CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2023
| Author | Buzurin, Alisa |
|---|---|
| Title | The Role of Economic Narratives in Right- versus Left-Wing Populism: The Case of France |
| Summary | In the context of financial crises, the French 2022 Presidential elections have featured powerful economic narratives, embedded in the populist rhetoric of the presidential candidates Marine Le Pen (right-wing) and Jean-Luc Melenchon (left-wing). By examining the construction of economic narratives in their campaign speeches, this thesis questions the distinction between right- and left-wing populism that is prominent in the literature, where left-wing is strongly associated with economics, while right-wing discourse is attributed to the culture. Drawing on a comparative narrative analysis of Le Pen’s and Melenchon’s rhetoric in the electoral campaign, this thesis argues that economics is the most salient feature of both right- and left-wing populist discourse. The analysis showcased that Le Pen and Melenchon have deployed economic grievances and crises to construct the ‘black and white’ storyline of ‘the people’ versus ‘the elites’. In this story, Le Pen and Melenchon represent themselves as heroes, who contrary to the villains (the elites) offer a better future to the French. This research contributes to the field by arguing that economics is indeed a unifying element in both right- and left-wing populist discourse. As a result, this thesis draws attention to the importance of narratives in populist rhetoric, as means to mobilize the masses via persuasion of the need for major changes. |
| Supervisor | Jenne, Erin K. |
| Department | International Relations MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2023/buzurin_alisa.pdf |
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