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Established parties in power are more and more allowing the radical right to dictate the political agenda, as per a new study conducted in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Researchers found that this trend has inadvertently benefited radical parties by legitimising their ideas and disseminating them to a broader audience.

Study Drawing from Over 20 Years of News Coverage

The findings, released in the European Journal of Political Research, relied on an automated text analysis of more than 520,000 news pieces from six national newspapers.

Capital-based researchers observed that as the far right moved from marginal topics in the late 1990s to central themes like integration and immigration, established political groups increasingly adjusted their communication in response.

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

Implications for Democratic Systems

"Political communication by established political groups is crucial in the electoral success of the radical right," explained a expert in political behavior participating in the research.

"This element has been overlooked," she added.

The effect was noticeable even when mainstream groups were criticising the far right. "You're still giving them attention," the researcher remarked. "Our core argument is that because we live in such a struggle for visibility, this attention is key."

Normalisation Phenomenon Throughout Europe

While the research was focused on Germany, this normalisation effect is probable to affect nations across Europe.

"You see this a lot in European news outlets," explained another co-author. "The far right says something and everybody begins discussing it for one week."

"Even if you're opposing it, you're echoing it," he added.

Hardening of Political Discourse

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

In a recently published interview, a then German chancellor called for large-scale expulsions and pushed for them to happen "more often and faster."

Comparable examples can be observed throughout Europe, as politicians from nations ranging from the UK 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.

Core Problem: Who Dictates the Narrative?

"{If you're a centrist political group and you are talking about societal topics – immigration, integration – in a way that is dictated by the rhythm of the radical right, that's the essence of agenda setting," explained a researcher.

Some parties have gone one step further, seeking to copy the hardline agenda of the radical right, despite studies indicates that doing so leads the electorate to vote for the far right.

Gradual Impact and Public Perception

The extent of data collected revealed that the influence of far-right groups had been progressive and had grown with the passage of time.

"Public perception doesn't change from one day to another," commented a co-author. "But if you encounter this pessimistic narrative around immigration frequently, and it is being disseminated not only by radical groups but also, for example, by established parties, then of course this narrative travels further."

Requirement for Established Parties to Develop Their Distinct Narratives

The research emphasized the necessity for established political parties to carve out their own discourses, particularly on subjects such as immigration and integration, instead of continuously trailing after the radical right.

"It resembles a choreography," explained one author. "When the leader is far-right and you're reacting to it, you lose the ability to choose which tune should be heard."