Leiden University Student Repository

Blin, Charline (2022)

The shift of the political spectrum to the right: A study of the normalization of radical right discourses in France between 2002 and 2022

Master thesis | Public Administration (MSc)

How the radical right’s favourite themes have dominated some of the main news coverage without necessarily being challenged is worrying. This thesis is focused on the normalization of radical right discourses in the public debate. Based on the content analysis of three major French newspapers articles and of the programmes of the main candidates to the Presidential elections, this work aims to show the extent to which there has been a normalization of radical right discourses in France between 2002 and 2022. I found that while this normalization is mostly present within the right-wing of the political spectrum, liberal and left-wing newspapers also participate in this process. Mainstream politicians too, play a significant role in the normalization of these discourses, and their previous failures in government have opened the door to the radical right.

normalization

radical right

french politics

french election

extreme right

radical right discourses

Author

Blin, Charline

Faculty

Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs

Specialisation

International and European Governance

Supervisors

Ruiter, R. de

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en