The rise of populist radical right parties in Europe: the case of the alternative for Germany (AFD)

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Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Turkey

Approval Date: 2018

Student: HÜLYA ECEM ÇALIŞKAN

Supervisor: BAŞAK ZEYNEP ALPAN

Abstract:

This thesis aims to show that the Alternative for Germany displays a good combination of populism, nativism, and authoritarianism, which are three core ideological features of populist radical right parties. This thesis also aims to find out what the rise of the Alternative for Germany means for the future of Europe. This thesis claims that the populist radical right ideology that the Alternative for Germany stands for is a serious threat to the European integration project which has provided a framework for peaceful resolution of political and economic differences in Europe. In particular, the key ideology of the Alternative for Germany, nativism, is in sharp contrast to European integration and European values.