GEOGRAPHY OR IDEOLOGY? A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF LEFT- AND RIGHT-WING POPULIST POSITIONS ON DEVELOPMENT POLICY IN ITALY AND GERMANY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17072/2218-1067-2025-3-16-27Keywords:
development policy, right-wing populism, left-wing populism, migration crisis, refugee crisis, Lega, Alternative for Germany, Five Star Movement, The LeftAbstract
The article examines left- and right-wing populist rhetoric on development policy. It also explores how the migration context, especially the refugee crisis, fueled the electoral rise of populist parties in Europe. Using a comparative approach, the study analyzes the rhetoric of right-wing populist parties (Alternative for Germany, Lega) and left-wing populist parties (Five Star Movement, The Left) at the national level in the front-line country (Italy) and the destination country (Germany) to identify similarities and differences in their positions. A content analysis of electoral programs for national parliamentary elections shows that left-wing populist parties focus more on development policy than their right-wing counterparts. The rhetoric of the German and Italian left-wing parties shares more commonalities than that of right-wing populists. Populist parties frame the development policy in connection with the migration policy. Both left- and right-wing populists emphasize the importance of addressing migration issues. However, right-wing parties view development policy as a tool to curb migration, while left-wing parties see it as a means to reduce socio-economic inequality and achieve social justice. A significant difference is noted in their trade policy approach. The study finds rhetorical differences stem from core ideology, not geography. Migration context isn't decisive in shaping development policy.References
Агафонова, О. В. (2021) ‘Политика развития в контексте политики безопасности ФРГ’, Вестник Московского государственного лингвистического университета. Общественные науки, 4(845), сс. 9–21. [Agafonova, O. V. (2021) ‛‘Development Policy in the Context of Germany’s Security Policy’ [Politika razvitiya v kontekste politiki bezopasnosti FRG], Vestnik Moskovskogo gosudarstvennogo lingvisticheskogo universiteta. Obshchestvennye nauki, 4(845), pp. 9–21. (In Russ.)].
Белинский, А. В. (2018) ‘«Восстание против элит»: всплеск праворадикального популизма в Западной Европе’, Актуальные проблемы Европы, 2, сс. 14–36. [Belinsky, A. V. (2018) ‛"Revolt Against Elites": A Surge of Far-Right Populism in Western Europe’ [“Vosstanie protiv elit”: vsplesk pravoradikal'nogo populizma v Zapadnoi Evrope], Aktual’nye problemy Evropy, 2, pp. 14–36. (In Russ.)].
Мусихин, Г. И. (2009) ‘Популизм: структурная характеристика политики или «ущербная идеология»?’, Полития. Анализ. Хроника. Прогноз, 4, сс. 40–53. [Musikhin, G. I. (2009) ‘Populism: A Structural Characteristic of Politics or a "Flawed Ideology"?’ [Populizm: strukturnaya kharakteristika politiki ili “usherbnaya ideologiya”?], Politiya. Analiz. Khronika. Prognoz, 4, pp. 40–53. (In Russ.)].
Погорельская, С. В. (2019) ‘Левая альтернатива для Германии’, Актуальные проблемы Европы, 4, сс. 78–92.
[Pogorelskaya, S. V. (2019) ‘The Left Alternative for Germany’ [Levaya alternativa dlya Germanii], Aktual’nye problemy Evropy, 4, pp. 78–92. (In Russ.)].
Роберто, В. (2019) ‘«Демократия чуда». Итальянский популизм в исторической перспективе’, Актуальные проблемы Европы, 2, сс. 121–140.
[Roberto, V. (2019) ‘"The Miracle Democracy": Italian Populism in Historical Perspective’ [“Demokratiya chuda”: italianskii populizm v istoricheskoi perspective], Aktual’nye problemy Evropy, 2, pp. 121–140. (In Russ.)].
Сергеев, Е. А. (2021) ‘Официальная помощь развитию институтов Европейского союза’, Мировое и национальное хозяйство, 4(57). [Электронное издание]. Доступно: https://mirec.mgimo.ru/2021/2021-04/eu-institutions-official-development (Дата обращения: 09.09.2025). [Sergeev, E. A. (2021) ‘Official Development Assistance of the European Union Institutions’ [Ofitsial'naya pomoshch razvitiya institutov Evropeiskogo soyuza], Mirovoe i natsional’noe khozyaistvo, 4(57). [Online]. Available at: https://mirec.mgimo.ru/2021/2021-04/eu-institutions-official-development (Accessed: 9th September 2025). (In Russ.)].
