Radical-Right and Neo-Fascist Political Parties in Western Europe

Abstract

Far right-wing parties have gained dramatically in many West European countries since the early 1980s. Recent cross-national studies distinguish between neo-fascist parties, which are anti-democratic and anti-capitalist, and radical right-wing parties which combine antiimmigration appeals with pro-capitalist, neo-liberal economic positions, social conservatism, and a basic acceptance of representative democracy. While the former have been stagnant and unimportant, the latter have been gaining. Yet there are also borderline cases where it is more difficult to determine whether the party rejects fascism and accepts democracy, a problem which the theoretical literature has neglected. The far right's success is largely due to the politicization of immigration issues, political alienation, and backlashes against welfare states.

Individual and contextual characteristics of the German extreme Right–Wing vote in the 1990s. A test of complementary theories

“…The idea that the electorate of the extreme right-wing consists mostly of protest voters has often been postulated (Stouthuysen 1993;Stöss 1990;Mayer & Perrineau 1992;Betz 1994;Klein & Falter 1996;Karapin 1998). Political attitudes, as discussed in the previous three theories, are expected to be of minor importance.…”

Party Politics and International Trade: Mainstream Parties, Niche Parties, and Trade Openness1

“…Greens are defined by their advocacy of environmental protection, egalitarianism, international peace, women’s right, and participatory democracy (Kitschelt 1988). Radical right parties, on the other hand, are characterized by their opposition to immigration, social equality, and environmental protection, and their defense of law and order, and the national way of life (Ignazi 1992; Karapin 1998). While these parties are not generally known as trade‐centric, their issue concerns inextricably tie them to debates over international market integration and make them similarly wary of international trade as a central aspect of this integration.…”

Old right or new right? The ideological positioning of parties of the far right

“…Kitschelt (1995) postulates that the addition of a strong neo‐liberal element enhanced the authoritarian appeal of the FN. Roger Karapin (1998: 224) stated that ‘over reliance on the immigration issue and neglect of other issues, especially neo‐liberalism, have hampered far‐right parties in Britain and Germany’. Choice of issues, then, is an extremely important aspect of a party's self‐identification because emphasis on particular issues can either attract or repel voters, and even affect party cohesion.…”