Act 4: Health Crisis

The radical right faces a significant setback during the pandemic, losing credibility amid the unprecedented crisis. The closed borders have shifted the importance of the refugee and migrant issue, but despite the initial signs, European radical right political forces have not equally benefited from the coronavirus crisis as governments maintain control. During the pandemic, radical right parties have propagated various COVID-19 conspiracy theories and have also adopted racist rhetoric, blaming minorities for the pandemic and the spread of the virus. This chapter examines the discourse of the radical right during the health crisis, identifying its ideological focus.