The Contemporary Radical Right: Past, Present and Future

Few would dispute the suggestion that contemporary radical right parties have exerted a considerable impact on European political systems. Over the past quarter-century parties such as the Front National in France (FN), Alleanza Nazionale (AN) in Italy and Vlaams Belang (formerly Vlaams Blok [VB]) in Belgium have scored impressive electoral gains, subsequently entering public office at the local, regional and national levels. Moreover, the recent performance of parties such as the Austrian Freedom party (FPÖ) and Aliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) underscores the continued electoral relevance and appeal of parties on the radical right. As others observe, 'too many gains have occurred in too many countries to accept the idea that the radical right is simply a passing fad or fashion' (Norris, 2005, p. 8). Clearly, not all parties have enjoyed as much success as others. While some radical right actors have transformed their fledgling organisations into contenders for national government, others have languished on the political fringe and appeared either unable or unwilling to abandon their extremist 'baggage'. Yet in broad terms, the electoral advance of radical right parties has been one of the most striking developments to have occurred in the post-war political arena.