Implementing the Exclusionary Neoliberal State

This chapter demonstrates the economic policies of far-right populist governments, challenging the traditional focus on their nationalist and nativist ideologies. Existing research has predominantly concentrated on the nationalist and nativist ideologies of far-right populism, underscoring its potential threats to liberal democracy through electoral outcomes and behavior once in government, particularly regarding immigration, integration policies, and democratic backsliding. Yet, a crucial aspect remains underexplored: the economic policy outcomes of far-right populism. The chapter examines Austria’s experience with the far-right populist FPÖ from 2000 onward, analyzing the consistency in policy content alongside significant changes in the discursive presentation of these policies. This approach reveals a shift from the normativization of exclusionary neoliberalism to the normalization and institutionalization under far-right populist rule.