Expansion from the Right

Abstract

Abstract This chapter provides an analysis of party system attention to immigration based on the issue incentive model. Two questions are central, namely the general increase in attention to immigration and the pronounced increase in Denmark. Based on the issue incentive model, the issue of immigration shows the importance of problem information. The increased share of foreigners has, combined with the growth of radical right-wing parties, generated more attention to the issue. In all countries, the issue has become an established issue on the party system agenda. The chapter furthermore shows the crucial role of large, mainstream parties’ coalition considerations in explaining how issues can make it to the top of the party system agenda. Only in Denmark has a strong focus on immigration been attractive from a coalition perspective. Denmark is thus the only country studied where immigration has become a central issue in the competition between the large, mainstream parties for office.