Extreme Right Electoral Upsurges in Western Europe

Résumé du livre

Since 1984 the extreme right has made a prominent reappearance in West European political life. The electoral results of the radical right parties in various countries (e.g. France, Germany, Belgium) have been worrying observers. Although the campaign against immigration is at the head of the agenda of these parties, antisemitism also has a prominent place in their ideologies and public discourse. Compares the electoral successes of the radical right in 1984-95 with those of the antisemitic parties in Germany and France in the late 19th century, and with those of fascist Nazi and neo-Nazi parties throughout Europe in the interwar and in the post-World War II periods. Points out that the contexts of the previous electoral upsurges of the extreme right and of the last wave of their successes have been different; e.g. their successes in the 1920s-70s may be accounted for by fear of the communist danger. The last electoral successes of the radical right need to be studied further.