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Established political parties are more and more allowing the radical right to dictate the public discourse, according to a recent study carried out in Germany.

Academics discovered that this trend has unwittingly benefited far-right groups by legitimising their ideas and disseminating them to a broader audience.

Study Drawing from Over 20 Years of Media Coverage

The results, published in the European Journal of Political Research, relied on an computerized content review of over 520,000 news pieces from a half-dozen German newspapers.

Capital-based researchers noted that as the far right moved from fringe issues in the late 1990s to central themes like assimilation and immigration, mainstream political groups increasingly adjusted their messaging in response.

This adaptation amplified the dissemination of these concepts and indicated to voters that such positions were legitimate.

Consequences for Democracy

"Political communication by mainstream political groups plays a central role in the electoral success of the radical right," explained a political sociologist participating in the study.

"This factor has been underestimated," she noted.

The impact was noticeable even when conventional groups were criticising the far right. "They still receive focus," the expert commented. "Our core argument is that because we live in such a struggle for visibility, this focus is crucial."

Normalisation Phenomenon Across Europe

While the research was centered around Germany, this normalisation effect is probable to apply to nations throughout the European continent.

"You see this a lot in German and British news outlets," explained another researcher. "The far right says something and everybody starts talking about it for one week."

"Even if you're opposing it, you're repeating it," he stated.

Hardening of Political Rhetoric

At certain points, political figures have also toughened their language to match that of the radical right.

In a recently published discussion, a former national leader advocated widespread deportations and pushed for them to happen "more frequently and rapidly."

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

This has formed an echo chamber that would have been inconceivable a decade ago.

Central Issue: Who Dictates the Narrative?

"{If you're a moderate party and you are talking about cultural issues – immigration, integration – in a way that is determined by the pace of the radical right, that's the whole idea of narrative control," explained a study author.

Other parties have taken additional measures, seeking to copy the strict platform of the radical right, even as studies suggests that doing so drives the electorate to vote for the far right.

Progressive Influence and Public Perception

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

"Voter awareness doesn't change from one day to another," commented a co-author. "But if you hear this pessimistic narrative around immigration every second week, and it is being disseminated not only by far-right parties but also, for instance, by established political organizations, then of course this storyline travels further."

Requirement for Mainstream Groups to Develop Their Own Discourses

The study highlighted the necessity for mainstream parties to develop their own discourses, particularly on topics such as immigration and integration, instead of continuously trailing after the far right.

"It's like a dance," explained one author. "If the conductor is far-right and you're responding to them, you cannot decide which music should be heard."