Introduction

The introduction chapter serves three primary purposes. First, it outlines the international presence of the radical right over recent decades. Second, it summarises crisis theory and its impact on shaping political discourse and policy. Third, it offers an overview of the book’s argument, emphasising the role of crisis exploitation in the evolution of radical right representatives. It also positions the book within the existing literature on crisis management, highlighting the value of a comprehensive theory for understanding political party dynamics during crises.