Старцев, Я. Ю. (2020) ‘Политика развития: современная повестка’, Вопросы управления, 1(62), сс. 6–10. [Startsev, Ya. Yu. (2020) ‘Development Policy: The Current Agenda’ [Politika razvitiya: sovremennaya povestka], Voprosy upravleniya, 1(62), pp. 6–10. (In Russ.)].
Стрежнева, М. В., Руденкова, Д. Э. (2016) Европейский союз: архитектура внешней политики. Москва: ИМЭМО РАН. 135 с. [Strezhneva, M. V., Rudenkova, D. E. (2016) European Union: The Architecture of Foreign Policy [Evropeiskii soyuz: arkhitektura vneshnei politiki]. Moscow: IMEMO RAN. 135 p. (In Russ.)].
Топорикова, Я. М. (2024) ‘Особенности политики ЕС по содействию развитию’, Научно-аналитический вестник ИЕ РАН, 4(40), сс. 41–57.
[Toporikova, Ya. M. (2024) ‘Specifics of the EU Development Policy’ [Osobennosti politiki ES po sodeistviyu razvitiyu], Nauchno-analiticheskiy vestnik IE RAN, 4(40), pp. 41–57. (In Russ.)].
Шеин, С. А. (2021) ‘«Популистская внешняя политика»: барьеры для концептуализации и типологизации’, Вестник Удмуртского университета. Социология. Политология. Международные отношения, 5(3), сс. 351–356. [Shein, S. A. (2021) ‘"Populist Foreign Policy": Barriers to Conceptualization and Typologization’ [“Populistskaya vneshnyaya politika”: bar'ery dlya kontseptualizatsii i tipologizatsii], Vestnik Udmurtskogo universiteta. Sotsiologiya. Politologiya. Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya, 5(3), pp. 351–356. (In Russ.)]. DOI: 10.35634/2587-9030-2021-5-3-351-356.
Albertazzi, D., McDonnell, D. (eds.) (2008) Twenty-first century populism. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 261 p.
Aslandis, P. (2016) ‘Is populism an ideology? A refutation and a new perspective’, Political Studies, 64(1), pp. 88–104.
Barr, R. (2009) ‘Populists, outsiders and anti-establishment politics’, Party Politics, 15(1), pp. 29–48.
Bergmann, J., Hackenesch, C., Stockemer, D. (2021) ‘Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe: What Impact Do They Have on Development Policy?’, Journal of Common Market Studies, 59(1), pp. 37–52.
Berman, S. (2014) ‘Global warning’, The New York Times, 11 September [online]. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/14/books/review/francis-fukuyamas-political-order-and-political-decay.html (Accessed: 24 July 2024).
Canovan, M. (2008) ‘The thin ideology of populism’, Journal of Political Ideologies, 13(1), pp. 95–110.
Cossarini, P., Ruzza, C., Berti, C. (2021) ‘The impact of populism on the European Union: “The people” and the Brussels bubble’, in The Impact of Populism on European Institutions and Civil Society: Discourses, Practices, and Policies, pp. 1–17.
Coticchia, F. (2021) ‘A sovereignist revolution? Italy’s foreign policy under the “Yellow–Green” government’, Comparative European Politics, 19(6), pp. 739–759.
De Cleen, B., Stavrakakis, Y. (2017) ‘Distinctions and Articulations: A Discourse Theoretical Framework for the Study of Populism and Nationalism’, Javnost, 24(4), pp. 301–319. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/
2017.1330083.
Freeden, M. (2017) ‘After the Brexit referendum: Revisiting populism as an ideology’, Journal of Political Ideologies, 22(1), pp. 1–11.
Furness, M., Ghica, L. A., Lightfoot, S., Szent-Iványi, B. (2020) ‘EU development policy: evolving as an instrument of foreign policy and as an expression of solidarity’, Journal of Contemporary European Research, 16(2), pp. 89–100.
Geiger, M., Pécoud, A. (2013) ‘Migration, Development and the “Migration and Development Nexus”’, Population, Space and Place, 19(4), pp. 369–374. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/psp.1778.
Hackenesch, C., Högl, M., Öhler, H., Burni, A. (2022) ‘Populist Radical Right Parties' Impact on European Foreign Aid Spending’, JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies, 60(5), pp. 1391–1415. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.13308.
