Religious Symbolism in Rhetoric of Right Populist Parties
This article explores the use of religious symbolism in the populist rhetoric of Poland's Law and Justice (PiS) party and Hungary's Fidesz party. Both parties leverage historical and cultural narratives emphasizing Christianity's role in their national identities to legitimize their p...
| Authors: | ; ; ; |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
George Fox University
2024
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| In: |
Occasional papers on religion in Eastern Europe
Year: 2024, Volume: 44, Issue: 6, Pages: 54-72 |
| Further subjects: | B
Religious symbolism
B democratic governance B Hungary B political rhetoric B Poland B religious populism |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This article explores the use of religious symbolism in the populist rhetoric of Poland's Law and Justice (PiS) party and Hungary's Fidesz party. Both parties leverage historical and cultural narratives emphasizing Christianity's role in their national identities to legitimize their political agendas and mobilize support. The study examines how these populist leaders incorporate religious imagery and language to create a moral dichotomy between the "righteous people" and the "corrupt elite," thereby deepening societal divisions and undermining democratic governance. In Poland, the PiS party's close alignment with the Catholic Church reinforces its nationalist and anti-EU stance, while in Hungary, Fidesz employs a broader range of Christian traditions to frame political conflicts as battles to protect Hungary's Christian identity "from external threats". The research highlights the profound implications of religiously infused populism for social cohesion and democratic institutions in post-socialist Eastern Europe. It also provides policy recommendations and strategies for mitigating the negative impacts of religious populism through media literacy, educational reforms, and community engagement. |
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| ISSN: | 2693-2148 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Occasional papers on religion in Eastern Europe
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.55221/2693-2229.2538 |