A Theory of Populist Far-Right Issue Entrepreneurship in an Age of Dealignment

In this chapter, we investigate several exogenous variables (chief among these, the effects of dealignment) as well as the most important endogenous factor for the AfD’s electoral success—its strategy of “issue entrepreneurship.” Applying the concept of issue entrepreneurship discussed very briefly in Chapters 1 and 2 to the AfD, we argue that the party has largely achieved its success through the magnification and exploitation of crises in each of the three federal elections in which the party has competed. We also develop a theory in this chapter which highlights the role each stage has played in the AfD's electoral development. More specifically, we discuss how issue entrepreneurship and electoral success operate at three developmental stages of any party's development—its emergence, breakthrough, and sustainment.