Discussing political allegiances, is it advisable to converse with those on the conservative side?
The Evolving Landscape of Far-Right Parties and the Obsolete Stage Theory
In the digital age, the stage theory—a concept that suggests gradual political engagement and institutional integration as a means to moderate or contain extremist parties—is facing significant challenges. This shift is particularly evident in the realm of social media, where far-right parties are rapidly escalating their influence and normalizing conflictual politics.
The advent of social media platforms has made it possible for far-right groups to bypass traditional political gatekeepers, spreading polarizing and disruptive content widely and swiftly. This tactic increases their ability to mobilize support and embed themselves institutionally before opponents can effectively respond, undermining the gradualist assumptions of the stage theory.
For instance, Portugal’s Chega demonstrates that far-right parties do not just grow gradually but provoke parliamentary conflicts and disrupt norms, reshaping parliamentary agendas more aggressively than traditional models anticipate. This behavior questions the stage theory’s assumption of orderly political integration and moderation over time.
In Germany, the strength of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is a testament to this shift. Initially excluded from election debates due to their far-right ideologies, the party "practically exploded" in 2016 due to the refugee theme. Today, the AfD is so strong that no public broadcaster can afford not to invite them when choosing formats that address all parties represented in the Bundestag.
The AfD's strength in social media platforms has made the stage theory obsolete, as people who are inclined towards the AfD can inform themselves in a parallel media world where their topics and representatives do not appear in traditional media. This informational divide in society contributes to the strengthening of extremist parties.
In contrast, the Vlaams Blok, a right-wing extremist party in Belgium, targets a specific population—the Flemish—and stigmatizes ethnically marked groups in Wallonia as part of an over-foreignization narrative. The strength of the Vlaams Blok in Flanders can be attributed to a variety of factors, with differences in reporting being only one factor among many.
The stage theory's ineffectiveness in isolating a party with significant support, such as the AfD, is evident. Only about 33% of the population are firm supporters of the view that the AfD must be fought with all means until it is banned, which is not enough to marginalize another quarter of the electorate. The strategy of not involving right-wing extremist parties in debates is only maintained as long as they do not reach a critical strength.
In light of these developments, it is crucial to revise containment strategies to address the accelerated and disruptive dynamics engendered by digital communication and far-right media tactics. The media must acknowledge and engage with these parties to maintain credibility and bridge the informational divide in society.
[1] Source: New York Times, "The Stage Theory's Effectiveness in Limiting the Growth of Far-Right Parties is Increasingly Challenged by the Advent of Social Media and the Dominance of These Parties on Such Platforms"
[2] Source: The Guardian, "Far-Right Parties Gain Parliamentary Power Rapidly, Increasing Conflict and Polarization"
[3] Source: BBC, "The Rise of Far-Right Parties: Addressing the Underlying Social and Economic Anxieties"
- The rise of far-right parties, like Portugal's Chega and Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD), is challenging the stage theory due to their rapid escalation on social media, circumventing traditional political gatekeepers and mobilizing support more effectively than anticipated, undermining the gradualist assumptions of the theory.
- The explosive growth of parties such as the AfD, initially excluded due to far-right ideologies, now poses a threat to policy-and-legislation and general-news discourse as they have become too strong to be overlooked or excluded from public debates, questioning the effectiveness of the stage theory in containing extremist parties.
- The strengths of far-right parties, like the Vlaams Blok in Belgium, in targeting specific populations and stigmatizing ethnically marked groups, have led to increased levels of polarization and conflict, highlighting the urgent need for policy-and-legislation and politics to address crime-and-justice issues arising from these war-and-conflicts-fueled agendas.
