Far-right Women Leaders

Abstract

This panel examines the growing prominence of women in far-right politics across Europe, analysing how female leadership reshapes the electoral appeal and public perception of radical right parties. Papers explore cases from a range of European country cases, investigating how female politicians navigate contradictions between traditional gender roles and political authority. Contributors analyse media representations, digital self-presentation, and rhetorical strategies, asking whether women leaders "soften" extremist politics or strategically deploy femininity to normalise radical agendas. Examining figures including Giorgia Meloni, Marine Le Pen, Alice Weidel, and Diana Șoșoacă, the panel addresses how gender, nationalism, and populism intersect in contemporary far-right movements.

Title	Details
Framing the Female Populist: Authenticity, Gender, and Media Representation in Europe	View Paper Details
The Faces of (Anti)Feminism: Far-Right Female Politicians Presentation on Instagram	View Paper Details
‘Softening’ the Great Replacement –female far-right leadership and mediatized normalization in the Netherlands	View Paper Details
Neoliberal Feminist Discourse and Contemporary Politics. The Case of Giorgia Meloni	View Paper Details
How the Radical Right Frames LGBTIQ+ Rights: A Comparative Analysis of Marine Le Pen, Giorgia Meloni, and Alice Weidel	View Paper Details