Mainstream Radicalization into Illiberalism: Evidence from the Dutch and Romanian Center-Right.

With far-right parties reshaping the landscape of European politics, much attention has been devoted to their quest for normalization. Yet, considering the increasing frequency of center-right and far-right collaboration within coalition governments, recent research indicates that center-right parties are increasingly radicalizing by embracing the illiberal policies of their far-right counterparts. While there is sufficient empirical evidence demonstrating this radicalization, most studies are cross-case quantitative analyses that fall short of explaining how center-right parties evolve within their specific political contexts. This paper investigates the radicalization of European mainstream right parties, with a focus on how their policy positions evolve under pressure from far-right competitors on two issues: the 'old' one - migration, and the 'new' one - environment. It develops a conceptual framework to capture the shift of center-right parties from ideas associated with liberal democracy toward those aligned with illiberal democracy. Using a qualitative, exploratory case study design, the research examines two contrasting cases: the Netherlands, representing a “typical case” of center-right and far-right interactions resulting in a coalition government, and Romania, a “diverse case” highlighting variations in these dynamics.