Hutter, S., Grande, E. (2014) ‘Politicizing Europe in the National Electoral Arena : A Comparative Analysis of Five West European Countries, 1970 – 2010’, Journal of Common Market Studies, 52(5), pp. 1002–18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.12133
Heinisch, R., Mazzoleni, O. (eds.) (2016) Understanding populist party organisation: The radical right in Western Europe. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 258 p.
Jansen, R. S. (2011) ‘Populist mobilization: A new theoretical approach to populism’, Social Theory, 29(2), pp. 75–96.
Kriesi, H., Altiparmakis, A., Bojar, A., Oana, I.-E. (2021) ‘Debordering and re-bordering in the refugee crisis: A case of “defensive integration”’, Journal of European Public Policy, 28(3), pp. 331–349. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2021.1882540.
Lutz, P. (2019) ‘Variation in policy success: Radical right populism and migration policy’, West European Politics, 42(3), pp. 517–544.
Massetti, E. (2021) ‘The populist-eurosceptic mix: Conceptual distinctions, ideational linkages and internal differentiation’, in The Impact of Populism on European Institutions and Civil Society: Discourses, Practices, and Policies, pp. 21–44.
Mudde, C. (2007) Populist radical right parties in Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.385 p.
Mudde, C. (2004) ‘The populist zeitgeist’, Government and Opposition, 39(4), pp. 542–563.
Rooduijn, M. (2014) ‘The nucleus of populism: In search of the lowest common denominator’, Government and Opposition, 49(4), pp. 573–599.
Sumner, A. (2024) ‘Unity in Diversity? Reflections on Development Studies in the Mid-2020s’, European Journal of Development Research, 36, pp. 1280–1298. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41287-024-00636-x.
Thérien, J.-P. (2002) ‘Debating Foreign Aid: Right versus Left’, Third World Quarterly, 23(3), pp. 449–466 [online]. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3993536 (Accessed: 14 December 2024).
Timbro (2019) Timbro Authoritarian Populism Index [online]. Available at: https://timbro.se (Accessed: 4 December 2023).
Varriale, A. (2021) ‘Institutionalized Populism: The “Strange Case” of the Italian Five Star Movement’, Manuscript, pp. 1–24.
Verbeek, B., Zaslove, A. (2015) ‘The Impact of Populist Radical Right Parties on Foreign Policy: The Northern League as a Junior Coalition Partner in the Berlusconi Governments’, Comparative European Politics, 13(5), pp. 525–546. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/cep.2014.31.
Verbeek, J. A., Zaslove, A. S. (2017) ‘Populism and Foreign Policy’, in Kaltwasser, C.R., Taggart, P.A. and Espejo, P.O. (eds.) Oxford Handbook of Populism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 384–405. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198803560.013.15.
Wajner, D. F., Giurlando, P. (2023) ‘Introduction to Populist Foreign Policy (PFP)’, in Wajner, D.F. and Giurlando, P. (eds.) Populist Foreign Policy: Regional Perspectives of Populism in the International Scene. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 1–35.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
The author grants the Publisher of the journal (Perm State University) the right to use their article in the journal, as well as to include the text of the abstract, the full text of the article and information about authors in the "Russian Science Citation Index" (RSCI).
The author agrees to the processing of personal data.
The right to use the journal as a whole belongs to the Publisher and acts indefinitely on the territory of the Russian Federation and beyond in accordance with cl. 1260 of the Russian Federation Civil Code.
There is no author's fee paid for providing the above rights by the author.
The author of the article included in the journal retains the exclusive right to it, regardless of the Publisher's right to use the journal as a whole:
a. The authors retain their copyrights to the article and transfer the right of the first publication along with the article to the journal, while also licensing it on the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which allows others to distribute this article with the obligatory indication of authorship of the article and reference to the original publication in this journal.
b. The authors retain the right to enter into separate, additional contractual agreements for the non-exclusive dissemination of the version of the text published by this journal (for example, post it in a university archive or publish it in a book), with reference to the original publication in this journal.
c. d. Authors are allowed to post their text on the Internet (for example, in a university archive or on their personal website) before and during the review process by this journal, as this can lead to a fruitful discussion and to higher number of the references to this published work (Please refer to The Effect of Open Access).
Submission of an article by the author implies that they agree for it to be used by the Publisher on the above conditions and to be included in the RSCI system. It also implicates that the author is aware of the terms of its use. The information about the author sent to the Publisher, including by e-mail, is also considered as such consent.
The editorial board posts the full text of the article on the Perm State University site: http://www.psu.ru and in the OJS system at http://press.psu.ru
The publication fee is not collected and fees are not paid. The author's copy is sent to the author to the address provided by them.
