Working Paper
This paper develops and tests the idea that consistent policy success for radical right parties across multiple immigration policy domains is rare.
Abstract
Research has shown that stronger radical right parties often succeed in restricting immigrant integration and citizenship policies. We know much less about the conditions under which they also shape immigration policies. I argue that electoral strength alone is insufficient for radical right parties to achieve policy success across both domains. Rather, legislative power translates into more restrictive immigration and citizenship policies only when immigration is highly salient in democratic elections. When immigration is not salient, even electorally successful radical right parties cannot consistently advance their preferred policies. I test this hypothesis across three key dimensions of immigration and citizenship politics in 23 Western democracies between 1980 and 2018. The results confirm this hypothesis and show that consistent policy success is comparatively rare. This refines our understanding of radical right party influence in their core policy field.
Research has shown that stronger radical right parties often succeed in restricting immigrant integration and citizenship policies. We know much less about the conditions under which they also shape immigration policies. I argue that electoral strength alone is insufficient for radical right parties to achieve policy success across both domains. Rather, legislative power translates into more restrictive immigration and citizenship policies only when immigration is highly salient in democratic elections. When immigration is not salient, even electorally successful radical right parties cannot consistently advance their preferred policies. I test this hypothesis across three key dimensions of immigration and citizenship politics in 23 Western democracies between 1980 and 2018. The results confirm this hypothesis and show that consistent policy success is comparatively rare. This refines our understanding of radical right party influence in their core policy field.