The Divergent Paths of the FPÖ and the Lega Nord

Abstract

Since the mid-1980s, political formations espousing a new form of radical populism have made dramatic electoral gains in a number of West European democracies (Betz 1994). Among the politically most successful have been the Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (Austrian Freedom Party, or FPÖ) and the Italian Lega Nord (Northern League, or LN). Within less than a decade, the two parties not only conquered a pivotal position in their respective party systems but also managed to occupy important political offices at the local, regional, and national level; exert a significant influence on the public political discourse; and force the established political parties to considerably modify their strategic positions.