The Anti-Establishment Rhetoric of Radical Political Parties in Western Europe: An Analysis of Conditions That Lead to This Strategy

The presence of political actors that seek to undermine the trust in political institutions is rising in Western Europe, especially after the economic crisis of 2008. The anti-establishment appeals are a common feature of radical political parties, but there are variations among this kind of parties. The aim of this study is to identify different political conditions that could lead to adopt an anti-establishment rhetoric by radical parties in Western Europe. A Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) was applied in fifteen European countries using data from 2012 and 2014. Results suggest different paths to adopt an anti-establishment strategy: i) high levels of centrist voters; ii) high levels of dissatisfaction with the performance of the government and the public services; iii) political exclusion in the context of big coalitions.