Work

Discounting extreme positions: party normalization and support for the far right

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: When are far right parties punished for their extreme positions? We argue that the punishments of deviant position-taking are conditional on the degree to which a far right party is normalized or stigmatized in the party system. When the far right is treated as normal, the costs suffered from these parties’ extreme positions decrease, as moderate voters discount the authenticity of their commitment to such positions. We use a survey experiment to test this argument in Spain, finding evidence for discounting on the far right’s extreme anti-LGBTQ+ statements, but not on its embrace of authoritarian history. This study thus shows that normalization and stigmatization of the far right can change how its extreme positions are interpreted by voters.

Source: Political Science Research and Methods

DOI: 10.1017/psrm.2025.29

Authors: Laia Balcells, Sergi Martínez, Ethan vanderWilden

Institutions: Georgetown University, Universidad EAFIT, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Language: English

Topic: Populism, Right-Wing Movements

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,550