What Determines the Political Focus of Right-Wing Populist Parties in Europe? A Case Study of Norway and Switzerland

In the past several decades right-wing populism has reshaped European politics. The late 20th and early 21st centuries are experiencing the rise of several right-wing populist parties in countries including France, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, Poland, Britain, and many others. This rise in right-wing populism is not a new phenomenon, and many of these parties trace their roots back to the 1970s as globalization permeated Europe. In this paper, I will examine the peculiar phenomena regarding the varying levels of success these right-wing populist parties have experienced. Specifically, I focus on the success of both the Norwegian and Swiss populist parties from a historical perspective and conclude with an analysis of their most recent election cycles. By focusing on the right-wing populists’ relationship with other political parties, I will establish a new analytical framework for populist politics. I conduct this research to better understand which strategies these parties are using to win elections with a specific focus on immigration and an antiestablishment posture.