Strategic Variations in Anti-Gender Rhetoric: Representative Claims by Populist Radical Right Parties in Germany

Across Europe, populist radical right parties (PRRPs) are driving forces of anti-gender mobilisations. Previous research shows that PRRPs have strategically claimed to defend various social groups, framing ’gender ideology’ as a threat to women, children, and ’biological reality’ to advance their political agenda. Yet, systematic studies of these claims remain scarce. Thus, we know little about which groups are systematically portrayed as (un)deserving of representation in policy debates on gender and sexual equality. Drawing on research on political representation and anti-gender politics, this project asks: Which con- stituencies do PRRPs claim to represent across gender-related policy issues, and how do contextual factors shape these claims? To answer this question, this paper maps and explains variation in anti-gender representative claims between 2015 and 2026. Focusing on the German context, I analyse parliamentary speeches, party programmes, and social media communication to identify (1) the constituencies invoked, (2) the issue areas mobilised, and (3) how opposition is framed. Additionally, I test how PRRPs’ articulation of anti-gender politics varies with MPs’ gender, national gender-equality context, and public opinion. By conceptualising representative claims-making as a key strategy through which PRRPs seek to legitimise their opposition to gender equality and construct new constituencies, the paper contributes to broader debates on anti-gender politics, political representation, and the impact of populist radical right parties in Europe.