Radical right and radical left party ideologies: a pan-European mapping of necessary attributes, differences and similarities

Abstract

ABSTRACTRadical parties, both to the right and to the left, have recently earned victories in a range of European countries. Previous efforts seeking to understand radical parties in general are, however, relatively rare. The present paper offers an examination of the possible necessary attributes of, as well as the differences and similarities between, radical right and radical left party ideologies in contemporary (Western, Central and Eastern) Europe. The expectation that nativism is a necessary attribute of radical right ideology while anti-capitalist socialism is a necessary attribute of radical left ideology receives partial support; although not present in all of the manifestos produced by these parties, these attributes are, from a broader perspective, necessary ingredients of the radical right and the radical left party ideology, respectively. The empirical examination also confirms that the two families clearly differ in their sociocultural and, to a lesser extent, socioeconomic views. Finally, it demonstrates that they take matching standpoints towards European integration and, more ambiguously, towards the political system.