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Established political parties are more and more enabling the far right to dictate the political agenda, according to a new study conducted in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Researchers discovered that this phenomenon has unwittingly helped radical parties by legitimising their viewpoints and spreading them more widely.

Analysis Based on Over 20 Years of Media Coverage

The findings, published in the academic journal on political studies, utilized an computerized content review of over 520,000 articles from a half-dozen national newspapers.

Capital-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 increasingly adapted their messaging in reaction.

This adaptation amplified the dissemination of these concepts and signaled to the electorate that such positions were acceptable.

Implications for Democracy

"Public communication by mainstream political groups is crucial in the electoral success of the far right," explained a political sociologist participating in the research.

"This factor has been underestimated," she noted.

The effect was noticeable even when conventional parties were criticising the radical faction. "They still receive focus," the researcher remarked. "The main point is that because we live in such a struggle for visibility, this focus is crucial."

Normalisation Effect Across Europe

While the study was focused on the German context, this mainstreaming phenomenon is likely to apply to nations across the European continent.

"You see this a lot in German and British news outlets," explained another co-author. "Radical groups says something and everybody starts talking about it for one week."

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

Hardening of Political Discourse

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

In a recent interview, a then national leader called for large-scale expulsions and pushed for them to happen "more often and faster."

Similar instances can be observed throughout Europe, as politicians from nations ranging from the United Kingdom to France adopt the rhetoric of the radical right, especially on immigration.

This has formed an echo chamber that would have been unthinkable a ten years prior.

Central Issue: Who Dictates the Agenda?

"{If you're a moderate party and you are talking about societal topics – immigration, integration – in a way that is determined by the pace of the far right, that's the whole idea of agenda setting," explained a researcher.

Some parties have gone one step further, attempting to emulate the hardline agenda of the far right, even as studies indicates that this approach leads voters to cast their ballot for the radical faction.

Progressive Impact and Voter Awareness

The scope of data collected revealed that the influence of radical groups had been progressive and had grown over time.

"Public perception doesn't change from one day to another," stated a researcher. "But if you encounter this negative framing around migration every second week, and it is being spread not only by far-right parties but also, for instance, by established political organizations, then of course this storyline gains more traction."

Requirement for Established Groups to Develop Their Own Discourses

The study emphasized the need for established political parties to carve out their own discourses, particularly on topics such as migration and integration, instead of continuously trailing after the far right.

"It's like a dance," said one author. "If the conductor is radical and you're reacting to it, you cannot decide which tune should be playing."