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Established parties in power are increasingly allowing the radical right to dictate the public discourse, according to a new research carried out in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Academics found that this trend has unwittingly benefited far-right groups by validating their viewpoints and disseminating them more widely.

Analysis Drawing from Two Decades of News Coverage

The results, released in the academic journal on political studies, relied on an automated text analysis of more than 520,000 news pieces from six German newspapers.

Berlin-based researchers observed that as the far right shifted from fringe issues in the 1990s era to core subjects like assimilation and immigration, established parties progressively adapted their communication in response.

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

Implications for Democracy

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

"This factor has been underestimated," she added.

The effect was noticeable even when conventional parties were condemning the far right. "They still receive focus," the expert commented. "Our core argument is that because we live in such a battle for attention, this attention is key."

Mainstreaming Effect Throughout the Continent

While the research was focused on the German context, this normalisation effect is probable to apply to nations throughout the European continent.

"You see this a lot in European news outlets," said another researcher. "The far right says something and everyone starts talking about it for one week."

"Even if you're countering it, you're repeating it," he added.

Hardening of Political Rhetoric

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

In a recently published interview, a former national leader called for large-scale deportations and urged them to happen "more frequently and rapidly."

Similar instances can be observed across Europe, as elected officials from nations ranging from the UK to France adopt the rhetoric of the radical right, especially on migration.

This has formed an feedback loop that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

Central Problem: Who Dictates the Narrative?

"{If you're a centrist political group and you are talking about societal topics – migration, integration – in a way that is dictated by the rhythm of the far right, that's the whole idea of narrative control," clarified a researcher.

Some political parties have gone one step further, seeking to copy the hardline platform of the radical right, even as studies indicates that doing so drives voters to vote for the radical faction.

Progressive Impact and Voter Awareness

The extent of information gathered showed that the influence of far-right groups had been gradual and had grown over time.

"Voter awareness doesn't change from day to day," commented a researcher. "But if you encounter this pessimistic narrative around immigration every second week, and it is being disseminated not only by far-right parties but also, for example, by mainstream parties, then of course this narrative travels further."

Need for Mainstream Groups to Carve Out Their Own Discourses

The research emphasized the need for established political parties to develop their own narratives, especially on topics such as immigration and integration, rather than continuously following the radical right.

"It's like a dance," explained one researcher. "If the conductor is radical and you're responding to them, you cannot decide which tune should be playing."