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extremism

March 12, 2026

AfD and the politics of extremism classification in Germany

Henning Schäckelhoff Germany’s domestic intelligence agency is supposed to defend democracy from extremist threats. But new statistical evidence suggests that branches of the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland are most likely to be labelled extremist in regions where the party is electorally strongest. This pattern, says Henning Schäckelhoff, raises a difficult question: is militant democracy protecting the constitution – or shaping political competition? Read more
March 4, 2026

Old terrorism, new extremes, and Maslow’s Hammer

Valarie Findlay In recent years, many nations have reprioritised efforts to address extremism and violence emerging from social, political, and religious views and beliefs. Yet, says Valarie Findlay, despite decades of research, governments and institutions still struggle with the definitions, methods, and criteria for preventing extremism Read more
January 8, 2026

Why democracies ban extremist organisations

Michael Zeller Many extremist organisations exist and operate in democratic societies. Some get banned by democratic authorities; others don’t. Why? Using data on far-right organisations from Germany, Michael Zeller explains why governments ban only some of the organisations working to undermine Germany’s constitutional democracy Read more
December 4, 2025

India has a new friend: the Taliban 

Sonia Sarkar Four years after it cut all ties with Afghanistan, the Indian government’s strategy towards the Taliban regime is undergoing a transformation. Sonia Sarkar argues that India’s deteriorating relationship with Pakistan appears to have prompted this, and suggests it damages India’s pluralist reputation  Read more
May 30, 2025

The grey wolf salute: cultural expression or political provocation?

Süleyman Güngör What is seen as a symbol of pride in one country may be viewed as a provocation in another. Reflecting on the recent controversy over a footballer’s hand gesture linked to Turkish nationalism, Süleyman Güngör explores how physical expressions of cultural identity triggered international tensions Read more
May 19, 2025

The role of policy extremity in issue voting

Andreas Goldberg Voters often choose parties that share similar positions to them on certain issues. Andreas Goldberg and Jonas Lefevere argue that this behaviour is more prevalent among voters with more extreme issue positions. So, better understanding the role of policy issues in electoral competition requires considering voters’ positional extremity Read more
August 22, 2024

What caused the riots in Britain?

Paul Whiteley In recent weeks, Britain has experienced serious riots following the tragic murders of three young girls in Southport, Merseyside. Media reports pinned the blame on right-wing, racist thugs, but this, writes Paul Whiteley, is an oversimplistic analysis. The most important underlying cause is poverty and deprivation in the communities affected. Read more
August 12, 2024

How repressive state power can tackle far-right violence

Baris Cayli Messina Far-right violence in the UK threatens democracy. Baris Cayli Messina argues for repressive state power to counter this threat. Recognising that democracy is fragile, he calls for action against organisations and people that fuel extremism. Cooperation between state institutions and non-state actors is essential to combat fascist violence and ensure peaceful coexistence Read more

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THE EUROPEAN CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL RESEARCH
Advancing Political Science
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