Call for action over growing extremist threat
By Alex Stevenson Follow @alex__stevenson
A new generation of extremist far-right supporters could emerge if mainstream parties do not unite against them, a thinktank has warned.
Research by Chatham House looking at the rise of populist extremist parties across Europe has highlighted the ominous rise of the far-right across much of the continent in a report out today.
It says parties such as France's Front National, whose leader Marine Le Pen could even make it into the presidential run-off, the Austrian Freedom party and Sweden Democrats had developed strategies for winning popular appeal over the past two decades.
"This has enabled them to respond more innovatively and effectively than the mainstream parties," report author Matthew Goodwin said.
"Until the mainstream parties begin to exchange lessons and address the actual anxieties of populist extremist party voters specifically over the cultural impact of immigration and rising diversity populist extremists will continue to attract significant support, and could find a new generation of citizens increasingly receptive to their message."
The report recommends engagement and interaction as the best ways to counter the far-right threat.
It says each strategy comes with risks, however, citing the 'adoption' strategy pursued by Gordon Brown with his 'British jobs for British workers' pledge as being unsuccessful.
"For parties that never traditionally 'owned' issues such as immigration, it is distinctly unlikely that a sudden shift will convince voters either that they sincerely care about the issue or that they can deliver a strong performance on it," the report stated.
One study cited by the research found that extremist parties were good at using traditional political campaigning methods effectively.
It found that some voters in northern towns had had more face-to-face experiences with members of the British National party than they had with those of mainstream parties.
"To win the hearts and minds of voters, mainstream parties should be part of the
community, have an active and visible presence and forge stronger links to local groups and forums," the report added.
"In practical terms, this means standing full slates of candidates at the local level, engaging with voters face-to-face and redirecting some resources to revitalizing grassroots campaigns."
The report found that extremist party supporters were concerned about immigration and cultural diversity because of a threat to national culture, rather than from economic grievances.
It also found that parties which are allowed to participate in the wider political system tend to adopt less extreme positions over time.
This suggests that exclusion prevents extremist parties from abandoning their more extreme ideological stances, the report noted.
