Abstract:
THE RISE of political parties of the far right has been an important
global phenomenon of the past decade. In Europe in particular they
have successfully established solid bases of electoral support and
exercised substantial positions of power at regional and national levels
(Bale, 2003). Even where they have not attained government their influence
has often shifted the political spectrum to the conservative pole and in a
process of Le Pen-ization they have colonized the national political agenda
with their modes of thinking (Hage, 1998: 25). There are no signs that the
issues with which they are most closely associated – law and order, nationalism
and, most notably, anti-immigration stances – are diminishing in
importance. To understand the continuing impact of this phenomenon and
how its dynamics might play out in the future, a closer examination of the
ideologies and practices of the parties of the far right would be useful. In
particular an understanding of the differences and conflicts within these
parties, as well as what they have in common, is a necessary project.
