The Impact of Radical Right Parties Across Western Europe

Abstract

This chapter takes a cross-national approach to investigating the impact of radical right-wing parties in mostly western European Union countries. European Union countries of Western Europe were selected based largely on the comparability of available data for these countries; however right-wing radical parties in Norway and Switzerland are also discussed. For purposes of this analysis, radical right-wing parties are those located spatially to the right of center of mainstream parties in terms of ideological placement or those that promote xenophobia and social exclusion for certain out-groups or foreigners in their societies.