How to tackle the far right? Delusions and new proposals

Political Capital Institute published a study about delusions on the far right and recommendations and counter-strategies against right-wing extremism.

Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Budapest and Political Capital Institute organized a conference on strategies against right-wing extremism in Budapest, Hungary on October 11, 2012 with the participation of leading international and Hungarian experts and intellectuals. The following study summarizes the findings of the paper presented at the event, as well as the summary of the speakers’ most important messages and the consensual points reached at the roundtables.

The study also reposes on the findings of the two-year program carried out by Political Capital Institute and its partners, supported by Open Society Institute, the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research and Visegrad Fund. This is a program for research, advocacy and education focusing on the role conspiracy theorising plays in shaping populist and radical politics.

The study identified four widespread delusions regarding the far right:

1. “The 1930s are back."

2. Once in power, the far right collapses.

3. The far right can be driven back through the electoral system.

4. Everything can be solved by legal tools.

The study listed four general principles for counter-strategies that may offer viable solutions in all settings:

1. Emphasis on reducing demand.

2. Ridiculing instead of stigmatization and fear-mongering.

3. Close engagement with the electorate.

4. The political mobilization of first voters.

How to tackle the far right? (Download)

How to tackle the far right? - in Hungarian: Politikai stratégiák a szélsőjobboldallal szemben  (Download)

Peter Kreko from the Political Capital Institute also published a blogspot on the demand for radical right in Europe to the website of Extremis Project recently: The radical right in Europe: Available on Demand