Research: Mainstream ‘Tough Talk’ On Immigration Can Backfire, Boosting Populist Right In Europe

Analysis of recent political-science research finds that when mainstream parties adopt harsher anti-immigration rhetoric, it often raises the salience of immigration and benefits populist-right parties, especially in European multi-party systems. Case studies include Starmer’s U.K. pivot, Norway’s shifts, and Denmark’s realignment, with salience and issue ownership as key mechanisms. The piece argues U.S. implications are context-dependent, suggesting moderation in governance and careful attention to salience tradeoffs.