Authors

George Kordas¹;  ¹ Panteion University of Social and Political Scienc, Greece

Discussion

The polycrises era transformed European political families, as new challenges arose and new political players appeared. While the polycrises era started with the 2009 economic crisis, its impact became more visible only after the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic successfully combined economic and humanitarian crises with conspiracy theories and low levels of trust in government and institutions.
The far-right, recognising the critical juncture presented by the polycrises era, strategically transformed itself to align with the demands of the new era. This transformation was facilitated by the impasses that traditional political families encountered, thereby creating a void in addressing societal needs. While the far-right's adaptations were not universally successful, their examination in specific contexts contributes to our understanding of the polycrises' impact. Viewing these adaptations as a form of 'political rebranding', we aim to decipher the party mechanisms that facilitate the rejuvenation of not just a party, but an entire political family.
Eastern Europe, particularly Romania and Bulgaria, provides a fertile ground for such investigations, as these countries witnessed a reversal in the trajectory of the far-right. The aftermath of the pandemic saw the emergence of AUR in Romania and several far-right formations in Bulgaria. Prior to the pandemic, Bulgaria was home to ATAKA, a prominent far-right political party, while Romania had been devoid of far-right influence for nearly two decades.
Therefore, I ask, 'What mechanisms are behind far-right's rebranding in both countries?' To answer my questions, I focus on parties' official sites, political announcements, and political programmes. The material will be analysed with MAXQDA's help using constructivist grounded theory.