Similar yet not the Same: Right-Wing Populist Parties' Stances on Religion in Germany and the Netherlands

Abstract

Applying a qualitative framing analysis, this paper examines narratives of the right-wing populist parties Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Party for Freedom (PVV) in the Netherlands on religion. The paper argues that references of these populist parties to religion can be interpreted against the background of specific national context factors such as the respective history of nation building, the traditional role of religion in society and secularization processes. A rigorous examination of parliamentary documents published between 2017 and 2019 shows that whereas the PVV clearly defines Christianity in civilizational and not religious terms, the AfD takes a less clear-cut stance toward the religion framing it both as culture and faith. We contend that this difference can be explained by the lower degree of secularization and the greater role of Christianity as a collective identity marker in post-war Germany.

Populism and religion: an intricate and varying relationship

“…Besides providing an empirical analysis, Beuter and Kortmann (2022) also deliver an explanation for the differences between the two countries turning to the specific national context factors. Germany presents a particular case due to the belated German nation-building, the horrific national socialist history, and the subsequent division of the country.…”

“…In their comparative article, Beuter and Kortmann (2022) examine parliamentary documents from Germany and the Netherlands between October 2017 and December 2019, analyzing how the German populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV) refer to religion. The authors find that the self-other antagonism typically found in populist parties can also be found when the AfD and PVV refer to Islam and Christianity.…”