As Europe enters a significant phase of re-integration of East and West, it faces an increasing problem with the rise of far-right political parties. Cas Mudde offers the first comprehensive and truly pan-European study of populist radical right parties in Europe. He focuses on the parties themselves, discussing them both as dependent and independent variables. Based upon a wealth of primary and secondary literature, this book offers critical and original insights into three major aspects of European populist radical right parties: concepts and classifications; themes and issues; and explanations for electoral failures and successes. It concludes with a discussion of the impact of radical right parties on European democracies, and vice versa, and offers suggestions for future research. The first comprehensive and truly pan-European study of populist radical right parties in Europe by one of the foremost scholars in the field. Cas Mudde offers critical and original insights into the main aspects of European populist radical right parties and considers their impact on European democracies. List of tables ix Acknowledgments xi List of abbreviations xv Introduction 1(10) Part I Concepts Constructing a conceptual framework 11(21) From conceptualization to classification: which parties? 32(31) Part II Issues Who's afraid of...? 63(27) Mannerparteien 90(29) It's not the economy, stupid! 119(19) Populist radical right democracy 138(20) ``Europe for the Europeans'' 158(26) Globalization: the multifaced enemy 184(17) Part III Explanations Demand-side: in search of the perfect breeding ground 201(31) External supply-side: political opportunity structures 232(24) Internal supply-side: the populist radical right party 256(21) Assessing impact: populist radical right parties vs. European democracies 277(16) Conclusions 293(12) Appendix A Populist radical right parties 305(4) Appendix B Questionnaire 309(3) Bibliography 312(56) Index 368