Right-Wing Populist Opposition in the Western Europe during COVID-19: Germany and France
Research Article
How to Cite
Sergeev A.S. Right-Wing Populist Opposition in the Western Europe during COVID-19: Germany and France. Vlast’ (The Authority). 2025. Vol. 32. No. 6. P. 241-246. (in Russ.).
Abstract
The goal of the article is to provide an analysis of the impact of populists' crisis performance on their political success, with a particular focus on whether they experience an increase in popularity, manage to polarize public opinion effectively, and succeed in sustaining the crisis even as its immediate effects diminish. We assess the initial responses of populist leaders to what was initially an externally induced event, and delve into how their subsequent actions over time influence the crisis dynamics, transforming them into internal elements within the broader context of crisis politics during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This analysis aims to illuminate the strategies and methodologies employed by right-wing populist parties in Germany and France as they navigated the challenges presented by the pandemic. By focusing on the «Alternative for Germany» (AfD) and the «National Rally» (RN), we examine their rhetoric, actions, and adaptations in response to the evolving crisis. The pandemic presented a unique opportunity for these parties to capitalize on public fear and uncertainty. The findings presented in this article contribute to a broader understanding of how populist parties exploit crises to advance their political goals. By analyzing their performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, we gain insights into their potential to reshape political norms and influence future electoral outcomes in Germany and France.
Keywords:
populist parties, COVID-19, pandemic, political parties, European politics, Germany, France, opposition parties
References
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Mudde C. 2007. Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 404 p.
Rozenblum D. 2021. France’s Multidimensional Covid-19 Response: Ad Hoc Committees and the Sidelining of Public Health Agencies. – Coronavirus Politics: The Comparative Politics and Policy of COVID-19 (ed. by L. Scott, J. Elizabeth, E. Massard da Fonseca, A. Peralta-Santos). Ann-Arbor: University of Michigan Press. P. 264-279.
Volk S. 2021. Die rechtspopulistische PEGIDA in der COVID-19-Pandemie. Virtueller Protest «für unsere Bürgerrechte». – Forschungsjournal Neue Soziale Bewegungen. Vol. 34. № 2. P. 235-248.
Zakharova M.V., Skrivel K.A. 2022. Spetsifika reprezentatsii mediaobraza Marin Le Pen v period pandemii koronavirusa (po materialam Le Figaro, Le Monde i Liberation). – Medi@l'manakh. № 2. S. 61-75. (RUS)
Baloge M., Nicolas H. 2021. France: Governmental Unpreparedness as a Discursive Opportunity for Populists. – Populism and the Politicization of the COVID-19 Crisis in Europe (ed. by G. Bobba, N. Hubé). Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. P. 59-71. (RUS)
Lange M., Monscheuer O. 2022. Spreading the Disease: Protest in Times of Pandemics. – Health Economics. Vol. 31. No. 12. R. 2664-2679. (RUS)
Lorimer M., van der Wilden E. 2022. France: Balancing Respectability and Radicalization in a Pandemic. – Populists and the Pandemic. How Populists around the World Responded to COVID-19 (ed. by N. Ringe, L. Renno). L. & N.Y.: Routledge. P. 228-236.
Moffitt B. 2015. How to Perform Crisis: A Model for Understanding the key Role of Crisis in Contemporary Populism. – Government and Opposition. Vol. 50. No. 2. P. 189-217. https://doi.org/10.1017/gov.2014.13.
Mudde C. 2007. Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 404 p.
Rozenblum D. 2021. France’s Multidimensional Covid-19 Response: Ad Hoc Committees and the Sidelining of Public Health Agencies. – Coronavirus Politics: The Comparative Politics and Policy of COVID-19 (ed. by L. Scott, J. Elizabeth, E. Massard da Fonseca, A. Peralta-Santos). Ann-Arbor: University of Michigan Press. P. 264-279.
Volk S. 2021. Die rechtspopulistische PEGIDA in der COVID-19-Pandemie. Virtueller Protest «für unsere Bürgerrechte». – Forschungsjournal Neue Soziale Bewegungen. Vol. 34. № 2. P. 235-248.
Article
Received: 23.01.2025
Citation Formats
Other cite formats:
APA
Sergeev, A. S. (2025). Right-Wing Populist Opposition in the Western Europe during COVID-19: Germany and France. Vlast’ (The Authority), 32(6), 241-246. Retrieved from https://www.jour.fnisc.ru/index.php/vlast/article/view/10448
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Section
FOCUS ON POLITICS
Following the submission of the manuscript to the Publisher, the author binds oneself not to publish it somewhere else without permission of the Publisher.
