1st Edition
The Nordic Populist Radical Right Voters, Ideology, and Political Interactions
This edited volume examines populist radical right parties in the Nordic region.
Somewhat surprisingly given the image of a consensual, egalitarian and progressive region of Europe, the Nordic countries have been fertile ground for the radical right. Not only have radical right parties persisted for many decades, but they are currently much stronger in this region than in most other European countries today. In this book, the contributors analyse the electoral, ideological and organizational aspects of the radical right in the Nordic region: The Progress Party in Norway (Fremskrittspartiet Frp), the Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna SD), Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti DF), and the Finns party (Perussuomalaiset PS). It also explores how mainstream parties and the media have reacted to the rise of the radical right, whether the radical right is integrated into mainstream politics, the extent to which they challenge the dominant ideological paradigm of Nordic politics and whether they mobilize and organize differently to other parties. Understanding the Nordic radical right is crucial to comprehending the transformation of Nordic politics, but also changes in European politics more generally.
This book will be of interest to students and scholars of Scandinavian politics, populism, the radical right and comparative party politics.
1. Introduction: The rise of the Nordic populist radical right
Ann-Cathrine Jungar and Anders R Jupskås
Part I: The Voters
2. Who votes for the Nordic radical right?
Anders Backlund
3. What unites populist radical-right voters in the Nordic countries
Lise Bjånesøy and Elisabeth Ivarsflaten
4. Party-voter policy representation among populist radical right parties in the Nordic region
Anders Backlund and Ann-Cathrine Jungar
Part II: Ideology
5. The use of national myths in the rhetoric of populist radical-right parties in the Nordic countries
Anders Hellström and Katarina Pettersson
6. Three tales of welfare chauvinism
Ov Cristian Norocel
7. Radical right and gender equality
Ann-Cathrine Jungar and Anders R Jupskås
8. Men’s parties in gender equal havens: The gender-representation gap in the Nordic populist radical right parties
Anna Lillkung
9. From defending the family to protecting gays? Change and continuity in the Nordic radical right’s positions on LGBTQ issues
Emil Edenborg and Ann-Cathrine Jungar
Part III: Political interactions
10. The transnational dimension of the Nordic populist radical right
Karl Magnus Johansson, Ann-Cathrine Jungar and Anders R Jupskås
11. Radical right parties and government participation in the Nordic countries
Anders Backlund and Ann-Cathrine Jungar
12. The Swedish Labour Movement and the Sweden Democrats: Contest for Working-Class Voters?
Sanna Salo
13. Meanings of ‘populism’ and the radical right in Finnish and Swedish media
Juha Herkman and Niko Hatakka
14. Concluding discussion
Ann-Cathrine Jungar
Biography
Ann-Cathrine Jungar is an associate professor at Södertörn University in Stockholm, Sweden. She has researched extensively on parliamentary government, Europeanisation and the radical right in Europe, particularly in the Nordic region.
‘The Nordic countries are home to some populist radical right parties that have made clear political imprints in the latest decades. In this rare volume scholars from political science, media studies and sociology try to understand and explain the crucial role these parties have played in Nordic politics. The story turns out to be somewhat surprising as it contains so much more than only anti-immigrant positions. A piece of Nordic contemporary political history that should be read by anyone interested in parliamentary right-wing radical movements and ideologies.’
Marie Demker, Professor in Political Science, Gothenburg University, Sweden
‘This edited volume is a must read for those interested the populist radical right in what was once believed to be the most stable and tolerant part of Europe. It covers the Nordic populist radical right in its many facets, discussing its core characteristics, as well as its behaviour in the electoral, legislative, and executive arena. It convincingly demonstrates that the Nordic populist radical right is part of the broader far right party family, but is at the same time comprised of four unique parties. Due to historical path dependencies, which are explored in-depth and offer many novel insights, each of the populist radical right parties in the region has become successful on its own terms.’
Sarah L. de Lange, Professor of Political Pluralism, Department of Political Science, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
