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Established parties in power are more and more enabling the radical right to set the public discourse, according to a recent study conducted in Germany.

Academics found that this trend has unwittingly helped far-right parties by legitimising their viewpoints and disseminating them more widely.

Study Based on Two Decades of News Coverage

The results, published in the academic journal on political studies, utilized an automated text analysis of more than 520,000 articles from six national publications.

Berlin-based scholars noted that as the far right moved from marginal topics in the late 1990s to core themes like assimilation and migration, established parties progressively adapted their communication in response.

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

Consequences for Democratic Systems

"Political communication by established parties plays a central role in the electoral success of the far right," explained a political sociologist participating in the study.

"This element has been overlooked," she added.

The effect was noticeable even when mainstream parties were condemning the radical faction. "You're still giving them attention," the researcher commented. "The main point is that because we live in such a struggle for visibility, this focus is key."

Normalisation Phenomenon Across Europe

While the research was focused on Germany, this normalisation effect is likely to affect countries across Europe.

"This is frequently observed in European news outlets," said another researcher. "Radical groups makes a statement and everybody starts talking about it for several days."

"Although you're countering it, you're repeating it," he stated.

Toughening of Public Rhetoric

At certain points, leaders have also toughened their discourse to match that of the far right.

In a recent discussion, a then national leader called for large-scale deportations and urged them to happen "more frequently and rapidly."

Comparable instances can be found across the continent, as elected officials from nations including the UK to France embrace the language of the radical right, particularly on immigration.

This has created an feedback loop that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

Core Problem: Who Dictates the Agenda?

"{If you're a centrist political group and you are discussing societal topics – migration, assimilation – in a way that is determined by the rhythm of the radical right, that's the essence of narrative control," clarified a study author.

Some parties have gone one step further, attempting to emulate the strict agenda of the radical right, despite research indicates that this approach leads the electorate to vote for the far right.

Progressive Influence and Public Perception

The scope of information gathered revealed that the impact of far-right groups had been gradual and had grown with the passage of time.

"Voter awareness doesn't change from day to day," stated a co-author. "But if you hear this negative framing around migration every second week, and it is being disseminated not only by far-right parties but also, for example, by mainstream political organizations, then of course this storyline gains more traction."

Requirement for Established Parties to Carve Out Their Distinct Discourses

The research emphasized the necessity for mainstream political parties to develop their own discourses, particularly on topics such as migration and integration, instead of continuously following the radical right.

"It resembles a choreography," explained one researcher. "When the leader is radical and you're reacting to it, you lose the ability to choose which tune should be playing."