What do they talk about when they talk about Europe? Euro-ambivalence in far right ideology

Lorimer, Marta ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9214-3898 2021. What do they talk about when they talk about Europe? Euro-ambivalence in far right ideology. Ethnic and Racial Studies 44 (11) , pp. 2016-2033. 10.1080/01419870.2020.1807035

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Abstract

Euroscepticism is frequently presented as a key ideological feature of far right parties, however, this definition masks important variations between them. This paper argues that far right positions on Europe are characterized by long-standing ambivalence rather than straightforward opposition. While far right parties frequently oppose the EU, ideological flexibility, the malleability of European integration and the protean nature of Europe also lead them to display support towards certain aspects of it and towards Europe as a civilization. The argument is illustrated through a qualitative analysis of the party literature of the Movimento Sociale Italiano and the Front National. The analysis shows that these parties conceived of Europe as an identity, a space of liberty, an endangered heritage and a construction where national interests must be defended. In each theme, they offered ambivalent readings of Europe, oscillating between opposition and support depending on how Europe and the EU were defined.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Cardiff Law & Politics
Publisher:	Taylor and Francis Group
ISSN:	0141-9870
Date of Acceptance:	31 July 2020
Last Modified:	14 Nov 2025 16:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/182306

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