The Radical Right and its Impact: Party Competition and Policy Effects in Comparative Perspective

Abstract

The rise of new radical right or right-wing populist parties (such as the Alternative für Deutschland) and the remake of older ones (such as the Front national) once again raise questions about the effects such parties have on the political system in which they operate. But so far, comparative research on these parties has largely focused on their ideological or organizational characteristics and the reasons for their success or failure at the polls, and if at all, the issue of their impact was often addressed in an ad hoc way, with little conceptual clarity or methodologically sound cross-country analysis. Only recently has comparative research begun to dig a little deeper. This panel wants to continue the digging by tackling the question of the radical right’s impact in Europe and beyond in the context of party competition and policy making. When looking at the potential effects of the radical right, there are at least three levels on which it is relevant and can affect both other actors and the entire political system: (a) by introducing new types of actors and collective action (depending on their strengths and strategies); (b) by introducing new processes and patterns of interaction (for example a new level of confrontational style); and (c) by effecting significant agenda shifts and policy changes which can alter the system as a whole or in substantial parts (e.g. restrictions in “loaded” policy fields such as minority rights, immigration, law and order). Against this backdrop, the panel invites papers, which provide a substantial addition to the research on impact. They should address the concept and measurement of effects in a theoretical way, advance our methodological tools for such studies, and provide a systematic empirical analysis of a medium n number of country cases (at least three countries).

Title	Details
Patterns, Process, Policies: Conceptualising Radical Right Impact	View Paper Details
The (Mediated) Impact of Radical Right Parties on Immigration Control Legislation	View Paper Details
From Backbench to Cabinet: Government Formation with Radical Right Parties in Eastern Europe	View Paper Details
Party Competition and Radical Right Parties in Central and Eastern Europe. A Narrative Interaction Model of Electoral Fortune	View Paper Details