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Established parties in power are increasingly enabling the radical right to set the political agenda, as per a recent study conducted in Germany.

Academics found that this trend has unwittingly helped far-right groups by legitimising their viewpoints and spreading them to a broader audience.

Study Drawing from Over 20 Years of News Reporting

The findings, published in the European Journal of Political Research, relied on an computerized content review of more than 520,000 news pieces from a half-dozen national newspapers.

Berlin-based researchers observed that as the radical faction moved from fringe issues in the 1990s era to central themes like assimilation and immigration, mainstream parties increasingly adjusted their messaging in response.

This adaptation boosted the spread of these concepts and indicated to voters that such positions were acceptable.

Consequences for Democratic Systems

"Political communication by established parties plays a central role in the voting performance of the far right," explained a expert in political behavior participating in the research.

"This factor has been overlooked," she added.

The impact was noticeable even when conventional parties were criticising the far right. "They still receive focus," the researcher commented. "The main point is that because we live in such a battle for attention, this attention is crucial."

Normalisation Phenomenon Throughout Europe

While the study was centered around the German context, this mainstreaming phenomenon is likely to apply to countries throughout Europe.

"You see this a lot in European media," explained another researcher. "The far right makes a statement and everyone starts talking about it for several days."

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

Hardening of Public Rhetoric

At times, leaders have also hardened their language to match that of the radical right.

In a recent interview, a then German chancellor advocated large-scale expulsions and pushed for them to happen "more frequently and rapidly."

Comparable examples can be observed throughout the continent, as elected officials from nations including the United Kingdom to the French Republic adopt the rhetoric of the far right, particularly on migration.

This has created an feedback loop that was inconceivable a ten years prior.

Core Issue: Who Sets the Agenda?

"{If you're a centrist political group and you are discussing societal topics – migration, integration – in a way that is dictated by the pace of the far right, that's the whole idea of narrative control," clarified a researcher.

Other parties have taken additional measures, attempting to emulate the strict agenda of the far right, even as research indicates that this approach leads the electorate to vote for the radical faction.

Gradual Influence and Voter Awareness

The scope of information gathered revealed that the impact of far-right parties had been progressive and had grown over time.

"Public perception doesn't change from day to day," commented a co-author. "But if you encounter this negative framing around immigration every second week, and it is being spread not only by radical groups but also, for example, by established parties, then of course this narrative gains more traction."

Need for Established Parties to Develop Their Distinct Narratives

The research emphasized the need for mainstream political parties to develop their distinct narratives, especially on topics such as migration and integration, instead of continuously following the far right.

"It's like a dance," explained one author. "When the leader is far-right and you're reacting to it, you cannot decide which tune should be playing."