Context and Consequence: The Impact of the New Radical Right on the Political Process in France and Germany

in German Politics and Society
Author:
Michael Minkenberg Viadrina European University at Frankfurt

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International comparisons of new radical right-wing parties usually

focus on differences in electoral fortunes, party organizations, and

leadership styles and conclude that Germany stands out as a special

case of successful marginalization of the new radical right. Explanations

for this German anomaly point at the combined effects of German

history and institutional arrangements of the Federal Republic

of Germany, of ideological dilemmas and strategic failures of the

various parties of the new radical right, and the efforts of the established

political parties to prevent the rise of new parties to the right

of them. By implication, this means that, whereas in countries like

France or Austria the new radical right plays a significant role in politics

to the point of changing the political systems themselves, the

German counterpart has a negligible impact and has little or no

effects on politics and polity.

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