Reclaiming Action – Progressive strategies in times of right-wing populism

Progressive parties are in the defense all over Europe. From an electoral perspective, progressive parties are not only challenged by left-wing populists or the political center but more and more even from right-wing populist parties. In some European countries, right-wing populists are the biggest contenders of progressive parties.

In this broadly conceptualized and comparative project, the focus lies on the conditions and strategies of action for progressive parties in times of growing right-wing populism in Germany, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

The goal is not only to detect contextual factors and frameworks for the success of right-wing populists, but to specifically identify strategies for progressive parties, which have proven to be successful in challenging right-wing populist parties. At the same time, the main focus should lie on progressive parties, their weaknesses and possibilities to implement future politics and policies beyond right-wing populist rhetoric and political discourse.

The project will lead to various publications, public conferences as well as expert seminars.

Photo © Bits and Splits / Fotolia

Right-wing populist parties are on the rise almost everywhere in Europe. In the Scandinavian countries, too, where Social Democracy has had the most decisive influence on the development of a solidary society and an inclusive and emancipatory welfare model, policymakers face increasingly substantial difficulties in forming government coalitions vis-à-vis aspiring competitors who have emerged on the far right in recent decades. In light of the remarkable rise of right-wing populism in Germany and its growing presence in parliaments and discourses, the volume at hand contextualizes and compares the growth of right-wing populism in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany. Based on the identification of ideal-typical strategies applied by progressive parties towards right-wing populist parties in the past and in the present, the authors evaluate the success of various strategies. In doing so, the volume addresses both scientists and policymakers as well as the interested public.

Download the book for free [in English]

Zum kostenlosen Download - hier klicken! [auf Deutsch]