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Established political parties are more and more enabling the radical right to dictate the political agenda, as per a recent research conducted in Germany.

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

Study Drawing from Over 20 Years of Media Coverage

The findings, released in the European Journal of Political Research, utilized an automated text analysis of more than 520,000 articles from six German newspapers.

Capital-based researchers noted that as the far right moved from fringe issues in the 1990s era to core themes like integration and migration, established parties increasingly adjusted their communication in response.

This adaptation amplified the spread of these ideas and signaled to the electorate that such stances were acceptable.

Implications for Democracy

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

"This element has been overlooked," she added.

The effect was evident even when conventional groups were criticising the far right. "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."

Normalisation Effect Across the Continent

While the study was focused on Germany, this normalisation effect is probable to affect countries throughout Europe.

"You see this a lot in European news outlets," explained another researcher. "Radical groups says something and everybody starts talking about it for several days."

"Although you're opposing it, you're repeating it," he added.

Hardening of Public Discourse

At certain points, leaders have also hardened their language to align with that of the far right.

In a recent discussion, a former German chancellor advocated large-scale expulsions and urged them to happen "more often and faster."

Comparable examples can be found across Europe, as elected officials from nations ranging from the UK to France adopt the language of the radical right, particularly on immigration.

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

Core Problem: Who Dictates the Narrative?

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

Other political parties have gone one step further, seeking to copy the strict platform of the far right, despite research suggests that doing so drives voters to vote for the far right.

Progressive Impact and Public Perception

The scope of data gathered revealed that the impact of radical groups had been progressive and had grown over time.

"Public perception doesn't change from one day to another," commented a researcher. "However, when you encounter this pessimistic narrative around immigration frequently, and it is being spread not only by far-right parties but also, for example, by established political organizations, then of course this narrative gains more traction."

Need for Established Groups to Carve Out Their Distinct Discourses

The research highlighted the necessity for mainstream parties to develop their distinct narratives, particularly on subjects such as migration and integration, rather than constantly trailing after the far right.

"It's like a dance," explained one researcher. "When the leader is radical and you're reacting to it, you lose the ability to choose which music should be heard."