an feedback loop that was inconceivable a ten years prior.
"{If you're a centrist party and you are discussing cultural issues – migration, integration – in a way that is determined by the pace of the far right, that's the essence of agenda setting," clarified a study author.
Some parties have gone one step further, attempting to emulate the hardline agenda of the radical right, despite studies indicates that doing so drives the electorate to cast their ballot for the far right.
The scope of data collected revealed that the influence of radical groups had been gradual and had grown with the passage of time.
"Voter awareness doesn't change from one day to another," commented a researcher. "But if you encounter this pessimistic narrative around migration 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."
The research highlighted the need for established political parties to carve out their own narratives, particularly on topics such as migration and integration, instead of continuously following the radical right.
"It's like a dance," explained one researcher. "When the leader is far-right and you're reacting to it, you cannot decide which music should be playing."
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