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Mainstream political parties are more and more enabling the far right to set the political agenda, as per a new research carried out in Germany.

Academics discovered that this trend has unwittingly helped radical parties by validating their ideas and spreading them to a broader audience.

Analysis Based on Over 20 Years of Media Reporting

The results, released in the European Journal of Political Research, utilized an automated text analysis of more than 520,000 news pieces from a half-dozen national publications.

Berlin-based researchers noted that as the far right moved from fringe issues in the 1990s era to core subjects like integration and immigration, established political groups increasingly adapted their messaging in response.

This adaptation boosted the dissemination of these concepts and signaled to voters that such stances were acceptable.

Consequences for Democratic Systems

"Public discourse by established political groups is crucial in the electoral success of the radical right," stated a political sociologist involved in the research.

"This factor has been underestimated," she added.

The effect was evident even when conventional parties were condemning the far right. "They still receive focus," the expert remarked. "The main point is that because we live in such a struggle for visibility, this focus is key."

Mainstreaming Effect Throughout the Continent

While the study was focused on Germany, this normalisation effect is probable to apply to countries throughout Europe.

"This is frequently observed in European media," said another researcher. "Radical groups makes a statement and everybody begins discussing it for several days."

"Even if you're countering it, you're echoing it," he stated.

Toughening of Political Discourse

At certain points, political figures have also hardened their discourse to match that of the far right.

In a recently published interview, a former German chancellor called for large-scale deportations and pushed for them to happen "more often and faster."

Comparable instances can be found throughout the continent, as elected officials from nations including the United Kingdom to France embrace the rhetoric of the far right, especially on immigration.

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

Central Problem: Who Dictates the Narrative?

"{If you're a moderate party and you are talking about societal topics – migration, assimilation – in a way that is dictated by the pace 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 far right, despite studies suggests that this approach leads voters to vote for the radical faction.

Gradual Impact and Public Perception

The extent of information gathered revealed that the impact of radical groups had been gradual and had grown with the passage of time.

"Voter awareness doesn't change from one day to another," stated a researcher. "However, when you encounter this negative framing around immigration every second week, and it is being disseminated not only by far-right parties but also, for example, by established parties, then of course this storyline gains more traction."

Requirement for Established Groups to Carve Out Their Distinct Discourses

The study highlighted the need for mainstream parties to carve out their distinct discourses, especially on subjects such as immigration and integration, instead of continuously trailing after the far right.

"It's like a dance," explained one researcher. "If the conductor is radical and you're responding to them, you lose the ability to choose which music should be heard."