United in opposition? The populist radical right’s EU-pessimism in times of crisis

Author (Person) ,
Series Title
Series Details Vol.39, No.4, June 2017, p405-420
Publication Date June 2017
ISSN 0703-6337
Content Type

Abstract:

Populist radical right (PRR) parties are typically critical of European integration. They deem the EU an elitist project and consider European integration a threat to national sovereignty. In practice, however, PRR parties’ positions on the EU have varied across countries and periods.

Our article assesses whether, and how, PRR parties have changed their ‘EU-pessimist’ discourse following the outbreak of the Global Financial Crisis. The crisis has ostensibly provided scope for PRR parties across Europe to bolster their EU-pessimism and place more emphasis on socioeconomic frames. We analyse the evolution of the PRR’s discourse in five countries.

The article shows that, although PRR parties have generally brought the crisis into their discourses, they have responded to it in different ways, displaying varying degrees of EU-pessimism. These responses were partly informed by the opportunities provided by their contexts, but ostensibly more so by the strategic considerations of PRR party leaderships.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07036337.2017.1281261
Subject Categories
Countries / Regions