The Ineffectiveness of Copying the Far-Right in Europe

Mainstream conservative parties in Germany, such as the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its regional ally the Christian Socialist Union (CSU), have been attempting to adopt far-right rhetoric and policies in an effort to win back support from the far-right populist Alternative for Germany Party (AfD). However, this strategy has proven ineffective, as the AfD has doubled its support and is now polling at 20% nationwide. Similar trends have been observed across Europe, where mainstream parties adopting hardline anti-immigration stances have failed to halt the rise of far-right parties. Experts argue that paying lip service to far-right positions is not enough, and mainstream parties should focus on engaging with voters directly and offering good policies rather than copying the far-right.