Why mainstream parties keep copying the far right
Across Europe, mainstream parties have spent years borrowing ideas, rhetoric and policies from the populist far right. The logic is simple. If voters are leaving for parties promising radical action, adopting some of those positions should help win them back.
Yet the evidence points in the opposite direction. Political counterfactuals are difficult to prove, but studies suggest that mainstream parties rarely benefit electorally from copying the far right. Instead, they often legitimise populist narratives, making those issues more salient. Voters concerned about them tend to choose the original rather than the imitation.
If this strategy does not work, why does it persist?
A lack of knowledge is unlikely to be the answer. Political parties have access to extensive polling and analysis. More likely, other incentives are at play. Internal pressure may push parties to respond to populist themes. Politicians may fear being portrayed as out of touch with the concerns of ordinary citizens. Adopting tougher rhetoric can also seem easier than developing convincing alternatives.
Understanding these incentives matters. If the objective is to persuade mainstream parties to stop chasing the far right, lecturing them is unlikely to work. The question is not whether they know the risks. It is why they continue to believe they have little alternative.
Those who want to reverse this trend must therefore show that other political strategies can address citizens' concerns, win votes and strengthen democracy. Unless these alternatives are seen as politically viable, mainstream parties will continue repeating a strategy that has repeatedly failed.
Fabian Zuleeg is Chief Executive and Chief Economist at the European Policy Centre.
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