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Mainstream political parties are more and more allowing the far right to dictate the public discourse, as per a new study conducted in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Researchers found that this trend has inadvertently benefited far-right groups by validating their ideas and spreading them more widely.

Study Drawing from Over 20 Years of News Reporting

The findings, released in the European Journal of Political Research, utilized an computerized content review of more than 520,000 articles from six German newspapers.

Capital-based researchers noted that as the far right moved from marginal topics in the 1990s era to core themes like integration and migration, mainstream parties progressively adjusted their communication in response.

This adjustment amplified the dissemination of these ideas and signaled to voters that such positions were legitimate.

Implications for Democracy

"Public discourse by established parties is crucial in the voting performance of the radical right," stated a political sociologist involved in the research.

"This factor has been overlooked," she added.

The effect was noticeable even when mainstream parties were criticising the far right. "You're still giving them attention," the researcher commented. "The main point is that because we live in such a battle for attention, this attention is crucial."

Mainstreaming Phenomenon Across Europe

While the research was centered around Germany, this mainstreaming phenomenon is likely to affect nations throughout Europe.

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

"Although you're opposing it, you're echoing it," he stated.

Hardening of Public Rhetoric

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

In a recently published interview, a then German chancellor advocated widespread deportations and pushed for them to happen "more often and faster."

Comparable examples can be observed across the continent, as elected officials from countries including the United Kingdom to France adopt the language 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 Agenda?

"{If you're a moderate political group and you are discussing societal topics – migration, integration – in a way that is dictated by the rhythm of the far right, that's the whole idea of agenda setting," clarified a researcher.

Other political parties have gone one step further, attempting to emulate the strict agenda of the far right, despite studies suggests that doing so leads the electorate to vote for the far right.

Progressive Influence and Public Perception

The scope of data gathered showed that the influence of radical parties had been gradual and had increased with the passage of time.

"Public perception doesn't change from day to day," commented a researcher. "However, when you encounter this pessimistic narrative around immigration every second week, and it is being disseminated not only by far-right parties but also, for instance, by mainstream parties, then of course this narrative gains more traction."

Need for Established Parties to Carve Out Their Own Discourses

The research emphasized the necessity for mainstream parties to carve out their distinct discourses, particularly on topics such as migration and assimilation, rather than continuously following the radical right.

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