Back to the future, recovering the past: a critical discourse analysis of the terms 'democracy' and 'direct democracy' in the speeches of the Rassemblement National and the Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs

• Published in: Journal of contemporary European studies Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 306 - 317
• Main Author: Debras, François
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 03.04.2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Carfax Publishing
• Subjects: Austria; Citizen participation; Critical Discourse Analysis; Democracy; Direct Democracy; Discourse; Discourse analysis; Droit, criminologie & sciences politiques; Elections; Electoral reform; Extreme right; Far Right; France; Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs; Glorious Past; Ideology; Immigration; International agreements; Law, criminology & political science; Lost World; Nativism; Participation; past; Political parties; Political science, public administration & international relations; Politicians; Populism; Rassemblement National; Renewal; Representation; Right wing politics; Right-Wing; Sciences politiques, administration publique & relations internationales; Speeches; Story; Temporal dimension; Time
• ISSN: 1478-2804; 1478-2790; 1478-2790
• DOI: 10.1080/14782804.2022.2061432

In France, the Rassemblement National and, in Austria, the Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs aim to 'recover', 'restore' or 'protect' democracy. In this article, I will study their use of the term 'democracy' by focusing on its temporal dimension. Their discourse tells a story, that of a glorious past which should be revived. Adopting a critical discourse analysis approach, I will answer the following questions: what kind of temporality is conveyed by the term 'democracy'?, and, if 'democracy' is perceived as a 'lost world', then what vision do those politicians who support the ideology of the two political parties have of tomorrow's 'democracy'? I would maintain that whilst right-wing populist parties present themselves as agents of a democratic renewal, their vision of 'democracy' remains traditional, i.e. essentially representative and vertical. The term 'direct democracy' is limited to particular subjects linked to the nativist ideology of right-wing populist parties (the EU, immigration, international agreements) and these parties are critical of electoral reforms or new forms of participation.