Comparative Study on Rise of Radical Right Populist Parties and European Integration : Changing Patterns of Party Competition and Europeanization

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Main aim of this research project is to provide a comparative and up-to-date analysis of the nature and rise of populist radical right parties or movements in West Europe since 1990s. Our concern is to examine particularly why radical right parties have advanced in a diverse array of democracies, while failing to make comparable gains in countries such as Britain and Sweden. Through case studies of Britain, Italy, Netherlands, France, Belgium, and Germany, we have explained the following primary factors driving or inhibiting this phenomenon from the viewpoint of changing party competition. First, the success or failure of each radical right party is dependent on conflict patterns of established parties in each country. The leaning to right of main conservative opposition parties is critical for minimizing opportunities for the radical right. Second, the identification of radical right parties as anti-establishment or anti-immigration has a great impact on radical right support. While the radical right parties with strong attitudes against immigration are regarded as ‘destroyers' of democracies, populist parties identified as anti-establishment are able to make an appeal for ‘innovator' of democracies. Finally, the prevalence of populism has strong relation with the developments of media strategy in advanced democracies since 1990s, which are characterized by the evolution from modern campaigns to postmodern. campaigns. which are characterized by the evolution from modern campaigns to postmodern. campaigns. We examine the nature and changes of media campaigning from the viewpoint of personalization of party politics.