Right-wing extremism is centred on a belief in white supremacy and thus the inferiority of people with other skin colours. In a joint analytical report published today, the General Intelligence and Security Service (AlVD) and National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) conclude that right-wing extremists are attempting to normalise this ideology by strategically influencing social domains and discussions within them. With this publication, the AIVD and the NCTV hope to increase knowledge and awareness of this strategy so that organisations, institutions and society are better able to resist it.
Image: © ANP
Stickers from the White Lives Matter protest movement on a lamppost in the city center of Eindhoven.
Normalisation can be a conscious strategy
Some segments of the right-wing extremist movement are making a conscious effort to normalise their ideology. They often do this by presenting a softer version of their views, making them seem more acceptable to a broader audience. This is just window dressing: their real views are much more extreme. Right-wing extremists know that they can create more scope for putting their ideas into effect by first creating the conditions for their broader acceptance in society.
‘Right-wing extremist ideology is a threat to the democratic legal order,’ says Simone Smit, Director-General of the AIVD. ‘The AIVD has been warning about this for years. With this publication the AIVD and NCTV shed light on what the movement wants to achieve and how normalisation of this ideology is expressed in the Dutch context.’
Normalisation via various routes
Right-wing extremists spread their ideas within different social domains: online, in the media, in the political realm and during demonstrations. They are either active in these domains themselves, or have others, perhaps unwittingly, express their ideas for them. They also work with like-minded movements abroad. Some try to influence political parties from within, thereby repeatedly exposing as many people as possible to right-wing extremist ideology. This results in declining resistance to, and greater acceptance of, their ideas and statements.
Extremism strategy
The Netherlands adopts a strict approach to combatting all forms of extremism, including right-wing extremism. This approach is described in the National Extremism Strategy for 2024-2029. This strategy shows how important it is for the democratic legal order to stay resilient. Resilience can be strengthened by reducing the breeding ground for and susceptibility to extremism, and by protecting public debate and our political officeholders and institutions.
Impact and how to be resilient to it
‘Society may be resilient, but we mustn’t underestimate what can happen if extremist ideas and language become normalised, and if the foundation of our democracy – equality, tolerance and dialogue – comes under pressure,’ explains Marc Kuipers, National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security. ‘If extremist ideas and language use are normalised and boundaries shift, it can negatively impact security. Normalisation can prompt people who are willing to commit violent acts to take action. It is, therefore, essential that we recognise and limit the ways in which right-wing extremists try to normalise their ideas and language. This publication is a step towards that. It also means speaking and recognising and effectively challenging extremist framing and language instead of facilitating it.’
The analytical report shows that one risk of normalising right-wing extremist ideology is that it can insidiously undermine our democratic legal order. After all, these views are diametrically opposed to fundamental rights such as equal treatment and the prohibition of discrimination.
Most of Dutch society still rejects right-wing extremist ideology, but we are seeing that people are becoming more receptive to it, which can mean a heightened threat. It is extremely important to avoid normalising the use of the term ‘remigration’, for example, without knowing what right-wing extremists actually mean by it – namely the enforced expulsion of groups of people who, in the eyes of right-wing extremists, do not belong here. Involvement of right-wing extremists in public debate limits scope for dialogue and solutions.